Can't Be Done. On 2nd Thought, Maybe It Can Part 1

One quick note before we get down to business; starting with this post of Full Throttle, you'll notice a slight format change. While we won't be ignoring it completely, readers will notice much less of the vintage NASCAR section. With over 18,000 views of this blog over the past few years, many who follow F/T have been asking for more of the vintage muscle car and drag racing stuff - hands down. Like anything else, when things grow, things change. Hopefully for the better.

I was thumbing through the October 1969 issue of Hot Rod magazine the other week and glanced at the editorial written by Doug Evans. Contained in those few short paragraphs was alarming news that somehow I'd either forgotten about or breezed over; "In order to deal with the air pollution problem here in Los Angeles and other heavily populated areas, the state of California has proposed legislation that will ban the internal combustion engine & automobile by 1975." Holy crap -  good thing that didn't happen. My first thought was "... wishful thinking; but it will never happen. Can't be done." But history has proven that some sort of similar legislation has raised its ugly head from time to time - and it's come close. Remember that Cash for Clunkers insanity that hit California about 15 years ago when scrap metal prices were sky high? There were droves antique car enthusiasts literally going to recycling centers daily trying to save old cars that were in restorable condition.

At least on the other end of the spectrum, when it came to certain muscle cars, when the manufacturers said it couldn't be done, certain car dealers showed that it could be - and the end result may have been a limited production run in some cases, but it was pure magic.

The story about Tasca Ford in East Providence Rhode Island has been told in books and magazine articles that are too numerous to count. Just about everybody knows that a 428 police interceptor short block was stuffed in a 1967 Mustang GT and topped off with other numerous goodies from a 406 and 427 V-8. The Mustang was so quick, that Bob Tasca used his clout as a high volume performance dealer, drove to Dearborn Michigan, and showed Henry Ford II himself what could be done to produce a Mustang that could keep pace with what GM and Chrysler were offering. Just a few months later, Cobra Jet Mustangs stormed the 1968 Winternationals in Pomona, California, followed by the April 1, 1968 introduction of the 428 Cobra Jet option for the Mustang GT and Fairlane.

But that's not why were here. Ever wonder just how that 428 short block ended up between the Mustang's fenderwells? Or what ever happened to that car? It turns out, that the Mustang in question started life as a regular production Lime Gold GT notchback with a 390 and automatic that also served as Bob Tasca's daily driver. The story goes that technician Billy Loomis had made some exhaust and intake manifold modifications and took it out for a test drive.That ride that would change the course of Ford performance history. It turns out the technician thought the automatic was in 'D'... but it was in '1'. The technician never shifted the transmission, floated the valves, and destroyed the motor. Oops...

Needless to say, Tasca was pissed. But instead of rebuilding the 390, Bob Tasca asked assistant parts manager Glenn Tiberiis to order a 428 Police Interceptor short-block. Tiberiis also dug into the parts bin and attached other engine components ranging from cylinder heads from a 406, exhaust headers (as well as other parts) from a 427 Fairlane, modified the C-6 transmission - in other words, made it into a barnstormer that ended up running a best of 13.39 in the quarter mile. Word got out to some east coast Ford executives who came to Providence and drove the car. All of them told Tasca he should take it to Detroit and show the big shots at the factory that his dealership built a better Mustang than they could. Later on that summer in 1967, Bod Tasca drove all the way to Detroit with technician Billy Loomis in the passenger seat and his two oldest sons, 15-year-old Bob Jr. and 13-year-old Carl, both on vacation from school in the back seat. Once there, the KR-8 beat everything Ford had to offer including Ford's own 427 Mustang. Extremely impressed, the Ford engineers wanted to pull the powertrain for inspection. Upon doing so, Tasca recalls that the engineers criticized the short-block assembly, saying it didn't have the right piston-to-wall clearance and other tolerances. Their mouths hit the pavement after Tasca told them, "I bought it from you. It's a stock 428 Police Interceptor short-block from over the counter." Oops... again.

Ford ended up keeping the KR-8 powertrain for further inspection. While Bob Tasca had no problem with that, he also told them he needed something to replace it for the drive home. Apparently the engineers sent them into the experimental garage where Tasca claimed the 427 Tunnel-Port from Lloyd Ruby's LeMans race car. He also grabbed an experimental transmission and a special rear axle. While the Ford engineers were taking the KR-8 engine apart, Loomis was busy installing the 427 in the Mustang. After making the trek back to Rhode Island (and fixing a busted rocker arm that failed just outside of Detroit) the vehicle went back to regular daily driver duty. In the end, what ever happened to the original '67 KR-8 hardtop? Turns out Bob Tasca Jr. knows all too well. He hit a telephone pole with it in October 1967. He had just gotten his driver's license six weeks before. That was the end of that car. The 427 Tunnel-Port drivetrain eventually went into a '68 1/2 Cobra Jet fastback, known as the Tasca East Coast Exhibition car (currently owned by Ben Coles).

And that, my friends, is the rest of the story.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave