Packard 2004 Series Tires

The Packard 2004 Series uses 700-16 for the 1942 model year. All listed tire options for Packard 2004 Series are built around a 16-inch rim diameter, and several products specify a compatible rim width range of 4.50 to 5.50 inches. The available offerings are bias-ply tires, with both passenger-car styles and heavier-duty military or truck-pattern versions appearing in the same nominal size.

That means the correct starting point is not simply finding any tire marked 700-16, but confirming how the car will be used and what appearance is appropriate for the restoration. A formal Packard passenger restoration will usually point toward classic passenger bias-ply blackwall or wide whitewall tires, while military-pattern tread designs belong to a very different use case.

On Packard 2004 Series, 700-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 700 portion represents a nominal 7.00-inch section width, while the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. In the available products for this size, the tire construction is bias ply, and the listed rim diameter is consistently 16 inches.

Modern buyers sometimes assume every tire code works like a newer metric radial, but this older numeric format is much simpler and more period-correct for a 1942 Packard. When matching a replacement, check the sidewall size marking on the current tire, then verify the wheel diameter on the car itself so the tire and rim dimensions agree.

Packard 2004 Series tire options in this fitment are all bias-ply designs in an older numeric size, and a tube is required. That applies across the listed 700-16 offerings, including both passenger-style classic tires and the military or truck-type tires. Nothing in the available fitment set points to a tubeless radial alternative for this model group.

For a collector car that sees occasional driving, tube condition matters just as much as the outer casing. When replacing aging tires, inspect the wheels for rust, pitting, or bead-seat damage and treat the tube, flap if applicable, and tire as one system rather than mixing fresh rubber with unknown older components.

Packard 2004 Series tire choices include both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles in 700-16. The available wide whitewall options include Lester, Firestone, and BFGoodrich passenger-style bias-ply tires, while blackwall options appear in passenger, military, and truck-oriented products. All of them share the same nominal size, but they create very different visual results on the car.

Sidewall style should follow the restoration goal as closely as the size itself. A Packard restored as a formal prewar luxury car will usually look most at home on a proper passenger-car tire with an era-appropriate sidewall treatment, while blackwall military-pattern tires change both the appearance and likely the intended use of the car.

Packard 2004 Series tire options are available from Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Tornel, and STA in the 700-16 size family. Those brands appear across several different series, including classic passenger bias-ply tires, military-pattern tread designs, and truck-oriented versions. Firestone and BFGoodrich cover both blackwall and whitewall passenger-style offerings, while Firestone, Tornel, and STA also appear in heavier-duty utility patterns.

Brand choice should come after size, construction, and intended use are settled. If the goal is a restoration with the right look, focus first on the sidewall and tread style that suits a 1942 Packard, then compare brand and series differences within that narrower group instead of treating every 700-16 option as interchangeable.

A 1942 Packard 2004 Series uses 700-16, so the main decision is not between multiple size families but between different types of tires offered in that size. The listed products include classic passenger bias-ply tires in blackwall and wide whitewall form, plus military and truck-style versions with different tread intentions. All of them fit 16-inch rims, and several specify 4.50 to 5.50 inch rim widths.

Start by checking the wheel diameter and measuring or verifying wheel width, then compare the car’s restoration goal with the tire style. A Packard intended for show or period appearance usually calls for a passenger-car bias-ply tire, while utility or military tread patterns should only be chosen when they match the vehicle’s actual configuration and use.

Packard 2004 Series tires appear in several distinct series, including Lester Classic Bias Ply, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Traction Mileage, Firestone Classic Military, Tornel Classic Truck, and Military NDT. The classic bias-ply series are passenger-car oriented, while the military and truck series use more utility-focused tread designs and often higher inflation figures. Avon Traction Mileage also stands apart with its own construction and service character within the same broad size family.

Those series differences matter because a tire’s role is not defined by size alone. Two tires may both be 700-16, yet one may suit a formal road car restoration while another is aimed at military-style appearance or truck duty, so the correct choice depends on whether authenticity, ride character, or specialized tread pattern is the priority.

A Packard 2004 Series should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with clean tires, proper inflation, and protection from direct sunlight, electric motors, and ozone sources. Long periods of static loading can create flat spotting on bias-ply tires, especially on a heavy prewar automobile. If the car is stored for extended periods, moving it slightly from time to time or supporting it appropriately helps reduce stress on the casing.

Good storage preserves both appearance and structure. Keep petroleum products off the sidewalls, avoid parking on bare earth, and inspect tubes and valve stems whenever the car is returned to service, because collector tires often age out from time and storage conditions before they wear out from mileage.

