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

1950 Standard Eight - What whitewall width do you believe is most appropriate or looks best: 2 3/4", 3" or 3 3/8"?

I'm inclined to go with the really wide 3 3/8" whitewall.

And, any comments about the most appropriate valve stem and valve cap?

Background - The car is a 23rd Series that was built in the 1949 build period to be sold as a 1949 model. The car was unsold as a 1949 model and rebadged by Packard as a 1950 23rd Series model.

For better handling, I plan to purchase 225/75R15 whitewall Diamondback radials (with the raised "beauty ring" on the whitewalls), not bias-ply tires.

Happy to here you comments.

take a look at the period ads and brochures. I believe the 22nd series juniors have moderate widths. I believe the 23rds may show wider whites.

I think I'm going with the Diamondback 7.00-R15s with the widest whitewall available. It's a radial that retains the look of a bias ply, but has the benefits of a radial.

The tire you mention has a more flexible sidewall, and Diamondback recommends maintaining the air pressure at around 44psi in order to avoid having the edge of the whitewall wearing against the road where it flexes at the bottom.

I don't think that's as much of an issue with the 7.00-R15.

There is now such thing as too wide when it come to whitewalls!

Quote:

Unless the driver is one who sometimes cleans and polishes the curbs with his sidewalls and then is the one who has to clean those sidewalls.

Mr. Clean to the rescue!

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Here's an example of a Diamond Back (Cooper Radial) tire with a 3.5 inch WWW with beauty ring on a re-numbered 49 -> 50 Custom. The spare tire in this car, which I suspect was original to the car, had a 4 inch white wall.

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That looks great! I love it.

"Sold" - I'm getting the 3 3/8" Diamondbacks which seem to be the widest, more modern radials.