As we all know, tires aren’t exactly a “one size fits all” product, and it makes choosing the right size a bit complicated if you don’t already have a passing grade in Tire Size 101. One size that does offer universal fitment for many makes and models is 600-16. While this particular bias ply tire size doesn’t fit any modern vehicles, it covers a wide range of antique American and European automobiles, trucks and military vehicles. And because of its rich history during the 1930’s and 1940’s, the popular 600-16 tires are often used on hot rods and customs. Without question, 600-16 whitewall tires are the most popular choice, but blackwall versions are available for more industrial applications.

According to our records, the earliest usage of the 6.00-16 tire size dates back to 1933. At this time, American automobiles were going through a transition period, with more extravagant body lines, luxurious interiors and additional creature comforts. One big changes involved tire and wheel size. Gone were the days of large-diameter rims with wooden spokes, and wire spoke wheels were downsizing year-by-year. For instance, Ford used a 21-inch wire spoke wheel for its 1928 and 1929 Model A, and stepped down to a 19-inch wheel for 1930, then an 18-inch wheel in 1932, 17-inch wheel in 1933, and finally 16-inch in 1935. The 16-inch wheel set the standard for American automobiles, and remained the standard through the late 1940’s. For more than a decade, 600-16 bias ply tires rolled beneath millions of cars and trucks, including military vehicles. That’s what makes 600-16 the most popular tire size in our line of authentic whitewall tires and blackwall tires.

The late 1940’s saw another big transition in the automotive world. Bodies were once again changing, and auto manufacturers developed independent suspensions, many V8 engine designs and other features to make long distance driving more pleasurable. Part of this transition included another tire and wheel downsize to 15-inch wheel diameters. This was standard from about 1949 to 1957, when the industry downsized again. But the 16-inch wheel, and 600-16 tire size remained standard for many trucks and military vehicles through the mid 1950’s. We have touched on major American automobile manufacturers, such as Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge, but it’s important to note that 6.00-16 tires were used on many European cars, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin and Jaguar in the 1950’s.

It’s also important to remember that 6.00-16 tires were used on larger, more luxurious cars, such as Chrysler, Hupmobile, and Oldsmobile. In fact, 600-16 tires were used on standard Auburn models from 1934 to 1937. Auburn Deluxe models used larger tires such as 6.50-16 and 7.00-16. Authentic 600-16 tires from Coker Tire range in brand, construction, whitewall width and price. We offer bias ply versions of the popular 600-16 size, which offer perfectly authentic appearance and ride quality. We build the tires in original molds, which we refurbish to modern standards before putting them back into production. All of our 600-16 tires are thoroughly tested and DOT approved before entering the marketplace.