1949 Packard Tire Fitment Guide

1949 Packard vehicles use two tire sizes: 760-15 and 820-15. The 760-15 size fits Packard Deluxe, Packard Standard, and some Packard Super applications, while 820-15 fits Packard Convertible & Custom and some Packard Super applications. Both sizes mount on 15-inch wheels. Where rim width information is available, 760-15 products are specified for 5.50- to 6.00-inch rims and 820-15 products are specified for 6.00- to 6.50-inch rims.

That means year and make alone are not enough on a 1949 Packard. The practical first step is identifying the exact model, then confirming the wheel you have on the car before choosing a tire. Super models deserve extra attention because they appear with both sizes, while Standard, Deluxe, and Convertible & Custom are more straightforward.

A 760-15 on a 1949 Packard is a numeric bias-ply tire size. In that older sizing system, the first number is the nominal section width designation and the final number is the wheel diameter in inches, so the tire is built for a 15-inch rim. On 1949 Packard applications, 760-15 is used on the Standard, Deluxe, and some Super models.

Modern buyers sometimes expect a metric-style code with an aspect ratio, but this Packard-era size predates that system. If your car uses 760-15, the next decisions are usually sidewall appearance and brand preference rather than converting the code into a modern metric equivalent. Keeping the original numeric size is usually the cleanest route for appearance and fit.

No, all 1949 Packard models do not use the same tire size. Standard and Deluxe use 760-15, Convertible & Custom uses 820-15, and Super appears in both 760-15 and 820-15 fitments. Every size in the range uses a 15-inch wheel, but the tire section size changes by model grouping.

That split is typical of a make like Packard in the late 1940s, where junior and senior cars could look related yet carry different tire dimensions. If you are working with a Super, confirm the actual wheel and existing size before assuming it matches another Packard in the garage. That avoids ending up with the right rim diameter but the wrong overall fitment.

The choice between 760-15 and 820-15 on a 1949 Packard is determined first by model application, not by preference alone. Standard and Deluxe use 760-15, Convertible & Custom uses 820-15, and Super can use either depending on the specific application. Both are bias-ply sizes for 15-inch wheels, so this is not a bias-versus-radial decision within the 1949 Packard range.

Once you know which size belongs on your Packard, the real buying choices become brand and sidewall style. A buyer chasing a formal senior-car look may lean toward the larger 820-15 where it applies, while a Standard or Deluxe owner should stay with 760-15 for proper scale and fit. If you own a Super, verify the car before selecting either size.

1949 Packard tires are available in several sidewall styles depending on size. The 820-15 size is offered in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall versions, while 760-15 is offered in narrow whitewall and wide whitewall versions. That gives buyers room to match a driver, a tasteful restoration, or a more formal period look within the correct numeric size.

For a postwar Packard, whitewall selection changes the car's personality almost as much as wheel trim does. Wide whitewalls tend to suit formal presentation and show-oriented restorations, while narrow whitewalls or blackwalls can create a more restrained look depending on model and owner preference. Matching the sidewall style to the era and the car's trim level usually matters as much as choosing the right brand.

Several brands cover 1949 Packard fitments. In 820-15, available brands include BFGoodrich, Firestone, and US Royal. In 760-15, available brands include BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, and Universal Vintage Tire. All of the listed options for these Packard sizes are bias-ply tires rather than modern radial replacements.

That spread gives Packard owners a useful mix of traditional American names and reproduction-focused collector brands. The practical way to narrow the field is by starting with the correct size, then comparing the sidewall look you want and the rim-width range that matches your wheels. On a car from this era, appearance and proper fit usually carry more weight than chasing a brand name alone.

Rim width depends on the tire size used on the 1949 Packard. For 760-15, the listed rim-width range is 5.50 to 6.00 inches. For 820-15, the listed rim-width range is 6.00 to 6.50 inches. Both sizes are built for 15-inch wheels, but they are not intended for the same rim-width window.

That is especially important when a Packard has had wheels swapped over the years or when a Super is being sorted out from mixed parts. A tire can share the right rim diameter and still be mismatched to wheel width. Checking the wheel before purchase helps preserve proper tread shape, sidewall posture, and the overall look expected on a full-size postwar Packard.

The available 1949 Packard products shown in 760-15 and 820-15 are bias-ply tires, but no tube-type or tubeless marking appears within these product size designations. On many late-1940s applications, tube use often depends on the tire design, the wheel construction, and the condition of the wheel rather than year alone. That makes the individual tire's sidewall marking and the actual wheel just as important as the nominal size.

The practical move is to confirm tube use at the product level and inspect the wheel carefully before mounting. Original-style wheels, restored wheels, and later replacement wheels may not all be treated the same way. If your Packard has not been apart in years, this is also a good time to inspect the valve stem area and the inside of the rim for rust, pitting, or damage.

Both tire sizes used on 1949 Packard models mount on 15-inch wheels, so the rim diameter itself is shared across the range. That means original 15-inch Packard wheels can be dimensionally compatible in diameter with either size, but wheel width still matters. The 760-15 size is associated with 5.50- to 6.00-inch rims, while 820-15 is associated with 6.00- to 6.50-inch rims.

A shared wheel diameter should not be taken as permission to interchange sizes without checking the actual wheel. That is most relevant on Packard Super models and on cars assembled from multiple donor vehicles over the years. Verifying both diameter and width keeps the tire within its intended fitment window and prevents guessing from appearance alone.

