packard wire wheels

[Guest packard1801]

Does anyone have proof that wire wheels were offered as a non-factory accessory for pre-wire JUNIOR series cars in the 30"s- 50"s era, OR are they purely a modern times accessory?

[Dave Mitchell]

I never saw any proof of this, and usually they look bad.

[Rusty_OToole]

Non factory accessory? Dodge or Ford wheels will bolt onto a junior Packard. Will Caribbean wheels?

Packard had a policy of building whatever the customer wanted. I expect a customer could get Caribbean wheels on any model they would fit. If not factory installed then certainly dealer installed.

There was a vogue for wire wheels in the early fifties. 1953 and 54. They were offered by most car companies. Aftermarket, I could not say for sure but believe Dayton was in business then. Certainly the car companies were getting them from somewhere.

One thing for sure, aftermarket wire wheel style hubcaps were available in the early fifties.

In any case genuine wire wheels were a very expensive and therefore rare option. But they were seen in the fifties especially on personal luxury cars like Buick Skylark, Packard Caribbean,Ford Thunderbird, and so on.

[Owen_Dyneto]

I've spent more than 40 years studying Packards and their associated accessory books, parts books, and other product information and firmly believe that the last wire wheels before the war were offered on the 1936 Senior models, and the next appearance of them was in 1953.

[Restorer32]

I don't have 40 years staring at those parts books but I do have about 30 and I agree. Just because new wires are available to fit about everything on wheels doesn't make them correct. I am more surprised that wood wheels were available on Packards as late as 1936 I believe.

[Guest John_Lawrence]

Here are two photos from a recent visit to Dick's Classic Cars museum in San Marcos, Texas. One is of a 1948 Club Sedan with wire wheels, and the other is a 1955 Four Hundred with wire wheel covers. I like the look of the '48 and the seldom seen covers on the '55 look neat too. Recently saw a '36 Twelve Convertible Coupe with wire wheels.

(o[]o)

[Dave Mitchell]

All Twelves up to 36 came with either wood or wire wheels as far as I know. Disc covers for the wires were optional in 35/36.

[Guest bkazmer]

matter of personal taste I guess, but I think the 48 would look better with factory skirts and stock wheels - it carries the bumper edge - stainless- bumper edge line all the way around the car. The wires look clearly of a different era than the car.

[Ozstatman]

Member of our club has a '36 120B with wire wheels. I quite like the look even with the thin whitewalls.

[Restorer32]

Liking the look is a matter of taste. Whether or not wire wheels were a factory authorized accessory on a 1936 120 is a matter of fact. The original poster asked if wires were offered as a factory authorized accessory for the Junior Series cars. The answer appears to be No they were not.