Packard 1600 Series Tires

Packard 1600 Series uses 650-16 for 1938. That size is paired with a 16-inch rim diameter, and most passenger-car products in this fitment are listed for 4.50 to 5.00 inch rim widths, with one Excelsior option shown for 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims. All listed passenger-style offerings are bias-ply tires, and the same nominal size also appears in several truck and military-family tread patterns.

The practical step is to confirm that the wheel on the car is truly a 16-inch passenger-car wheel before choosing among the available tires. Once that is verified, the real decision becomes whether you want a period-correct touring look with blackwall or wide whitewall styling, or a heavier specialty tread that shares the same size but serves a different visual and driving purpose.

On Packard 1600 Series, 650-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 650 indicates a nominal section width of about 6.50 inches, and the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. Unlike modern metric sizing, it does not include an explicit aspect ratio, so overall profile and proportions come from period bias-ply construction rather than a modern low-profile convention.

That matters because a 650-16 tire should be chosen with period wheel width and intended appearance in mind, not by comparing it directly to a modern metric tire alone. If the goal is faithful prewar stance and steering feel, stick with the listed bias-ply offerings and verify the rim width range so the tire sits correctly on the wheel.

Packard 1600 Series is listed with bias-ply 650-16 tires, and tube use is generally part of the expected setup for prewar passenger-car bias-ply applications. Most of the products in this size are traditional bias-ply designs without any tubeless notation, while one STA Transport Highway product is specifically identified as tubeless. That makes tube fitment a product-by-product question once you move outside the standard passenger-car offerings.

For a restoration-minded Packard 1600 Series owner, the safest approach is to treat tube use as the default unless the exact tire and wheel combination is clearly meant for tubeless service. Wheel condition, bead seat design, and the intended use of the car all matter, so tube selection should match both the tire chosen and the wheel actually on the car.

Packard 1600 Series tires in 650-16 are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles. The listed wide whitewall options include several branded passenger-car bias-ply tires, while blackwall choices appear across both passenger and specialty truck-style lines. That gives the model a broad visual range even though the fitment itself stays on one size.

For most 1938 Packard 1600 Series restorations and touring cars, the sidewall decision is largely about the look you want the car to present. A blackwall tends to read more restrained and utilitarian, while a wide whitewall gives a fuller prewar luxury appearance, so owners often choose according to restoration theme, judging goals, and the period image they want the car to carry.

Packard 1600 Series tires in 650-16 are offered by BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, Garfield, Excelsior, Lester, Goodyear, STA, and Tornel. Those brands span traditional passenger-car bias-ply lines as well as military and truck-family tread styles in the same nominal size. The available series include classic bias-ply touring designs and heavier-duty specialty patterns.

That variety means brand choice should come after you decide how the Packard 1600 Series will be used and what appearance you want. A touring-oriented prewar sedan usually points toward the passenger-car bias-ply options first, while the truck-family selections make more sense only if you specifically want that tread character or are matching a special-use configuration.

Packard 1600 Series 650-16 tires appear in several series, including Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Coker Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Garfield Classic Bias Ply, Excelsior Bias Ply, Lester Classic Bias Ply, Deluxe All-Weather, Transport, STA Classic Military, Super Traxion, Transport Highway, Tornel Classic Truck, and Firestone Classic Truck. The main divide is between passenger-car classic bias-ply tires meant to preserve a prewar road-car look and heavier truck or military-family designs with more specialized tread patterns and load emphasis.

For most Packard 1600 Series owners, the series decision comes down to authenticity and use. If the car is a restored passenger Packard, the classic bias-ply passenger lines usually make the most visual and dynamic sense, while the truck and military-family series are better understood as specialty alternatives that happen to share the same nominal 650-16 size.

Packard 1600 Series should be stored in a cool, dry, dark environment with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, heaters, and electric motors. Proper inflation matters even when the car is not being driven, because low-use collector cars can develop flat spotting or sidewall stress when they sit too long under load. Clean tires and wheels also help prevent long-term deterioration.

If the Packard 1600 Series will sit for extended periods, move it occasionally or relieve some weight from the tires with proper storage methods. Prewar bias-ply tires benefit from careful seasonal checks for cracking, air loss, bead issues, and tube condition, especially on a heavy luxury car that can place substantial static load on one contact patch for months at a time.

Tires on a Packard 1600 Series should be inspected before each drive and given a more thorough check at regular intervals even if the car sees limited mileage. On a prewar bias-ply application, inspection should include inflation, tread and sidewall condition, valve stems, signs of tube trouble, and any irregular wear that could point to alignment, wheel, or suspension issues.

