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^^^ That tracks with the research I have done on the company.

Thanks for your insight as someone who was there.

- Phillip

For those interested, I take a fairly deep dive into the history of the Rader Wheel company on this thread.

https://forum.classiccougarcommunity.com/t/xr7-g-rader-wheel-history/2781

- Phillip

Also, in getting back to this G for sale and the Rader wheels - according to it's Marti this 4 speed G was produced on May 6 and it says on the original window sticker that as part of the G package the car has "Styled Wheels w/spoke design" which is referring to the Rader wheel.

Soon after May 6 G window stickers were changed to read "Styled Steel Wheels" so this G may have come originally with the Raders.

- Phillip

For sure - they bid on the job based on the specs provided and as is so often the case, while performing the job the specs changed and from then on it is very difficult to get reimbursed.

In the case of the Cougars, Smith expected the cars as received were ready to be modified and sent on for sale but in truth many had issues on arrival that Smith got stuck dealing with before their task of converting them into XR7-Gs  could even begin.

One result being that Smith gets the reputation of having quality issues.

Also, please let me take the opportunity to give a HUGE thanks to '68/'69/'70 Shelby Registrar Vincent Liska for sharing with me all of the great documents that I am able to quote from.

- Phillip

Yes, a few Gs weren't subject to the recall. Below is a pic of one. Original owner had it for a long time.

The Rader wheel fiasco is fascinating -
Shelby American was involved as early as the Spring of 1967 with developing a luxury/performance Cougar for Mercury referred to in notes as the XR-7S and/or the "European Cougar".

Hertz was aware of this and in an August 7, 1967 memo requested that 200 units be built for them to rent as a part of their Sports Car Club fleet. Hertz wanted a real wire wheel and Shelby American expressed concern about whether or not that was possible. The solution/compromise ultimately being the Rader Spoked Wheel made by TransAmerican Products Ltd. out of CA.

Smith experienced problems with the wheels at the get-go while building the XR7-G prototypes and let Shelby know about it.

Despite this, Shelby via Don Coleman ok'd a purchase order for 5,000 wheels, 5,000 hubs and 25,000 nuts. An interesting note in the memo approving the purchase order states that the "wheels are to be built from rims already supplied to the vendor".

As we know the wheels were recalled in late April-early May. The issue was still unresolved and in a memo dated March 26, 1969 Smith and Ford were set to take legal action against TransAmerican with Smith wanting reimbursement for expenses incurred repairing, removing and replacing Rader wheels and for all of the wheels stored at Smith to be picked up. Smith notes in a memo that they "had no voice in the selection of the source, no control over the quality of the product received, and operated at all times in accordance with the instructions from Shelby".

What a mess! But I appreciate that an effort was made to give the Gs a unique and custom wheel.

- Phillip

No, only the GT-E got the 427 which towards the end of production gave way to the 428 Cobra Jet. Mercury did make the 4 speed manual available with the Cobra Jet GT-Es.

It really is all confusing - in a nutshell the GT-E and the XR7-G both evolved out of the XR-7S show car which is mentioned in Shelby American paperwork in late '67 - also referred to as the "European Cougar".

Then with all of the changes with the relationship with Ford and the formation of Shelby Automotive Mercury decided at some point to offer two high end Cougars in 1968 - the GT-E which only came with the 427 and the Cobra Jet and which they would produce in-house and the XR7-G with G conversions vended out to Smith. Presumably because the G had so many unique parts it would have slowed down a regular production line?

One would think having a single high performance/luxury GT Shelby-like Cougar would have been a better idea and certainly less confusing.

You could get any engine in the G except the 289 (all Gs started out as XR-7s which had the F code 302 as the base engine) and the 427 but all Gs came with dual exhaust and the competition handling package.

- Phillip

A 4 speed Cougar is a rarity in-and-of-itself and only 14 S code 390 4 speed XR7-Gs were produced. Hard to imagine there is a more original one that is this nice out there, but maybe one will turn up.

No manual tranny W code GT-Es from the factory.

- Phillip

Not my car, just making the forum aware of a very rare G that just came on the market.

Asking price is 84K.

- Phillip

https://forum.classiccougarcommunity.com/t/1968-xr7-g-s-code-390-4v-4-speed-54k-original-miles/36949

AI is synthetic - it creates nothing new. The data is built from content already created, by people and obtained without their permission.

So if it goes out and grabs something that is incorrect, then that's what it will spit out.

It's here to stay and is an incredibly powerful tool, but I don't think most people understand how it works. Well, to be honest I don't either LOL - only in a basic way and how it applies to my profession as an illustrator.

Luckily I am happily retired.

- Phillip

The Branda looks to be a different font also - "R"'s are different.

- Phillip

You won't need to litigate it.

AI content is not subject to copyright protection.

If "nobody" created the art then "nobody" owns it.

- Phillip

Hmmmm, "a free image that might take a human artist..."

AI creates NOTHING NEW. It is synthetic. It goes out and takes from things that people... human artists... have ALREADY CREATED.

The underlying data models were built using content obtained without permission of the original creators.

- Phillip

^^^ Good luck with the SCJ Cougar 'vert!

- Phillip

Fantastic stuff!

- Phillip

^^^ Great explanation JD.

Photographers were at the vanguard of protecting creator's rights. Before digital and the ability to make copies with the click of a mouse and send them via email, photographers could protect their negatives like they were their own babies.

Who owns what would normally be worked out in a business agreement before work began along with how the work could be used.

I would be fascinated to know if Dave had a contract and if so exactly what was spelled out in it.

- Phillip