Tires on a Packard 2004 Series should be inspected before each drive and given a more thorough review at regular service intervals. On a low-mileage collector car, look for sidewall cracking, tread separation signs, uneven wear, impact damage, valve stem deterioration, and any loss of air pressure. Bias-ply tires and tube-type assemblies reward frequent visual checks because problems can develop even when the car has seen very little road use.

A practical routine is to check inflation and condition every time the Packard leaves the garage, then inspect the wheels, tubes, and mounting surfaces whenever the tires are dismounted. If the car has been sitting for months, the first drive should be treated like a recommissioning exercise rather than a casual start-and-go outing.

Tires on a Packard 2004 Series should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, bulging, repeated air loss, or structural distress appears, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector cars often accumulate far less wear than modern daily drivers, so visible tread depth is only one part of the decision. Tube-type bias-ply tires can look respectable externally while age is already affecting their reliability.

That makes calendar age and condition more important than mileage alone. A Packard used mostly for shows or occasional drives should still have its tires evaluated by a specialist familiar with vintage tire construction, and any casing with suspicious age-related deterioration belongs off the road before it creates a failure under load.

Packard 2004 Series fitment here centers on 700-16, and the available replacement offerings include classic passenger bias-ply series as well as military and truck-oriented series in that same size family. That tells a restorer the size itself is the key starting point, while tread pattern and sidewall style still need to match the car’s intended presentation. Wide whitewall and blackwall passenger choices are both present among the available options.

For a factory-correct restoration, size alone is not the whole answer. Original sales literature, build records, period photos, and marque-club references remain the best way to settle exactly which sidewall treatment and tire type belong on a specific Packard 2004 Series, especially if the car has been altered during its life.

Correct tire fitment can materially affect both presentation and judging results on a Packard 2004 Series. Judges and experienced collectors notice whether the size, sidewall treatment, and tread style suit the period and character of the car. A 700-16 passenger-car bias-ply tire with an appropriate sidewall look gives a very different impression from a military NDT or truck-pattern tire in the same nominal size.

That means tire choice should be treated as part of the restoration, not as a last-minute consumable. If the car is headed for marque judging, compare the finished car against period photographs and club guidance so the tire’s visual profile supports the authenticity and market appeal of the whole restoration.

Packard 2004 Series tire offerings in 700-16 include both blackwall and wide whitewall versions. Either can be physically compatible in size, but they create different restoration statements and should be matched to the specific car’s intended period appearance. Passenger-car offerings from multiple brands appear in both styles, while the military and truck-pattern tires are blackwall.

The right sidewall style depends on how the Packard was equipped and how you want it judged or presented today. If the goal is a refined prewar luxury-car look, many restorers will compare surviving photos, literature, and marque-club standards before choosing between blackwall understatement and the more formal look of a wide whitewall.

A properly mounted, correctly sized, sound-condition tire can be suitable for road use on a Packard 2004 Series, but safety depends on the entire vehicle, not the tire alone. The listed options are all bias-ply tires, and some are passenger-oriented while others are military or truck-style designs with different tread purposes. A 1942 Packard also brings braking, suspension, steering, and wheel-condition considerations that modern cars do not.

Before regular road driving, inspect the whole running gear and choose a tire type that matches the car’s actual use. A restored road car should not be treated the same as a utility vehicle simply because the sidewall size matches, and any long-idle collector car deserves a full mechanical review before returning to normal traffic.

Before driving a Packard 2004 Series, check inflation, visible sidewall condition, tread integrity, valve stems, and wheel condition at a minimum. Because the available 700-16 options are tube-type bias-ply tires, air retention and wheel health matter as much as tread depth. The driver should also look at steering play, brake operation, wheel fasteners, and any sign that the car has been sitting long enough for components to dry out or seize.

That quick pre-drive routine reduces the chance of turning a simple outing into a roadside problem. On a collector Packard, a short slow-speed shakedown after storage is wise, especially if the tires are older or the car has recently changed wheels, tubes, or mounting hardware.

A Packard 2004 Series fitted with period-style bias-ply tires should be driven at speeds appropriate to the age, condition, and mechanical state of the car rather than pushed like a modern vehicle. The tire construction, steering geometry, braking system, and suspension design all belong to an earlier era, even when the size is correct and the tread is fresh. Conservative road speeds are part of preserving both safety and the car itself.

Treat the car with the reserve expected of a 1942 luxury automobile, not the pace of modern interstate traffic. Smooth inputs, moderate speeds, and extra stopping distance help the tires and chassis work within their intended character, and that matters even more if the car is fitted with older bias-ply or utility-pattern tread designs.