I can’t be the only guy wishing for these tires, so, I contacted Brent Hall in Customer Service at Coker Tire to see if they would build some - after all, they already build a Firestone Wide Oval radial with 3/8”redline (and they sell a Goodrich radial with 3/8” whitewall). His response was that I should have as many potential buyers as possible submit their request for these tires on the Coker Tire website, and depending on that demand they would consider building them for us. If we want to see these tires produced, we need to share this opportunity with every car club, web group, individual, etc. that may have interest in cars which had these tires as original equipment - and we need to have as many people as possible make the request to Coker to produce them. At the bottom of virtually every page on the coker website - including the Home Page - there are four columns of contact options (in black), and on the list on the far left you will see an option for “New Product Recommendations or Requests”. Click on that option and fill in the info they request, with special attention to specifying a radial Firestone Wide Oval radial with 3/8” whitewall in FR70X14 size. Brent was receptive to my request and provided me with his direct number in case anyone wants to discuss this further: 423-648-8559. Please get on this and share with anyone/everyone who may need these tires for a correct restoration and be sure to ask them to contact Coker with their request as explained above (I have already done so).
I have several sets of Coker built tires on various cars in my Ford collection (mostly Firestone Wide Oval RWL radial repros on Torinos, and a few 1” whitewalls on mid ‘60’s Falcons, Galaxies, etc.) and have found them to be less than fabulous (tough to balance, etc.) but the fact is that when it comes to tires that look factory correct, Coker is the go-to supplier. Their radial version of the Wide Oval offers some of the benefits of radial construction but are still no Michelin, Continental or other serious piece of rubber. As with most things in life, they offer a reasonable compromise (in this case, between the factory correct look and reasonable performance) and I think that’s the best that we can hope for. I could buy the Wide Oval bias ply tires but I prefer radials. The fact is these tires were not great even when new in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s but the mind has a way of making the memories better (kind of like, “ The older I get, the faster I was”…..
Truer words never spoken….
I had Firestones (not radials) on my ‘68, In 1971 I Was in the UP (upper peninsula. Yes I was young, but I was over the century mark when the right rear blew. Had a spare. Once the wheel cooled off was on my way. Haven’t had a Firestone since.
My ‘67 has Hankook’s based on some recommendations.
Ron
Ford never did use Firestone tires on Mercury Cougars, at least not in 1967 - 73 model years. For whatever reason they used BF Goodrich radial tires with 3/8” whitewalls. Coker offers correct tires for our cars.
Maybe you have a passion for those Firestone tires.
My only preoccupation is with finding the tire that a particular car was originally equipped with regardless of manufacturer, thereby following the information on the Marti report for an “as equipped” restoration. As much as I am happy to hear that Cougars came with B F Goodrich 3/8” whitewalls (primarily because they are available) I am confused because I am looking at two Marti reports which list the tires on these cars as follows: “FR70X14 Wide Oval Radial White Sidewall Tires” and “FR70X14 Wide Oval Radial Tires, White Sidewall Tires”. Both of these reports are clear that these were Wide Ovals with what I assume would be 3/8” (pinwall ) white sidewalls, not raised white letter sidewalls.
The tire info on those Marti Rreports is in contrast to Marti reports for other cars in my Ford collection which state that those other cars were equipped with: “G70X14 Belted Raised White Letter Tires” which leads me to believe that those tires could have been any brand (including Goodrich). However, “Wide Oval” was (and, I believe, remains) a Firestone trademark which strongly suggests that the tires were made by Firestone and no other manufacturer.
All of the forgoing is assuming that Kevin’s info is correct - and if it’s not, then the background info regarding many of our cars may be in question.
In 1974, I bought a new Gran Torino Elite in which came with Firestone 727 radials, and I remember going through four complete sets of them under warranty before switching to another brand. They had a defect which allowed the sidewall to crack where it met the tread, allowing the braided steel belt to stick out and slap the road surface when turning. In those days, Firestone seemed to have greater difficulty getting the hang of radial design than some other manufacturers. I believe that they did eventually figure things out and their tires are now no better or worse than most other tires in their price range. In any case, my preoccupation with tires (and details, in general) revolves around my effort to restore a car to the way it was equipped from the factory (as closely as humanly possible). So, when I see Marti reports which state that a car was built with “Wide Oval” tires, I assume that those were Firestone and no other - so, that’s what I look for (although, I have learned that even the most reliable sources make mistakes occasionally and it’s best to reference several “experts”). In any case, this is all about restoration to factory specs, not what is best/safest, etc. for frequent driving - on many of my vintage cars, I use more modern, better-quality tires because I drive them long distances at (relatively) high speeds (and occasionally at track days) so I need a good riding, smooth, safe, dependable piece of rubber there.
