1937 Packard Tire Fitment Guide

1937 Packard vehicles use four tire sizes: 650-16 for the 115C, 700-16 for the 120 Series, 120CD and 138CD, 750-16 for the 1500 Series, and 825-16 for the 1506, 1507 and 1508 Series. All four are bias-ply tires and all four mount on 16-inch rims. Where rim-width guidance is available, 650-16 fits 4.50 to 5.00-inch rims, 700-16 fits 4.50 to 5.50-inch rims, and both 750-16 and 825-16 fit 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims.

That means year and make alone are not enough to choose the right tire for a 1937 Packard. You need to identify the exact model group first, then confirm that the wheel on the car matches the correct 16-inch diameter and an appropriate width range for the size you plan to run. If a car has been restored or modified over the years, it is worth checking the actual wheel before making a final selection.

On a 1937 Packard, 650-16 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The 6.50 portion refers to the nominal section width in inches, while the 16 refers to the wheel diameter in inches. It is not a metric size and it is not a radial code. Within the 1937 Packard range, 650-16 is the size used on the 115C.

Numeric sizing like this is typical for prewar American vehicles and can look unfamiliar if you are used to modern metric markings. The key point is that 650-16 belongs to the smaller Packard in the lineup, so a 115C owner should not substitute a larger senior-series size just because the wheel diameter is also 16 inches. Section width and overall proportions still need to stay matched to the model.

No, 1937 Packard models do not all use the same tire size. The 115C uses 650-16, the 120 Series, 120CD and 138CD use 700-16, the 1500 Series uses 750-16, and the 1506, 1507 and 1508 Series use 825-16. Every size in the lineup is a 16-inch bias-ply fitment, but the section width increases as you move up the Packard range.

That progression is important because Packard offered both junior and senior cars in 1937, and they were not intended to share one universal tire. If you are unsure whether your car is a 120-based model or one of the larger senior series, settle that first before comparing brands or sidewall styles. It is the cleanest way to avoid choosing a tire that looks or fits incorrectly for the car’s place in the lineup.

1937 Packard tires are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles, although the mix depends on size. The 650-16, 700-16, 750-16 and 825-16 sizes each offer at least one blackwall and at least one wide whitewall choice. Brand coverage varies by size, but the sidewall choice is available throughout the Packard range rather than being limited to only one model family.

For a 1937 Packard restoration, wide whitewalls are often the visual choice buyers associate with formal prewar luxury cars, while blackwalls can suit a more restrained appearance or a different period presentation. The right answer comes down to how the car is being finished and judged, not simply which style is more popular. If authenticity matters, compare the sidewall style to period photos and club guidance for your specific body and market.

Several brands cover the 1937 Packard range, but the lineup changes by size. The 650-16 size includes BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone and Garfield. The 700-16 size includes Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich and Firestone. The 750-16 size includes Firestone, Lester and BFGoodrich, while 825-16 is represented by BFGoodrich.

That brand spread gives owners room to choose the look and tire series that best fit their Packard’s role, whether the car is a smaller 115C or a senior model on one of the larger sizes. It also means brand loyalty alone should not drive the decision, because some brands appear only in certain sizes. Start with the correct size for your model, then compare the sidewall style and load information available within that size.

BFGoodrich and Firestone overlap in several 1937 Packard sizes, but the details vary by fitment. In 650-16, BFGoodrich and Firestone both list 1580 pounds at 32 psi, with BFGoodrich at 24 pounds and Firestone at 23 pounds, and both fit 4.50 to 5.00-inch rims. In 700-16, BFGoodrich lists 1900 pounds at 36 psi and Firestone lists 1800 pounds at 36 psi, with both fitting 4.50 to 5.50-inch rims. In 750-16, BFGoodrich lists 1850 pounds at 48 psi while Firestone lists 1660 pounds at 40 psi, and both fit 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims.

For a Packard owner, that means the comparison is not just about brand name or tread appearance. Load and pressure figures, whitewall availability, and even tire weight can differ inside the same nominal size. Once you have confirmed the right size for your model, compare the product details within that size rather than assuming every brand-to-brand option is interchangeable in character or rating.

