Packard Super Tires

Packard Super uses three tire sizes across the years listed here: 700-16 for 1940 and one 1948 application, 760-15 for 1948 and 1949, and 820-15 for 1949. The 700-16 size fits a 16-inch rim, while both 760-15 and 820-15 fit 15-inch rims. All of these are bias-ply format sizes rather than modern metric radials.

The key is to match the tire to the actual wheel on the car, not just the model name. A 1948 Packard Super can appear with either 700-16 or 760-15, and a 1949 Packard Super can use either 760-15 or 820-15, so wheel diameter and the car’s specific configuration should be checked before narrowing down whitewall style or brand.

On a Packard Super, 700-16 is an older numeric bias-ply size. The 700 portion means a nominal 7.00-inch section width, with the decimal omitted, and the 16 means the tire fits a 16-inch rim. That sizing convention was standard on many American cars before later postwar fitments moved to different section widths and wheel diameters.

Understanding that code helps separate a true 16-inch Packard Super application from the later 15-inch options. If the car has 16-inch wheels, 700-16 is the size to investigate first, and if it does not, move to the 15-inch sizes instead. Because this is a bias-ply application, tube use is part of the normal fitment practice.

Packard Super shows more than one listed size in 1948 and 1949 because the model line did not use one single fitment across every configuration in those years. In 1948, both 700-16 and 760-15 appear, which also reflects a rim diameter split between 16-inch and 15-inch wheels. In 1949, both 760-15 and 820-15 are listed, and both use 15-inch rims but represent different section widths.

That means year alone is not enough to select the correct tire for a Packard Super from those seasons. Check the wheel diameter first, then compare the existing tire, wheel width, and any original paperwork or restoration records. Once the wheel diameter is settled, the remaining choice is usually between narrower and wider period-correct bias-ply fitments.

Packard Super uses both 16-inch and 15-inch rim diameters across the years listed here. The earliest year in this group, 1940, uses 16-inch wheels with 700-16 tires, while 1948 introduces 15-inch applications with 760-15 alongside a continuing 16-inch listing. By 1949, the listed Packard Super sizes are 15-inch only, using either 760-15 or 820-15.

Rim diameter is the most important first check because none of these sizes can be interchanged across wheel diameters. A 700-16 will not fit a 15-inch wheel, and a 760-15 or 820-15 will not fit a 16-inch wheel. Measuring the wheel or confirming the stamped wheel specification will usually answer the question faster than relying on appearance alone.

Start with the year, then confirm the wheel diameter actually fitted to the Packard Super. A 1948 car can use either 700-16 on 16-inch wheels or 760-15 on 15-inch wheels, while a 1949 car can use 760-15 or 820-15, both on 15-inch wheels. That makes the wheel itself a more reliable guide than assumption based on model name alone.

After wheel diameter, compare the existing tire size, wheel width, and the visual character you want from the car. A narrower or wider period bias-ply tire can change stance and appearance even within the same rim diameter. If the car is restored, original paperwork, old photos, and marque-club references are the best way to settle a close question.

Packard Super tire offerings include blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles. The 700-16 range includes blackwall and wide whitewall choices, while 760-15 and 820-15 add both narrow and wide whitewall options depending on brand and series. That gives buyers room to match either a restrained formal look or a brighter postwar presentation.

Sidewall style should be chosen after size and rim diameter are settled. On a Packard Super, the visual difference between blackwall, a slim white stripe, and a fuller whitewall can be dramatic, especially on 15-inch postwar cars. If authenticity matters, period photos and marque references are the best guides to the style that looks right on the specific car.

Packard Super tires in these sizes are offered by Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Tornel, STA, Coker Classic, Universal Vintage Tire, Goodyear, and US Royal. Not every brand appears in every size, and some brands are concentrated in one particular fitment range. The largest spread of choices appears in the 820-15 size used for 1949 applications.

Brand selection usually comes after you have already confirmed size, wheel diameter, and the kind of appearance you want. Some buyers prioritize a traditional blackwall look, while others want a particular whitewall width or a well-known period-style name. For a Packard Super restoration, comparing sidewall treatment and tire series is often as important as the brand itself.

Packard Super tire offerings include several series families: Lester Classic Bias Ply, Traction Mileage, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Military, Tornel Classic Truck, Military NDT, Coker Classic Bias Ply, Universal Classic Bias Ply, Super Cushion Deluxe, US Royal Classic Bias Ply, Turbospeed Mk4, Dirt Track, and Dragster Cheater. Most are standard collector-car bias-ply road tires, while others are truck, military, or racing-oriented specialty designs.

For most Packard Super restorations and regular collector use, the passenger-car bias-ply series are the natural starting point. The military, truck, dirt track, and drag-oriented series belong to more specialized uses and should be chosen only when the car’s purpose truly calls for them. Looking at the series name helps separate a period-style road tire from a tire built for an entirely different job.

