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As a ,member of the Packard Club, I've noticed considerable discussion about whether the 5 point per wheel deduction for radials should be continued or discontinued.

One of the arguments against radials was the claim that radial tires have different stress points and are likely to split wheels not designed for radials.

Page 31 of the Diamondback catalog discusses this.

As a driver, I'm very much in favor of radials because I believe them to be safer--and the ride is much smoother as well. A number of our local club members drive on radials and have never heard of a wheel splitting. My recollection, which has a visible amount of haze, is that radials were available in the late fifties as replacements.

I also have seat belts, and I note that most repaints are enamel, not lacquer....

What's your take on all this? How far are you willoing to go for authenticity?

I drive on radials but I certainly would not expect the judging standards to be changed by my choices.

There is only a 4 point deduction per tire (according to the 2009-2010 PAC Directory, page 38). As radials were NEVER offered on any new Packards, there must be a point deduction, but IMHO maybe only 1 or 2 points per tire.

I know this is kind of butting in, because I'm never going to have a car judged, unless I can get "best driven"... but I would be willing to testify that any car from the '50s and '60s (and, of course, earlier) can drive and ride very well on GOOD 4-Ply Bias tires.

I drove on 4-ply bias tires (mostly manufacture by "Hood" rubber) for about 10 years. I drove Packard V8s, a '65 and a '69 Buick Electra, all over the country and in all kinds of conditions and sometimes at very high speeds. They handled great, rode fine, and wore well. I have always found radials to be kind of "slimy" handling and I never noticed any difference in ride when I started using them. I NEVER had a "blowout" with any bias tire, and I wore some of them pretty thin.

That said, it's important to remember that many of the bias ply tires peddled in the '60s and '70s were "Belted" with only 2-ply sidewalls and 4 plies under the tread. Those were (are) terrible tires. The sidewalls are weak and the belts tend to slip and cause no end of grief. I think they wear out faster than either 4-ply bias or radial tires. Never touched them on our cars through the '60s and '70s.

Try straight 4-ply bias tires, and you could get the judging points and good ride, handling and wear as well-- that is, if you can still get real 4-ply bias tires with good beads, good cord, good rubber compound and well-manufactured.

That's my story and I'm stickin' with it.

Oops! 4 points it is.

What about the deduction for Halogen headlights?

Radial tires causing wheel problems is a big myth. Car owners could not wait to change from bias ply belted tires to radial ply tires when radials first became generally available. There was never any warning about using radials on vehicles that were not equipped with them as original equipment.

The CCCA has a judging guideline about points deductions for car with radials. It is a suggested 1 point per tire deduction if the radial tires are too obvious. It is at the discretion of the judges.

(o{I}o)

Studebaker Driver's Club technical advisor has been warning for years in their publication Turning Wheels about wheel failures with radial tires on some Studebaker models. Perhaps Studebaker used wheels which were satisfactory with bias ply but marginal or inadequate for the added stresses placed on them by radials. Plenty of commentary and personal experiences on the matter if someone wants to dig out the back issues and browse them.

As far as the headlights go, it is no different than any other modification you make to a car. If you want your car the way you want it, don't expect the judging on authenticity to accept it. It's your car and enjoy it, if you want it judged then restore it to how is was when it left the factory. I personally don't have my car judged, I just enjoy it. I tried the halogen bulbs but put the car back to original headlamps.

" I personally don't have my car judged, I just enjoy it. I tried the halogen bulbs but put the car back to original headlamps."

ok. But why??

JW write:
"Radial tires causing wheel problems is a big myth. Car owners could not wait to change from bias ply belted tires to radial ply tires when radials first became generally available. There was never any warning about using radials on vehicles that were not equipped with them as original equipment."

Excellent point JW. I knew a Ford engineer and a Chevy engineer, R&D test tech's among others in the detroit area that ran radials on their late 50's and 60's and 70's cars, Mustangs, Corvettes, chevies etc. Three of those cars i was personally knowledeable of. They didn;t change the wheels either.

As for SDC claiming wheel failure with radials weren't they the same folks that tried to bring us 1965 Packard V12 SUV minivans???