Yup - and it’s no surprise to me. Given the relationship/friendship between the Ford and Firestone families, Firestone tires were the tires of choice on Fords for a very long time. As an aside, I enjoyed touring the winter homes of Ford, Firestone and Edison, side by side on the Myakka River in Florida - it’s a fascinating trip back in time. Certainly, it was possible to find virtually any brand of tire on a Ford due to strike/supply disruptions or customer preference, but Firestone has been the primary choice from what I have seen. Throughout my lifetime I have been privy to interesting stories about how a car “back in the day” could be built pretty much whatever way a buyer wanted it built - with whatever equipment, tires, etc. the customer wanted - so, it would not surprise me to learn that Ford vehicles could be had with whatever tire a buyer wanted. My father and father-in -law worked at Ford’s Oakville, Ontario assembly plant so, I heard many stories from them about “interesting” cars built there. I still remember my dad coming home one day in 1965 (I was thirteen and already a gear head) and saying to me., “Hey - guess what we built today”. He described how seven “K” code engines had arrived in crates, and how they were installed in the only (seven) 271 HP Falcons ever to be built (the engines came in crates because they did not build any vehicle at Oakville which required the 271 HP mill). That story was responsible for my penchant for Falcons, and I still have two in my collection - one of which is a '64 Futura hardtop with 260, top loader and 3.25 gears built at San Jose and sold at “Daring” Dick Waring’s dealership in N. Sacramento. The other is a '65 Futura convert with factory A/C. I also have a 1973 Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof in the collection - built by my father and father-in-law at Oakville with 351 CJ, heavy duty suspension and many other options, including A/C. I get a thrill from driving a car built my by father and father-in-law that is indescribable (not to mention that the car is faster than you ay think).
The factory tires on every XR7-G and every GT-E (mostly , a few GT-E’s had optional redline tires and a few - mostly 428CJ ram air - had raised white letter Goodyear tires) were BF Goodrich 3/8” whitewall radials.
Kevin Marti is kind of hard to reach but he may be able to explain this to you. And maybe not.
What is the origin of this picture? It appears that the GTE has ‘67 wheels not ‘68.
Those are BFGoodrich Silvertown radials. Very advanced tire for the time.
My original 70 Cougar had Michelin X radials (also sold at the time as the Sears metric radial). It was definitely not a radial tuned suspension, though!
If the GTE in the photo has 1967 wheels then it would have to also have either drum front brakes or 1967 disc brakes. The 1967 wheels will not fit over the 1968 disc brakes.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
It looks like it also has a ‘67 mirror so it may be a mock up GT-E based on a ‘67 without the 427 or the C6.
That is a FORD promotional picture. Notice there are two different pinstripe tires.
Notice the difference in the space between the stripe and the rim.
The two top picks are Firestone. If you turned hard on the front tires they would rub on the stripe.
A few years ago I sent Royce a copy of the GTE promotional pick which I can’t find at the moment.
Here is a pick of the wide ovals.
Second pick looks to be Firestone.
Pictures taken from Car and Driver March 1968
My 70 XR7 convertible came from the factory with Uniroyal “Tiger Paw” bias ply whitewalls. I have pictures at home (traveling now) as I was original buyer.
Have radial whitewall Tiger Paws on it now, special ordered. Those bias ply ones were not great especially in snow, even with limited slip diff. Although it never sees snow anymore.
Kevin Marti was quick to answer my inquiry regarding the tire issue. I asked him if we could assume that, if a Marti Report stated that a particular car was equipped with “Wide Oval” (white sidewall) tires, that those tires would have been Firestone, based on the fact that “Wide Oval” was a firestone trademark. His prompt response is as follows in this quote:
" Mr. Molnar,
I cannot make that assumption. “Wide Oval,” while a trademark of Firestone was used generically within Ford. I cannot provide any more information than has been provided."
Kevin’s comment would support my recollection of events back in the day insofar as Firestone “Wide Oval” low profile (i. e. 70 series) tires became so popular that virtually all low-profile tires which followed were eventually referred to as “Wide Ovals” regardless of the brand (Uniroyal Tiger Paw, Good Year Custom Wide Tread/Polyglass Wide tread, etc.). The 70 aspect ratio made the tire appear oval in cross section because the tread was wider and the sidewall was lower - hence Firestone’s name for it: “Wide Oval” (there was actually an oval image imprinted on the sidewalls). Prior to the introduction of the Wide Oval, tires were typically 80-82 aspect ratio (taller and narrower); then 78 series, 70 series, 60 series, etc. came along. Regardless of manufacturer, no other name seemed to invoke the image of a wide, oval tire better than Firestone’s so, eventually, just about all low profile/70 series tires were often referred to as “wide ovals” generically. Even though the name “Wide Oval” was a registered trademark of Firestone, the term “wide oval” became a ‘genericized trademark’ or ‘proprietary eponym’ - a trademark which has become widely used as a generic term for a product (like Kleenex, Band Aid, etc.).
According to Kevin Marti, even Ford Motor Company used the “Wide Oval” term generically (although we should think that a manufacturer would have greater respect for a trademark) so, at the end of this exercise we cannot assume that the reference to “Wide Oval” tires on a Marti Report refers specifically to a Firestone tire - it may be any brand of low profile tire. This is further reinforced for me personally by the fact that I have several Marti reports for cars in my collection where the manufacturer was specified - Firestone, Good Year or other (perhaps reflecting a buyer’s preference/request). That would lead me to believe that if a particular tire was not specified, the tire could have been any brand, regardless of a reference to a “wide oval” tire.
Strangely, it’s almost a relief to me to learn the forgoing because I can now feel more comfortable using any brand of low profile, period correct tires (some of which are being reproduced) without feeling that they are “incorrect”. Still, there’s that niggling feeling in the back of my mind that says that “Wide Oval” is Firestone…