A Packard Super stores best in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept clean and protected from sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, and petroleum contamination. Proper inflation matters even during storage because an underinflated collector tire can develop flat-spotting or sidewall stress. A heavy car like a Packard Super benefits from being moved occasionally so weight does not rest on one contact patch for too long.

If the car will sit for an extended period, many owners use wheel cradles or place the car on stands while keeping the suspension appropriately supported. That reduces the long-term load carried by the tire carcass. A simple storage routine does more to preserve ride quality and appearance than many owners realize, especially on period-style bias-ply tires.

Tires on a Packard Super should be inspected before every meaningful drive and given a more careful condition check several times خلال the year. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, impact damage, irregular wear, embedded objects, and any loss of inflation. On a collector car that sees intermittent use, age-related deterioration often matters more than tread depth.

Inspection should also include the valve hardware, wheel condition, and tube-related signs such as unexplained pressure loss on bias-ply applications. Because Packard Super is a substantial car, small issues can become serious once the vehicle is moving at road speed. Regular inspection is one of the simplest ways to preserve both the tire and the car’s driving manners.

A Packard Super tire should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, impact damage, bulges, separation, chronic air loss, or vibration indicate that the structure is no longer trustworthy, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector tires often age out long before they wear out. Calendar age and condition are more important than mileage on a car that is driven occasionally.

That principle is especially important on a restored Packard Super that spends much of its life indoors and can appear better than it really is. Any tire with uncertain age history deserves close evaluation before road use. If an older specialty or period tire is being considered, condition should outweigh appearance every time.

Packard Super appears with 700-16 in 1940, then with 700-16 and 760-15 in 1948, and with 760-15 and 820-15 in 1949. The available replacement offerings are overwhelmingly period-style bias-ply passenger tires, with several branded collector series in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall form. That establishes the general type of tire family associated with the Packard Super in these years.

If the goal is strict factory accuracy, the exact tire for a specific Packard Super should be checked against original sales literature, surviving paperwork, and marque-club judging guidance. Model-year overlap and multiple listed sizes mean there may not be one universal answer for every car. Authenticity work is strongest when wheel diameter, size, and sidewall style are all verified together.

Correct tire fitment can matter noticeably to both value perception and formal judging on a Packard Super. Size, wheel diameter, sidewall treatment, and overall period character all affect how convincingly the car presents. A Packard Super with the wrong diameter tire or an obviously incorrect sidewall style can look out of proportion even to casual enthusiasts.

For a top-level restoration, judges and experienced marque people often look at tires as part of the whole visual package rather than as an isolated part. Matching the proper 16-inch or 15-inch fitment and choosing an era-appropriate blackwall or whitewall style usually does more for authenticity than chasing minor cosmetic details elsewhere. Marque-club standards are the best final reference.

Packard Super tires are available in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles across the listed sizes. That means there is no single sidewall treatment that applies to every year and every configuration in this group. The appropriate choice depends on the year, the car’s presentation, and the look the restoration is trying to preserve.

A formal, understated Packard Super may look right on blackwalls, while many postwar restorations favor whitewalls to match the era’s luxury-car character. Narrow and wide whitewall options allow a more exact visual tune depending on the year and stance of the car. Period photos, factory literature, and Packard judging references are the surest ways to settle the question.

A properly selected and properly maintained tire can be suitable for public-road use on a Packard Super when it matches the car’s wheel diameter, intended use, and overall mechanical condition. The listed Packard Super options are bias-ply tires, and most are passenger-car collector patterns rather than modern radial designs. Their road manners should be understood as period-correct rather than modern-performance oriented.

Safe road use depends on more than the tire itself. Before any regular driving, the owner should consider steering, brakes, suspension, wheel condition, inflation practice, and the age of the tires on the car. A well-sorted Packard Super on the correct bias-ply tires can be enjoyable, but it should still be driven with the expectations appropriate to a substantial 1940s automobile.

Before driving a Packard Super, check inflation, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, valve hardware, wheel attachment, and any sign of tube-related air loss. Confirm that all four tires are the same basic construction and that the spare is also serviceable. On a car using older bias-ply tires, even a small crack or bulge deserves attention before the car moves.

The practical goal is to catch small problems while the car is still in the garage. A Packard Super is heavy enough that underinflation, mismatched tires, or an old damaged casing can quickly affect steering feel and stability. It is also wise to make sure the car tracks straight at low speed before committing to longer road use.

A Packard Super fitted with period-style bias-ply tires should be driven at speeds appropriate to both the tire type and the condition of the complete vehicle. Even when the size is correct, a collector bias-ply tire does not deliver the same feel or margin for error as a modern passenger radial. Smooth, moderate touring speeds are more in character with the car and the tire design.

The right pace is the one that keeps the Packard Super settled, comfortable, and free from steering wander or vibration. Road surface, tire age, inflation, alignment, and mechanical condition all matter as much as the nominal size on the sidewall. If the car has not been used regularly, a cautious low-speed shakedown is the right first step before any longer drive.