XR7-G Rader Wheel History

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Community Discussion
61

You have more and better tire choices.

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62

The set of Raders I scored are also 15".

Did yours come with the original cones Zogman?

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63

Yes they did.

64

Mine didn’t and a bought a set of new cones.

When you get a chance, could you take a photo of the back of your Rader with the cone fully seated in the wheel and post it?

  • Phillip
65

Hope you mount those and drive it to Carlisle, Phillip!

66

Hey Jim! LOL, around town here where I live, sure - but I’m not hitting the highway with a set of vintage Rader wheels on my G.

I can just imagine the headline: “Longtime classic Mercury Cougar enthusiast dies in fiery wreck when a wheel that was recalled 57 years ago due to manufacturing flaws fails on his vintage car”…

  • Phillip
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67

Another nice photo of a very original G still wearing it’s Raders.

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68

In this episode of the Dennis Collins youtube show, Coffee Walk Collins purchases a '67 Shelby that a previous owner had put the “Wire Wheel Look” Raders on.

Collins calls them ugly :face_with_raised_eyebrow: they are in horrible shape and do not look good on a Shelby, especially with the spinners.

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69

Amazing car and video!

70

Another car whose wheels caught my attention as possible G Raders is the 1962 Mako Shark Corvette.

At first glance it looks like GM used the Wire Wheel Look Raders as a basis for the wheels on this Larry Shinoda designed show car. These have 16 spokes and what could be a custom made hub that covers the wheel lugs.

One problem is that this car first appeared in 1962, a bit too early for the G style Raders. However, looking at vintage photos this car had actual wire wheels at its debut and didn’t acquire the spoked aluminum mags until sometime later when GM did a mild refresh on the design.

But, inspecting a close up it looks like these are one piece wheels and not the two piece aluminum center riveted to a chrome rim that the G Raders were.

Still, Wheel Corp. of America was a small, family run business and supplied many personalized, custom wheels for Barris - so maybe GM worked with them on creating this set?

Either way, would love to find out the origin of these wheels.

Oh, and another bit of trivia - as I said, this show car was designed by Larry Shinoda, who also came up with the graphics package that was used on the Cougar Eliminators and Boss Mustangs.

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71

Happy New Year everyone -

Here is another nice pic of a G with it’s Raders.

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