Packard 120 Series Tires

Packard 120 Series uses 700-16 tires for 1935, 1936, and 1937. All available products for this model group are built around a 16-inch rim diameter, and several listings specify a compatible rim width range of 4.50 to 5.50 inches. The offerings are all bias-ply construction, but they split between passenger-car styles such as blackwall and wide whitewall and heavier military or truck-style patterns in the same nominal size.

That means the first step is not choosing among multiple year-specific sizes, but confirming that the car still carries its correct 16-inch wheels and deciding what kind of use the tire is meant for. A restored road car will usually point toward the passenger-car versions, while the military and truck patterns are specialty options that should be chosen with care.

On Packard 120 Series, 700-16 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The 700 indicates a nominal 7.00-inch section width, and the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. In the products offered for this fitment, that size is paired with 16-inch rims, and some listings further narrow the wheel fit with a 4.50 to 5.50 inch rim-width range.

Modern buyers sometimes expect a more detailed metric code, but prewar American passenger-car tires were commonly labeled in this simpler numeric format. When matching a tire to your car, treat 700-16 as both a size and a construction-era clue: it belongs to a bias-ply application, so wheel condition, tube fitment, and period-correct appearance all matter as much as the basic dimensions.

Yes, Packard 120 Series tires in this fitment should be treated as tube-type bias-ply applications. The available 700-16 products are all bias-ply, and that construction in this prewar size format calls for an inner tube. Even where the outside dimensions are correct, the tube remains part of the intended assembly rather than an optional extra.

Tube fitment also means the wheel itself deserves close attention before mounting new tires. A sound rim, a proper flap if required by the wheel design, and careful inspection of the bead seat all matter on a collector car that may have sat for long periods. If the car has older replacement wheels, confirm they are suitable for tube-type use before moving ahead.

Packard 120 Series tires are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles in the 700-16 fitment. The current offerings include blackwall passenger-car tires, wide whitewall passenger-car tires, and blackwall military or truck-pattern tires. That gives owners a clear choice between a more formal restored appearance and a more utilitarian tread-and-sidewall presentation.

For most Packard 120 Series restorations, sidewall style should be chosen to suit the car’s historical presentation rather than convenience alone. Wide whitewalls often suit a finished show-oriented restoration, while blackwalls can be appropriate for a more restrained look. The military and truck-pattern blackwalls are visually and functionally different, so they should not be selected simply because the numeric size matches.

Packard 120 Series tires in 700-16 are available from Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Tornel, and STA. Those brands span classic passenger-car bias-ply tires as well as specialty military and truck-style options. The product families represented include Lester Classic Bias Ply, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Traction Mileage, Firestone Classic Military, Tornel Classic Truck, and Military NDT.

Brand selection should follow the kind of Packard 120 Series you are trying to present and drive. A concours-minded restoration may prioritize the look of a period-style blackwall or whitewall passenger tire, while a car being adapted for a specialized purpose may point elsewhere. Compare sidewall style, tread character, and intended use first, then narrow the field by brand.

Packard 120 Series offerings span several distinct series: Lester Classic Bias Ply, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Traction Mileage, Firestone Classic Military, Tornel Classic Truck, and Military NDT. The main divide is between passenger-car classic bias-ply tires and heavier-duty military or truck-oriented patterns, even though they share the same 700-16 nominal size. Sidewall presentation also differs, with both blackwall and wide whitewall options among the passenger-car lines.

For a typical Packard 120 Series restoration, the classic passenger-car bias-ply series will usually be the most appropriate starting point because they better match the character of a prewar Packard. The military and truck series are specialty alternatives and should be chosen only when their tread design, load profile, or visual style is truly desired. Matching the series to the car’s purpose is just as important as matching the size.

Packard 120 Series should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, and petroleum contamination. Because the car uses bias-ply tires with tubes, long stationary periods can encourage flat spotting and place extra stress on old wheel components. Clean, stable storage conditions matter more on a low-use prewar car than they do on a modern daily driver.

If the car will sit for extended periods, maintain proper inflation, move it occasionally to change the footprint, or support it in a way that reduces constant load on the tires. It is also sensible to inspect tube-type rims during off-season storage, since rust, sharp edges, or scale inside the wheel can shorten the life of a freshly fitted tire and tube.

Tires on a Packard 120 Series should be inspected before each drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals even if the car sees only occasional use. On a prewar bias-ply fitment, inspection should include tread and sidewall condition, inflation, valve stems, tube-related air loss, and any signs of bead or rim trouble. Collector cars can age tires by time and storage conditions as much as by mileage.