Rim width depends on the tire size used on the 1937 Packard model in question. The 650-16 size fits 4.50 to 5.00-inch rims, the 700-16 size fits 4.50 to 5.50-inch rims, and both 750-16 and 825-16 fit 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims. All of these sizes share a 16-inch rim diameter, but width range still changes as the tires get larger.

That matters because a tire can match the wheel diameter and still be wrong for the wheel’s width. Before finalizing a tire choice, measure or verify the actual wheel on the car and compare it to the size’s approved width range. This step is especially useful on Packards that may have had wheel swaps during earlier restorations, since the larger senior sizes need more wheel width than the smaller junior-car fitment.

The available 1937 Packard tires are bias-ply designs, but the size markings shown here do not carry tube-type or tubeless designations. On a prewar Packard, the need for an inner tube is often influenced by the wheel design and by the individual tire selected rather than by year and make alone. That makes the exact tire and wheel combination more important than treating all four sizes as one universal case.

The practical move is to inspect the wheel itself and confirm the sidewall marking on the specific tire before final setup. Original-style prewar wheels frequently lead restorers toward tube use, but the final decision should follow the wheel condition and the tire’s own construction details. It is a detail worth settling before mounting, rather than after the tires are already on the rims.

Original 1937 Packard wheels are diameter-compatible with the tire range in the sense that all four sizes mount on 16-inch rims. That does not mean every 16-inch wheel is suitable for every Packard size, because rim-width ranges differ from 4.50 to 5.00 inches on 650-16 up to 5.00 to 6.00 inches on 750-16 and 825-16. The larger senior-car tires need wider wheels than the smaller junior-car fitment.

If your Packard still has its original wheels and remains within its correct model family, that usually keeps you on the right path. Where owners get into trouble is assuming any 16-inch Packard wheel can accept any 1937 Packard tire size. Check the wheel width before moving between sizes, especially if a car has mixed parts from different Packard series or has been assembled from long-term restoration projects.

A stored 1937 Packard should be kept in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders and other ozone-producing equipment that can age rubber. Because the available tires for 1937 Packard models are bias-ply, they are more prone to temporary flat-spotting after long static periods than a modern radial would be. Keeping the car clean, the tires properly inflated, and the storage area free of standing moisture helps preserve both the rubber and the wheels.

If the car will sit for extended periods, roll it periodically to change the footprint or use stands placed correctly under the chassis if that suits your storage plan. The goal is to reduce long-term stress on one section of the casing. A Packard that comes out of storage only a few times a year benefits from this kind of routine care more than from any cosmetic tire treatment.

On a collector car like a 1937 Packard, tire life is usually judged more by age and condition than by miles. A good rule is to start evaluating them closely once they are about five to seven years old and to treat the ten-year mark as a serious replacement point, even if the tread still looks deep. The DOT date code and the tire’s overall condition matter far more than how often the car has been driven.

That is especially true for prewar Packards, which may spend long stretches parked between events and tours. Rubber ages from time, temperature change and storage conditions whether the car is moving or not. If an older set still looks presentable, inspect for sidewall checking, loss of flexibility, pressure loss and any deformation before trusting it for more than short, local use.

Tires on a 1937 Packard should be looked over before every drive and checked more carefully before any longer outing. Inspect the sidewalls for cracking, the tread for irregular wear or embedded debris, and each tire for bulges, cuts or signs that it is losing pressure. On a prewar car, it is also wise to pay close attention to valve stems and to the condition of the spare, since both can age quietly over time.

That short inspection routine catches many of the issues that sideline collector cars after storage. It also gives you a chance to verify that all four tires are carrying even pressure and that nothing has changed since the car was last moved. On a heavy, older luxury car like a Packard, finding a weak tire in the garage is far better than finding it after the trip has already begun.

A 1937 Packard 115C would originally have been a bias-ply car, and within the 1937 Packard range the 115C uses the 650-16 size. That aligns with prewar American practice, when bias-ply construction was standard and tire sizes were identified by numeric inch-based codes. Original-equipment branding could vary by market and dealer, so the most dependable points to preserve are the correct size, the proper construction type and an era-appropriate sidewall treatment.

For restoration work, that means a 650-16 bias-ply tire is the right starting point for a 115C, with blackwall or wide whitewall chosen according to the car’s presentation goals. If the car is being judged, consult Packard club references and period images for body-style and market-specific expectations. Those resources are usually more useful for authenticity than trying to force one universal answer across every surviving 115C.

Correct tire fitment matters on a shown 1937 Packard because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice size, construction type and sidewall style immediately. A 115C wearing a larger senior-car size, or a senior Packard wearing a visibly undersized tire, changes the car’s stance and can stand out as incorrect. Since 1937 Packard models used four different bias-ply sizes, fitment accuracy starts with matching the tire to the right model family.

Sidewall appearance matters as well, especially on a prewar luxury make where whitewall presentation can strongly affect authenticity. The exact judging standard depends on the event, so marque clubs and event rules should guide the final decision on details. If the car is restored primarily for touring rather than judging, owners still benefit from the correct size because it keeps the car’s visual proportions in line with Packard’s original design intent.

Blackwall and wide whitewall tires are both available across the 1937 Packard size range, but they create very different visual results. The 650-16, 700-16, 750-16 and 825-16 sizes all offer at least one blackwall and one wide whitewall choice. On a prewar luxury car, a wide whitewall often delivers the richer, more formal look many owners want, while a blackwall creates a more restrained period appearance.

The right choice depends on how your Packard is being restored and what period presentation you are aiming to capture. A touring-oriented car may lean one way for personal taste, while a concours-focused car should follow event standards and period references as closely as possible. Since the correct sidewall treatment can vary by body style, market and judging philosophy, use marque-specific guidance when authenticity is the top priority.

1937 Packard tires can be used for highway driving when they are in good condition, properly inflated, correctly sized for the model and matched to the car’s intended use. The available tires are bias-ply designs, and one listed 700-16 option carries an L speed rating, which corresponds to 75 mph. For most prewar Packards, the car’s own age, braking system, suspension condition and general mechanical readiness are usually more limiting factors than the tire’s listed top-speed capability during normal touring.

The practical takeaway is to think about the whole car, not just the tire itself. A well-sorted Packard on fresh, correctly sized tires is a very different proposition from a car with old rubber and deferred chassis work. If your driving plans include sustained highway use, inspect the tires carefully, verify pressures and make sure the rest of the car is equally prepared for that kind of running.

Inflation pressure on a 1937 Packard should follow the vehicle manufacturer’s specification for the model and the tire manufacturer’s guidance for the exact reproduction tire being used. Several available tires list load-and-pressure pairings, including 650-16 at 1580 pounds at 32 psi, 700-16 examples at 1800 pounds at 36 psi and 1900 pounds at 36 psi, 750-16 examples at 1660 pounds at 40 psi and 1850 pounds at 48 psi, and 825-16 at 2030 pounds at 46 psi. Those figures are tire ratings, not blanket Packard inflation recommendations.

That distinction matters because a rated maximum condition is not automatically the ideal operating pressure for every model, load state or driving situation. Use the Packard owner guidance as the baseline for the car, then make sure the tire itself is being used within its own limits. Avoid copying a pressure from one 1937 Packard size to another, since the load capacity and rated pressure change as the sizes get larger.

Before a longer drive in a 1937 Packard, inspect every tire for sidewall cracking, cuts, tread damage, bulges and uneven wear, then confirm that each tire is holding the intended pressure. Check the valve stems, inspect the spare and make sure the tire size on the car matches the model you own. Since Packard’s 1937 range uses four different section widths on 16-inch wheels, it is worth confirming that no mismatched replacement was installed during earlier service work.

Tires are only one part of the pre-drive checklist on a prewar luxury car, so fold that inspection into a broader review of brakes, steering, cooling and wheel fasteners. The point is to catch age-related issues before speed and distance amplify them. A Packard that feels fine on a short local run can still reveal weaknesses once heat, miles and sustained speed are added to the equation.