Because collector Packards may spend long periods parked, time matters as much as mileage. A car that is driven only to shows and tours can still develop age-related issues, so a hands-on inspection routine is part of safe ownership and is especially important before any longer outing or after seasonal storage.

Tires on a Packard 1600 Series should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, sidewall damage, impact injury, or structural deterioration appears, even if tread depth still looks acceptable. Collector-car tires often age out before they wear out, and that is especially true on low-mileage prewar automobiles. Visible tread alone is not a reliable measure of continued serviceability.

A Packard 1600 Series that spends much of its life in storage still needs age-based evaluation by someone familiar with vintage tires. Replacement decisions should come from condition, age, and intended road use, not from tread appearance, because an old-looking but little-used tire can still be a weak point once the car returns to regular touring duty.

Packard 1600 Series is listed here with 650-16 sizing, and the available products for that fitment are bias-ply tires. Several passenger-car bias-ply series are offered in both blackwall and wide whitewall form, which reflects the kind of period-correct construction most restorers expect for a 1938 luxury car. No single original equipment brand can be established from the listed products alone.

For an exact factory-correct restoration, the size is the first anchor point and then details such as sidewall treatment, tread style, and brand preference should be checked against Packard literature, surviving photographs, and marque-club guidance. That approach keeps the Packard 1600 Series visually credible without assuming that every surviving car left the factory trimmed the same way.

Correct tire fitment can affect both judging and perceived value on a Packard 1600 Series because tire size, construction, sidewall appearance, and overall stance contribute heavily to how authentic the car looks. A 1938 Packard on an obviously incorrect tread type or sidewall treatment can appear visually out of period even when the mechanical restoration is otherwise strong.

Owners preparing a Packard 1600 Series for judged events usually benefit from matching the tire’s visual presentation to the car’s restoration level and intended standard. Marque clubs, factory literature, and period photographs are the best references for those finer points, especially when deciding between blackwall and wide whitewall interpretations of the same 650-16 fitment.

Packard 1600 Series tires in 650-16 are available as both blackwalls and wide whitewalls. Either can suit a prewar restoration depending on the exact presentation of the car, with blackwalls offering a more reserved look and wide whitewalls giving a more formal late-1930s luxury appearance. The available product mix supports both interpretations within the same size.

The right choice for a Packard 1600 Series depends on how closely you are matching a known original configuration or a specific restoration standard. If the car has history, photographs, or original sales material tied to it, use those references first; otherwise, choose the sidewall style that best matches the trim level, finish, and period character you want the restoration to convey.

A properly selected and correctly installed 650-16 tire can be suitable for road use on a Packard 1600 Series, but safety depends on much more than size alone. Tire age, condition, inflation, wheel integrity, brake performance, steering condition, and the difference between passenger-car and truck-style tread choices all matter on a prewar automobile. Bias-ply tires also drive differently from modern radials and should be treated with that in mind.

Road use in a Packard 1600 Series should be approached with realistic expectations about stopping distance, cornering feel, and highway speed. A careful owner checks the entire car before driving, chooses a tire that matches the vehicle’s purpose, and avoids assuming that any 650-16 tire is equally appropriate simply because the nominal size is the same.

Before driving a Packard 1600 Series, check tire inflation, sidewall and tread condition, valve stems, wheel security, and any signs of tube or bead trouble. On a prewar car, it is equally important to inspect brakes, steering response, fluid levels, and whether the tires fitted are passenger-car touring tires or heavier specialty tread designs in the same 650-16 size.

That inspection helps prevent using a Packard 1600 Series beyond what the tire and chassis are ready for on a given day. Even a car that ran well on its last outing can develop age-related issues in storage, so a short pre-drive routine is one of the simplest ways to preserve both safety and the mechanical integrity of the car.

A Packard 1600 Series fitted with period-style bias-ply tires should be driven at moderate speeds consistent with the car’s age, tire construction, and mechanical condition rather than treated like a modern automobile. Even when the tire size is correct, prewar steering, brakes, suspension design, and the behavior of bias-ply tires all call for a measured pace on modern roads.

In practice, that means building speed gradually, leaving generous distance, and backing off whenever road surface, weather, or vehicle response suggests the car is less than fully settled. A Packard 1600 Series is at its best as a touring and enjoyment machine, and sensible speed preserves both the tires and the overall driving experience.