A practical routine is a quick visual and pressure check before every outing, followed by a closer inspection at the start and end of each driving season. If the car has been parked for months, do not assume the tires are ready simply because they still hold air. Catching cracks, separations, or wheel issues early is far easier than dealing with them after the car is already on the road.

Packard 120 Series tires should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, sidewall damage, repeated air loss, or structural concerns appear, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector tires often age out before they wear out, and that is especially true on tube-type prewar applications that may spend long periods parked. Visible tread is only one part of the tire’s condition.

Replacement timing should follow age, storage history, and inspection findings rather than mileage alone. Any Packard 120 Series tire that shows weather checking, deformation, or signs of internal deterioration deserves prompt attention from a knowledgeable vintage-tire professional. Waiting for obvious tread wear can leave an old bias-ply tire in service long after its materials have stopped being trustworthy.

Packard 120 Series is covered here by a single 700-16 fitment for 1935 through 1937, with current offerings centered on bias-ply construction. Within that size, available series include classic passenger-car bias-ply lines and heavier military or truck-style alternatives. The size itself is the key fitment point, while the exact tread and sidewall presentation for a specific restoration should be matched to original Packard literature and period photos.

That distinction matters because a restored Packard 120 Series can be mechanically correct in size yet visually wrong in tread style or sidewall treatment. Owners pursuing high-level authenticity should compare their car’s trim, restoration target, and surviving historical references before settling on blackwall versus wide whitewall or on a specialty tread pattern that may not suit a passenger-car restoration.

Yes, correct tire fitment can affect both judging and perceived value on a Packard 120 Series. Judges and knowledgeable buyers notice whether the tire size, sidewall style, and overall presentation suit the era and character of the car. A proper 700-16 fitment is the foundation, but the visible details of the tire can still influence how finished and historically coherent the restoration appears.

That means tires should be treated as part of the restoration, not as a last-minute consumable. A Packard 120 Series wearing a sidewall style or tread pattern that clashes with the intended presentation can look out of period even when the car is beautifully restored elsewhere. Packard clubs, marque historians, and period advertising remain the best references when judging authenticity matters.

Packard 120 Series tires are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles in the correct 700-16 size. Either can be relevant to a prewar restoration depending on the exact presentation being pursued, while the military and truck-pattern blackwalls represent a more specialized look. Sidewall style is therefore not just decorative; it changes the visual tone of the entire car.

A formal restoration aimed at a showroom-style appearance may lean toward wide whitewalls, while a more understated or utilitarian Packard 120 Series may suit blackwalls. The best choice comes from period photos, surviving examples, and the way your specific car is trimmed and equipped. Selecting by era-appropriate appearance rather than personal preference alone usually produces the most convincing result.

Properly fitted, correctly inflated, and well-maintained bias-ply tires can be suitable for operating a Packard 120 Series on public roads in the way a prewar collector car is normally used. The key is matching the 700-16 size to the correct 16-inch wheels and choosing a tire type appropriate to the car rather than simply any product that shares the size. A passenger-car Packard should be evaluated differently from a specialty military-pattern tire choice.

Safe road use also depends on the condition of the wheels, tubes, suspension, brakes, and steering, not just the tires themselves. A Packard 120 Series should be treated as a vintage automobile with vintage limits, so deliberate driving and regular inspection matter. If the car has been dormant for years, a full mechanical review should come before any meaningful road mileage.

Before driving a Packard 120 Series, check tire inflation, visible sidewall and tread condition, valve stems, and any sign that the tube-type assembly has lost air since the last outing. Confirm that the tires are seated properly on 16-inch rims and look for cracks, cuts, bulges, or uneven wear. On a prewar car, the tires should be part of a broader walk-around that also includes wheels, lug security, steering response, and brake feel.

That routine matters because collector cars often sit long enough for problems to develop between drives. A Packard 120 Series can look perfectly ready while hiding low pressure, rim corrosion, or age-related sidewall deterioration. A few careful minutes in the garage before departure usually tells you far more about road readiness than the tread pattern or whitewall appearance alone.

A Packard 120 Series on period-style bias-ply tires should be driven at speeds appropriate to a prewar automobile, with restraint and mechanical sympathy. Even when the tire size is correct, bias-ply handling, braking distances, steering response, and road crown sensitivity differ from modern cars. The car’s overall condition and setup are just as important as the tire itself in determining what is prudent.

In practice, that means building speed gradually, avoiding sustained high-speed running unless the entire car has been carefully prepared for it, and remembering that stability and stopping performance will not mirror modern vehicles. A well-sorted Packard 120 Series can be very enjoyable on secondary roads and touring events, but conservative speed choices are part of operating it responsibly on vintage-type tires.