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.
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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
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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.
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I saw that car at the GTO nationals back in the day.
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…
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I believe the BF Goodrich Silvertown radial was the only radial tire available in 67. If so, “FR70X14 Wide Oval Radial White Sidewall Tires” on the Marti report could only mean they were BFGoodrich FR70X14 radial 3/8” whitewalls for the early Cougars.
Firestone Wide Ovals were bias ply because Firestone was late to the game of producing radials. They scrambled to roll out the ill-fated 500 radials around 1972 when the auto OEM’s made the switch. Problem is, they were made on equipment designed for bias tires. That didn’t end well for anyone.
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From what I have learned since I began researching this topic, you could be right about Gooderich - they seem to be one of the first to produce radials for American cars, and were definitely in the game by '67/'68.
The 1968 XR7-G was one of the first if not THE first to offer a radial tire as standard from the factory. A B.F. Goodrich 990 Wide.
-
Phillip
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The Silvertown Radial 990! Some ad guy was spot-on in making the claim “launches the radial age”. But the giant lady messing with cars was actually kinda terrifying.
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The 1968 Cougar GT-E predated the XR7-G by about four months and offered radial tires several months earlier as standard equipment. Michelin radial tires were optional in 1967 on all Ford Motor company products but not standard.
At least it’s a Cougar that holds that distinction.
- Phillip
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I wouldn’t put anything coker makes on my car. when I worked at the tire shop a few years ago we would order 6 tire in hopes that 4 were good enough to be sort of round and balance with less than 5 oz of weight. their quality control is a negative number . . .
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Good news - Coker does not make any tires. They sell tires made by other companies.
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After now working over 28 years as a product development engineer for Michelin, I think I can add a little history about tire design. Obviously I need to be careful in what I can discuss but should be able to address some of the things mentioned here.
I was born in 1959 and when my dad purchased new a Mercury Colony Park station wagon in ‘72, all he talked about was it came with MICHELIN steel belted radials. So apparently that was a big deal back then. Not common.
We just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Michelin Research Center here in Greenville and some of the younger engineers put together a display of historical milestones within the company. The first Michelin steel belted radial tires used as factory OEM fitment in North America came on the Lincoln Mark III two door coupe in 1970.
But MICHELIN invented the steel belted radial tire around 1948/49 and sold throughout Europe. There were other “belted radial” tires before that time, but MICHELIN designed the first steel belted radial. The trick was developing the chemical adhesion/cohesion of rubber to the steel cables used in the summit belts. Rubber will NOT stick to bare steel and one of the chemists in France developed that technology.
When I started at the Research Center in ‘97, I began working with several veteran tire engineers who came down to Greenville in the early’90’s when Michelin purchased BF Goodrich/Uniroyal. I helped develop several BF Goodrich tires but mostly light truck and SUV tires, some of the Z-speed rated low profile tires used on Vette’s, Vipers, etc, but I don’t recall doing any type of design on the Radial T/A tires. I have seen some of the really early Radial T/A’s and they had some wild tread patterns compared to the even the first set I bought in the late 70’s for my ‘68 XR7 390GT car. They look great on the factory S/S wheels.
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I would love to see a photo of the BF Goodrich tire that came on the GT-E. Like a set of really detailed photos showing the tread pattern, sidewall markings and of course the white rubber whether a whitewall or solid raised white letters
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Thanks for the interesting history! I’ve always understood that Michelin was the pioneer in steel belted radial design, and you have confirmed it! Were the first Michelin steel belted radials known as the Michelin Radial X? And was that the same tire that Ford offered in the late 60’s?
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I think the tire’s actual product line name marked on the sidewall was just “MICHELIN X”.
Basically all Michelin steel belted radials have an “X” in their product line name. It’s because the X represents the pattern of the steel cables in the two summit steel belt plies laid on top of the radial carcasse.
For ex., the first steel belt is laid 30 degrees from the radial polyester carcasse plies and the second steel belt is laid at minus 30 degrees. Those cables form an X pattern.
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Thanks for all of the insight Tom - fascinating information.
- Phillip
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The first person I knew to put radial tires on his car was my brother-in-law, who put a set of Michelins on his '65 Ford Custom after having owned the car for a couple of years. I was fascinated by the construction - and the fact that they always looked to be low on air. IMHO Michelin were the best in those days - and are still one of the best. I also remember tire dealers telling buyers that if they used radial tires they would not need to switch to “snow” tires in winter (because the tread flexed and allowed snow to escape rather than get packed into the tread). However, in recent years we have learned that a winter radial is much better than a summer radial in winter…
I really enjoy this site - lots of informed participants, sharing valuable insight…
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