Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I am considering buying a set of Diamondback radial tires for my 1947 Super Clipper in the 700R X15 size. I like the look of the blackwall but I am being persuaded to spring the extra cash for a wide whitewall which are offered in 3", 3 1/2" and 3 3/4" widths. What whitewall width would best approximate what would be correct for the period of this car? The tires now on the car are 235R75x15 blackwalls which while excellent ride give the car a sort of "restorod" appearance which I personally don't like.

Clipper47, I would get the widest whitewall with the raised outside edge. They are great looking.

Greetings take some time a look at the pictures on this web site, there a many cars with different size WW and you can see which would enhance the look of your 47, also you don't want too wide of a WW as to over power the look of the car and when you first look at the car all you see is the WW tires and not the car, so enjoy looking and then make your choice.

These are 7:00 X 15R WWW from Diamondback (they are Yokohama). I've since taken the skirts off so I can see 'em better!

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I put a set of Diamondback radial wide whites on my 56 Patrician two years ago. I was very pleased with the looks and the handling. What I like about Diamondback is that they use fresh modern blackwall radials on which they vulcanize a whitewall. Mine were Firestones. Other "classic" whitewalls use old molds and are made who knows where.

Denny, Would you know the width of your whitewalls on the '41? I am trying to determine what width is period correct.

clipper47, in the recent past a poster here was offering new wide white wall radials for vintage vehicles. They were not made from old molds nor did they have the white walls vulcanized on new tires like Diamondback. I can't recall much about his product, but it sounded better than what is being offered by the other tire suppliers. I believe Owen_Dyneto commented that he had a set on one of his Packards. You can try a search and see what comes up, or maybe one of the readers has better recall. In the meantime I will measure the white wall width on the vintage Firestone tires on my Clipper and get back to you. You're considering selling the Clipper???!!!

JW, perhaps you were referring to the tires on my 56 Carib. They are GoodYear Super Cushion wide whitewall radials made by GoodYear, I bought mine from Kelsey Tire. They have been totally satisfactory, the only potential downside to some being they are an 'all weather" tread design. They have a lightly sculpted whitewall which adds a bit of pizzaz which goes well on a Caribbean but which perhaps would not be desireable on other body styles, I think they would not be very appropriate to a 47 Clipper.

Just looking at Packard factory photos from 1956 you can see that several different whitewall widths are shown, and looking at factory photos is how I'd determine a reasonable whitewall width for 1947, though we have to remember than white sidewalls just postwar were pretty much unavailable until 1950 or 1951, so those are the years I'd look at to determine a suitable whitewall width for 1947.

clipper47, here is a photo of one of the tires. They are Firestone Deluxe Champion, 7.00x15, tube type. The white wall width is 4" including a 1/2" wide curb strip on the outside edge. The spare has never been on the ground. I estimate they were installed on the car in the mid-1980s. They look great, but are unsafe at any speed. You can see how these tire look on the car on my registry site. Wider is better.

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Clipper47, for a whitewall width reference for your car, might I suggest you go to the Michigan State University "Making of Modern Michigan" website, search on Packard, and scroll down to photos beginning about #2251. From there thru the next 40 or so Packard factory photos are several showing 1946/47/48 cars with factory whitewall tires. You should be able to scale from the wheelbase or tire diameter to get an approximation of the width of the whitewall.