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Sorry you consider my father's legacy and one of the most innovative and economical performance upgrades in automotive history popping balloons at the party. With regards to the 428CJ, on a scale of 1-10 Tasca was a 10 and Shelby a 1. Most period articles credit Tasca for the KR moniker that is undisputed to most outside this site. But I'll end with the only facts, Roger Miller first trademarked "King of the Road" on April 29,1969, not Shelby, Chevy, Ford or Tasca. In a letter dated May 28, 1968 Ray Geddes, Manager of Shelby Auto Marketing,  thanked Bill Kolb Jr for his KR recommendation on the end of GT500. For those who don't already know, between Larsen Ford(319 Shelbys) and Gotham Ford(479 Shebys) sold a total of 798 Shelby branded cars and was the reason he was invited to participate in a special Shelby marketing forum for Ford executives on Mar 19, 1968. Of course you all knew that, history is great and even better when it's accurate. What's next who cares about nos parts? Truth is truth, sorry about all the balloons.

During an amazing mecum auction I was reminded, after Bill Stephens read the tired old narrative that Carroll had his lawyer beat Chevy to the trademark office, the historical record is as phony as a 3 dollar bill, compliments of the snake oil salesman. Growing up at Tasca I only ever heard about the KR8, which my father built, being a Tasca creation. It wasn't until I read the Shelby version I realized it was all a lie! We all know the story of Shelby's lawyer running to the trademark office to beat Chevy to the punch and secure the "King of the Road" moniker, NEVER HAPPENED! Not only did Shelby not trademark it but neither did Chevy, Ford, or Tasca! Roger Miller was the first, go look for yourself. The infamous Bill Kolb Jr, a very good friend of the Tasca's, recommended the KR for the 1968 GT500 428 CJ powered Shelby not Carroll Shelby, who had much less influence at that point. In a letter from Shelby Auto Marketing, Ray Geddes thanks Bill Kolb Jr for his recent recommendations made at a marketing forum in Dearborn. A quote from Geddes "Many of the recommendations you made at the Mar 19, 1968 meeting have been passed on to senior management, including the GT350-500 series for at least the 69-70 model years. In accordance with your recommendations,  WE HAVE DESIGNATED THE 428CJ SHELBY GT AS THE GT500KR!! Can someone with more pull than I please check these facts and correct the narrative so the history of this amazing model can be truth not fiction?!?! This narrative is a complete falsehood with absolutely no basis in fact and needs to be corrected before all who can verify the truth are gone. Please don't shoot the messenger.

The first line sums it up, it was one of Carroll's tales. The Tasca KR8 was built in late 66. Anyone know that the Bopper filled in for a sick band member and played with the Glen Miller band? Shelby was more aligned with Tasca than any other dealer and rightfully so as he introduced Shelby to Lee Iacocca and Henry II at the Dearborn Inn in the early 60's. He also pledged to buy all 100 kits when Shelby made his pitch to Ford dealers, that was the minimum # he had to sell to make it worth doing, and the thought of Tasca getting them all got the rest motivated to buy some. With all the history between the 2 its only logical the KR came from Tasca. That's the way Bill Barr the lead engineer on the CJ program at Ford recalls it.

Interesting Tasca receipt.  We've all seen these seperatly.  Ever seen these together? "KR8 CobraJet" by Bob Tasca. Check out the Cobra Jet Registry forum. Topic 8F02R179894. It's a copy of a Tasca Ford High performance tuning receipt. My father says it's a blank Hi Po tuning slip but lists options available. Check out the line where you could not only purchase a Tasca sign but also a KR8 sign for your Cobra Jet. I think the Bopper considered the KR moniker his. I had a gentleman try to tell me that Tasca had nothing to do with the production of the CJ, I think Bob Sr would strongly object to that point and I think the evidence in favor of the Tasca involvement speaks for itself in the many articles lauding Bob Sr actions helping bring about the now infamous Cobra Jet.

For those with an open mind. Home page CJ  Registry,  engine information, 1st article bye Bill Barr the lead on the CJ project. Seems to imply Carrol followed Tasca's lead with the 428PI then the 428CJ. And what a coincidence Bob Jr totaled the KR8 possibly leading to the Bopper handing it off to Shelby for the GT500KR.

Ok, I figured it out, Shelby inspired bye Roger Miller, said Bob call that car you're building KR , to honor my man Roger, but don't get attached to it because that car you're building that will become the Cobra Jet is the engine I'm waiting for so I can call my next car the GT500KR that is after I put the engine you put in the the car I let you borrow KR for in my GT500 waiting all the while for that CJ engine to come out so I could take back that KR I loaned you so I can call my new car the GT500KR. WOW, I'm done, enough said. That's a lot of hoops to jump thrust!

There was also a release that the 427 was an option in the 68 Mustang but it was determined that it was too expensive and the KR8 testing opened up a much cheaper option. As it was the 427s that went into other Fords, granted limited, my father says all you had to do was miss a shift and it was getting dropped off by a tow truck. The CCOturned out to be a much more durable engine.

It started early with the KR8. The pics in the Nov 67 article aren't even a 428PI that went to Dearborn its Lloyd Ruby's GT40 427 Tunnel Port motor. The idea of the article was to highlight the motor not a 67 coupe with a 427TP dry deck race engine. On the flip side there aren't many pics of that motor but that want the idea. I read some versions of how things went down in his years at Tasca and he laughs and tells me to get off the site, its too bad because like you said there are ways to get the story right.

Sorry sometimes my tablet has a demon with it's autofill, we have a love hate relationship and yes the sceen is all cracked. So did Tasca borrow KR or did Tasca come up with it and not trademark it, not like they were looking to manufacture it, the KR8 was a one off build why would he trademark it. But Tasca did call it the KR8 in 67 and Shelby didn't until after the CJ release in 68. Is that when Shelby looked into trademark possibilities? I would if I was looking to manufacture a model with a specific  name, wouldn't that be standard procedure?

It's just that Tasca used KR in 67 with Bob Sr's 67 Mustang my father put the 428PI in with 427 med riser in and they called it the King of the Road in 68 or KR8 which Ford turned into the Cobra Jet. Not long after the KR8 not coincidentally Carrol put the 428PI in the gt500kr and after the CJ came out Shelby followed suit with theGT500KR armed with the 428CJ. Don't know which came first but it seems like Shelby was following Tasca's lead in several instances I've presented. He was no stranger to the 777 East Prov dealership and my father considered him a friend. Was your conversation with Carrol in 67 and was the KR moniker on loan to Tasca because they were friends or the other way around? Not doubting what Carrol told you but I've never read anything with the Bopper acknowledged Carrol for the KR moniker and it wouldn't be like Bob Sr not to acknowledge that and take credit for it in the many articles that have been writtenabout the KR8.

Maybe from Tasca? They had the KR8 in 67 which led to the Cobra Jet.

Curious how Shelby GT500KR and Shelby owners believe how the King of the Road came about.