A 1949 Packard should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, and other ozone-producing equipment. Bias-ply tires are more prone to temporary flat-spotting during long static storage than modern radials, especially on a heavy postwar car. Clean floors, stable temperatures, and proper inflation all help reduce stress on the casing while the car sits.

If the Packard will be parked for an extended season, move it periodically or place it on stands in a way that follows safe shop practice and supports the car correctly. Even when the tread still looks fresh, long exposure to sunlight and ozone can harden the rubber and age the sidewalls. A little storage discipline goes a long way with collector tires.

Tires on a 1949 Packard are usually judged more by age and condition than by mileage because collector cars often see limited annual use. A sensible rule is to begin close evaluation once tires are around five to seven years old and to treat roughly ten years as a strong point for replacement consideration, even if the tread depth still appears usable. The date code on the tire remains the best reference for age.

That timeline matters because a low-mileage Packard can still age its tires out while spending most of its life in storage or at events. Sidewall cracking, hardening, vibration, and loss of air retention are often more telling than wear bars on this type of car. If the tire age is unclear, checking the date code should be one of the first steps before planning regular road use.

Tires on a 1949 Packard should be inspected before every drive and given a more thorough check before any longer outing. Look closely for sidewall cracking, weather checking, embedded objects, bulges, uneven tread wear, and any sign that the tire is no longer holding pressure normally. Because these Packards use bias-ply fitments, it is also wise to pay close attention to casing shape after the car has sat for a while.

Longer drives deserve an extra walkaround that includes the spare and the valve stems, especially on an older collector car that may not be exercised weekly. Catching a cracked stem or a deteriorating sidewall in the garage is far better than finding it after the car is loaded for a tour. A short inspection routine becomes part of dependable Packard ownership.

The 1949 Packard Standard uses a 760-15 bias-ply tire within the fitments covered here. Bias-ply construction is exactly what you would expect for a U.S. passenger car from 1949, when radial adoption had not yet become normal in the American market. Original-equipment branding could vary by market and delivery, so the strongest point for authenticity is getting the correct size, construction type, and sidewall character first.

For a restoration, that usually means starting with a 760-15 bias-ply and then choosing the whitewall treatment that suits your car's trim level and presentation goals. If the car is being judged, marque clubs and Packard specialists are the best source for market-specific or event-specific expectations. Size and visual period correctness matter more than guessing at an original brand name.

Correct tire fitment matters a great deal when showing a 1949 Packard because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts notice size, construction, and sidewall style quickly. A Standard or Deluxe wearing 820-15, or a Convertible & Custom wearing 760-15, changes the stance and proportion of the car. Whitewall width also affects whether the presentation feels properly in period for a late-1940s Packard.

That does not mean every event applies the same standard, but the safest path is to stay with the size assigned to your model and use a sidewall style that suits a postwar luxury car. For higher-level judging, consult Packard club resources and the specific rules of the event before mounting a tire set. Small visual details count on a formal car like this.

In 760-15 for the 1949 Packard, BFGoodrich and Coker Classic are both offered as bias-ply tires for 15-inch rims. BFGoodrich appears in wide whitewall and narrow whitewall versions, while Coker Classic appears in a wide whitewall version. Where load information is listed, both carry 1710 pounds at 32 psi, and where rim-width information is listed, both are matched to 5.50- to 6.00-inch rims.

That makes the visible sidewall treatment one of the main distinctions for a buyer comparing these two 760-15 choices. If your Packard project calls for a narrower whitewall look, BFGoodrich offers that path in this size. If you are building around a wider whitewall presentation, both brands stay in the right visual family, so the final choice often comes down to the appearance you want on the car.

A properly sized, properly mounted, and properly maintained 1949 Packard tire can be suitable for normal highway use when the rest of the car is equally roadworthy. The listed 760-15 and 820-15 options here are bias-ply tires, and no separate speed-rating letters appear in these size designations. On a car of this age, braking condition, steering, suspension wear, and overall mechanical health are often just as important to safe road behavior as the tire itself.

The practical takeaway is to think of the tire as one part of the whole system. A freshly restored Packard on sound bias-ply tires should still be driven with the manners appropriate to a late-1940s luxury car, not like a modern sedan. Before sustained highway travel, make sure the tires are age-appropriate and the chassis is sorted, then keep speeds consistent with the vehicle's period design.

The available load-and-pressure figures differ by tire size on 1949 Packard applications and should not be transferred from one size to the other. In 760-15, listed products show 1710 pounds at 32 psi. In 820-15, listed products show 1920 pounds at 32 psi. Those figures describe the tire's rated load relationship at a stated pressure, not a universal instruction for every Packard model and usage condition.

For actual service pressure, use the vehicle's original specification as your starting point and then make sure the tire you choose supports that use case appropriately. Keeping the size-specific figures separate matters because the larger 820-15 and smaller 760-15 are not interchangeable from a loading standpoint. Pressure should always be checked cold and revisited anytime the car's storage or driving pattern changes.

Before a longer drive in a 1949 Packard, inspect each tire for visible cracking, cuts, bulges, irregular wear, and any sign of age-related hardening. Confirm cold inflation pressure, check that the valve stems are sound, and make sure the spare is usable and inflated. Because these Packards use bias-ply fitments, pay attention to how the car feels during the first miles after sitting and stop if vibration does not settle out.

A longer outing is also the right time to treat the tires as part of a broader pre-trip check. Wheel fastener security, brake function, steering play, and suspension condition all affect how confidently the car uses its tires on the road. A Packard that looks excellent in the garage can still reveal age-related issues once heat and distance build, so a careful inspection is worth the time.