Bob Tasca Sr., an American automotive legend

by dpollak on 01/12/2010 · 2 comments

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

Bob,

I want to express my most sincere regrets on the passing of your grandfather. He was truly an automotive legend.

There’s a story that I’ve been meaning to tell you. About a month ago at approximately 10:00 at night, I got a call from a retired auto worker who still subscribed to Automotive News. He saw your picture in the ad and dialed the 800 number. The purpose for his call was to tell me all about your grandfather. While I knew much about him, this gentleman told me stories that I never before heard. The call went on for over an hour, I was truly captivated by his knowledge and infatuation with your grandfather. He told me that it was your grandfather that made so many decisions that catapulted Ford to its leadership position in the automotive industry. When I hung up the phone, I realized in a way that I had never fully understood, what a great man and leader was Bob Tasca Sr.

Thank you for giving me and all of us at vAuto an opportunity to touch his legacy.

David Ruggles

Bob Tasca was also a noted breeder of German Shepherds, as the story goes. Whe he wasn't racing and running car stores, he was showing his prize shepherds around the country.

He was a visionary who virtually turned over the sales operation of his RI L/M store to Eastace Wolfington. The store became the pilot store for the “Half a Car” program that was later licensed to FMCC and others, based on their success. Even today, the highest volume Ford dealers do substantially more short term contracts using “half a Car” principles than other dealerships. In so doing, they create their own additional pre-owned inventory, something that might come in handy in this era of pre-owned vehicle shortage. Someone please correct me if I got any of this history wrong.
David Ruggles

Bob Tasca was also a noted breeder of German Shepherds, as the story goes. Whe he wasn’t racing and running car stores, he was showing his prize shepherds around the country.

He was a visionary who virtually turned over the sales operation of his RI L/M store to Eastace Wolfington. The store became the pilot store for the “Half a Car” program that was later licensed to FMCC and others, based on their success. Even today, the highest volume Ford dealers do substantially more short term contracts using “half a Car” principles than other dealerships. In so doing, they create their own additional pre-owned inventory, something that might come in handy in this era of pre-owned vehicle shortage. Someone please correct me if I got any of this history wrong.