Packard Super 1703 Tires

The listed tire size for Packard Super 1703 is 700-16, used for the 1939 model year. All available products for that fitment are built for 16-inch rims, and the products shown are bias-ply designs. Several of the passenger-car tires specify a 4.50 to 5.50 inch rim width range, which is useful when checking existing wheels during restoration or replacement.

That makes fitment simpler than on many multi-year collector cars, but the correct choice still depends on how the Packard Super 1703 is equipped and how it will be used. A formal restoration may call for a period-looking blackwall or wide whitewall passenger tire, while truck or military-pattern 700-16 tires are a different type of product even though they share the same nominal size.

On Packard Super 1703, 700-16 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The 700 portion represents a nominal 7.00-inch section width, with the decimal omitted in the older naming system, and the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. Every product listed for this application is a bias-ply tire built around that 16-inch rim size rather than a modern metric radial format.

That older size code matters because it helps separate correct prewar fitment from later replacement conventions that may look similar at a glance. If a Packard Super 1703 still wears vintage wheels, read the sidewall, measure the wheel carefully, and compare the rim width as well as the diameter so the selected tire matches both the wheel and the character of the car.

Packard Super 1703 uses a 16-inch rim with the listed 700-16 tire size. Multiple products in this fitment also call out a recommended rim width range of 4.50 to 5.50 inches, which is typical guidance for matching the tire casing to the wheel correctly. There is no alternate rim diameter listed here for the model year covered.

That means the key check is not a year split but whether the actual car still carries the proper wheels. Collector cars sometimes receive replacement rims over the decades, so a Packard Super 1703 owner should inspect the wheel stamping or measure bead-seat diameter rather than relying only on appearance before choosing among the available bias-ply options.

Packard Super 1703 uses bias-ply 700-16 tires in the available range, and a tube is required for this fitment. That applies across the passenger-car styles as well as the military or truck-oriented 700-16 tires listed in the same nominal size. Tube-type construction is part of the normal ownership reality for many prewar American cars and should be treated as part of the tire system rather than an accessory.

When replacing tires on a Packard Super 1703, plan the job around correct tubes and careful wheel inspection at the same time. Rust, burrs, old rim strips, and wheel condition can affect tube life just as much as the new tire itself, so a proper installation on clean, sound 16-inch wheels is important for both durability and ride quality.

Packard Super 1703 tires are available here in blackwall and wide whitewall form. The passenger-car range includes both plain black sidewalls and styled whitewall versions, while the military and truck-oriented 700-16 tires are blackwall only. That gives a restorer a real visual choice without changing the nominal 700-16 fitment.

For a Packard Super 1703 restoration, sidewall style affects the look of the entire car from curbside distance. A wide whitewall generally suits a more formal prewar presentation, while blackwall can fit a more restrained or utility appearance, so the right selection depends on the car's restoration theme, surviving trim, and the historical character the owner wants to preserve.

Packard Super 1703 tires in 700-16 are offered here from Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Tornel, and STA. Those brands span traditional collector-car bias-ply lines as well as heavier-duty military or truck-style offerings in the same nominal size. The brand mix gives owners several ways to match appearance and intended use while staying within the listed 16-inch fitment.

Brand choice on a Packard Super 1703 should be guided less by name alone and more by the tire's purpose and styling. A show-focused luxury sedan may call for a classic passenger-car tread and sidewall treatment, while a truck-pattern 700-16 is a more specialized choice that should be matched to the wheel, use case, and overall restoration direction.

Packard Super 1703 products appear in several series, including Lester Classic Bias Ply, Traction Mileage, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Military, Tornel Classic Truck, and Military NDT. Those series reflect different tire families rather than cosmetic name changes alone. Some are traditional passenger-car bias-ply lines, while others are military-pattern or truck-oriented designs built around the same 700-16 nominal size.

That difference matters because a Packard Super 1703 is a prewar luxury automobile, not simply any machine that accepts a 16-inch tire. Passenger-car series usually make the most sense for authenticity, ride character, and appearance, while military and truck series should be chosen only when their tread pattern, load style, or specific use case actually matches the owner's goals.

Packard Super 1703 should be stored on clean, properly inflated tires in a cool, dry, dark space away from ozone sources such as electric motors, compressors, and welders. Long periods in direct sunlight or on damp concrete accelerate aging in collector tires, especially on prewar tube-type bias-ply applications. If the car will sit for months, keeping weight distribution even and moving the car occasionally can help prevent flat spotting.

Owners who preserve a Packard Super 1703 for shows or seasonal driving should treat tire care as part of overall vehicle conservation. Wheel covers, good garage ventilation, and regular inflation checks go a long way, and if the car is stored for extended periods, supporting it correctly and avoiding unnecessary rolling on underinflated tires will help protect both the casing and the tubes.

Tires on a Packard Super 1703 should be inspected before every meaningful drive and again during routine garage checks throughout the year. On a prewar bias-ply, tube-type setup, inspection should include air retention, sidewall cracking, tread separation signs, valve condition, and wheel condition at the bead area. Collector cars often age out their tires long before they wear out, so visual inspection matters more than tread depth alone.

A Packard Super 1703 that appears road-ready can still have age-related tire issues hidden by low annual mileage. Frequent checks are especially important after winter storage, after long stationary periods, and before touring events, because early signs of casing or tube trouble are easier to address in the garage than on the roadside.

Packard Super 1703 tires should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, irregular shape, recurring air loss, or any sign of casing distress appears, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector tires often spend far more time aging than wearing, and bias-ply tube-type tires can deteriorate internally as well as externally. The decision to replace should be driven by condition and age history, not by tread alone.

That is particularly important on a heavy prewar car like Packard Super 1703, where an old tire may still look presentable at show distance. If the car's tire age is uncertain, or if the wheels, tubes, and casing history are mixed, a specialist inspection is a sensible step before continued road use or before committing to longer drives.

Packard Super 1703 is listed here with a 700-16 tire size for 1939, and the available products in that fitment are bias-ply designs. The product range includes passenger-car collector series as well as military or truck-style alternatives in the same nominal size. That means the size itself is straightforward, but the exact style and series for an individual restoration still depend on the specific car and restoration goal.

For a Packard Super 1703 being restored to factory-correct appearance, the size should be treated as the starting point and the finishing details should come from original photos, surviving literature, and marque expertise. Sidewall treatment, tread character, and overall visual stance can influence how authentic the finished car looks, even when every option shares the same 700-16 size.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect both judging and perceived value on a Packard Super 1703. On a high-end prewar automobile, judges and knowledgeable buyers notice whether the tire size, sidewall style, and overall profile suit the period and the car's intended presentation. Even when the nominal size is right, an obviously truck-oriented tread or the wrong sidewall treatment can change the visual impression significantly.

A Packard Super 1703 restored for concours or marque events benefits from tire choices that support the car's original character rather than merely filling the wheel openings. Consulting Packard club resources, period photography, and judging standards can help narrow the most convincing choice among blackwall, wide whitewall, and the different series available in 700-16.

Packard Super 1703 tires are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles within the listed 700-16 fitment. Either can be historically plausible on a prewar American luxury car depending on the exact presentation, trim level, and restoration intent, while the military and truck-style products remain blackwall only. Sidewall style is therefore a styling and authenticity decision as much as a fitment one.

For a Packard Super 1703 aimed at formal prewar luxury appearance, wide whitewalls often deliver the most period-rich look. A blackwall can still be the better choice for a more restrained restoration or for a car with surviving historical evidence pointing that way, so period photos and marque references should guide the final call rather than fashion alone.

Packard Super 1703 can be driven on public roads when the tires are fresh, correctly installed, properly inflated, and matched to sound 16-inch wheels, tubes, and overall vehicle condition. The listed products are bias-ply tires, which suit the period character of the car but do not behave like modern radials in steering feel, tracking, or braking response. Safety depends on the complete condition of the tire and vehicle, not on size alone.

A prewar Packard Super 1703 should be driven with the expectations appropriate to a large late-1930s automobile. Conservative speeds, longer stopping distances, and careful attention to suspension, brakes, and wheel integrity are all part of safe use, especially after long storage or after a fresh restoration that has not yet been thoroughly sorted.

Before driving a Packard Super 1703, check tire inflation, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, valve stems, wheel security, and any signs of tube-related air loss. Because the car uses bias-ply 700-16 tires, it is also wise to look for flat spotting after storage and to confirm that all four tires match in size and basic type. A quick walkaround can reveal issues that are easy to miss when the car has been sitting.

A Packard Super 1703 deserves a slower, more methodical pre-drive routine than a modern car. If the steering feels unusually heavy, the car pulls, or a tire shows cracking or deformation, postpone the drive and inspect further, because age-related tire problems can become much more serious once a heavy prewar sedan is underway.

Packard Super 1703 should be driven at moderate, conservative speeds that respect both the age of the vehicle and the behavior of bias-ply tires. Even with new collector tires, a late-1930s luxury car does not deliver the lane stability, emergency braking, or heat tolerance of a modern car on modern radials. The right speed is one that leaves a generous margin for steering correction, braking distance, and road irregularities.

In practice, Packard Super 1703 owners are best served by touring at sensible secondary-road speeds rather than trying to keep pace with fast modern traffic. Smooth inputs, extra following distance, and avoidance of prolonged high-speed running all help preserve both the tires and the overall driving experience these cars were built to provide.