Pro Touring Cars, Yay or Nay?

[Jordan White]

If you don't know what a Pro Touring car is, then here's a quick rundown: It's an older car that has been updated with newer drivetrain, suspension, and wheels/tires. It is made to drive fast, as well as handle very well.

Basically, what's your opinion on this "genre" of vehicle? At first I thought they were pretty ugly compared to the same car with stock sized rolling stock. But then I started reading Popular Hot Rodding, where they feature this style quite a bit, and I changed my mind since there are some examples which really look amazing. I love the monochromatic paint schemes and subtle changes/additions that really make each car unique. I'm actually planning on building a 1/12 1971 Mustang in the Pro Touring style, with the drivetrain and interior from the 1/12 GT500 kit.

Here's one that I find looks awesome, yet clean and subtle at the same time.

[tooltas]

heck yesss

[slusher]

Sometimes they look great and sometimes they don't. l only have a couple of builds useing the bigger wheels and tires...

[Scott Colmer]

LOVE THEM! Pro street of this decade. (Which I also like.) But with a little more driveability.

One of my favorites is the fastback mustang with the DOHC ford small block. Saw it in person. Amazing.

[PappyD340]

For the most part I like the style, although I have seen a few cars that I didn't think looked that great, but that 69 Camaro is sharp!

[Harry P.]

When done right (like the Camaro you posted), they look very cool. But it's easy to go overboard, especially with the clown car wheels, and jump from "cool" to "cartoon." It's like any other style of car... it can be done well, clean and tasteful... or it can be a disaster.

[martinfan5]

Agree with what has already been said

[Bowtienutz]

It is where the natural progression has taken us technology meets old school muscle. 1 g skid pad was something we worked hard at to achieve. 1 HP per cubic inch was something hard to archive. 25 mpg in a muscle package was unheard of. My cake is chocolate with coconut icing.

[cobraman]

I like some, I dislike others.

[slusher]

When done right (like the Camaro you posted), they look very cool. But it's easy to go overboard, especially with the clown car wheels, and jump from "cool" to "cartoon." It's like any other style of car... it can be done well, clean and tasteful... or it can be a disaster.

Well said...

[Craig Irwin]

An updated old car set up for long, fast travel and great handling is cool, but cutting up real muscle cars bad. I'd rather see Chevelles, Le Mans, Belvederes and such cut up than SS 396's, GTO's or Road Runners. Also the big rimsLook really bad on these cars, like it's been said they look like clown cars.

Also, the name Pro-Touring has always seemed silly to me. You turned Pro and get payed to tour?

[Rob Hall]

Love the style, if done tastefully and the wheels aren't insanely huge and the paint isn't overdone (no flame paint jobs, for instance--wrong genre)... Certain cars and wheels work better w/ the style than others, IMO.

[MAGNUM4342]

Love the genre, love the style of them, just not fond of the wheels folks put on them.

[Joe Handley]

So long as the car is built to run, sure, but if it's a different "Pro-Fairgrounds" car, no.

[MachinistMark]

Nay. Go pro STREET!

[Jantrix]

LOVE THEM! Pro street of this decade. (Which I also like.) But with a little more driveability.

And because of that, I think this trend will continue much longer that pro-street. Heck I first heard of pro-tour or g-machines back in 2001. So the trend has some staying power already. Personally I like the look and the performance. It's taken the term "muscle car" to the nth degree.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Jantrix

[Longbox55]

So long as the car is built to run, sure, but if it's a different "Pro-Fairgrounds" car, no.

Silver State Challenge, Big Red Camaro

[JM485]

I don't know about some of you guys, but watching these things fly around an auto cross course is something you have to see to believe. My dad built a 1:1 pro touring car out of a 69 firebird and it is wicked fun to ride in the passenger seat during an autocross event. I think this is one of the coolest build styles and it definitely isn't going away any time soon. In my opinion, the second generation camaros look the best in this style.

[High octane]

Nay as I'm still "stuck in the 60's" and a "day two" type of guy.

[Sport Suburban]

I love these cars and they are a blast to drive if built right. I really like when they keep all of the factory appearance with the modern performance and drivability.

What is the most difficult is the custom body mods are difficult to pull off right. Keep the body as stock as possible and get the stance right. Modern colors in vintage stripes work great. What I can't stand is Mustang Shelby style stripes on a Chevelle, or Bumble Bee stripes on a Camaro.

[Jeremy Jon]

If done with taste & functionality, then yes!

Pro-touring cars, by their original intent, were to be durable for long drives, then able to race on the track, otherwise they are "show" cars IMO

19" wheels = yes, 23" wheels = no

ground clearance 4-5" = yes, ground clearance decapitating ants = no

Edited August 22, 2013 by Jeremy Jon

[Craig Irwin]

Nay as I'm still "stuck in the 60's" and a "day two" type of guy.

That's what I'd build for myself.

[Tonioseven]

I like them a lot.

[Guest]

I tend to prefer cars as the factory built them.

[CJ1971]

Each to his own. You like chocolate, I like Peanut Butter... As Harry has said, it can be done RIGHT or it can be a DISASTER. It's pretty simple.

The guys who build the "Show-Queens/Kings" of this genre aren't just building a simple car/pro-tourer. They're building/making art. They're artists. They're showing their designs, their skills, their engineering capabilities etc, the cars they're making/building have to be seen/noted in a different category. These guys are at the TOP of their game, the TOP of the tree, so to speak. Just as the F1 designers/engineers/mechanics etc creativity & ingenuity eventually filters its way down to a car that you or I could go & buy down at the local dealership. These pro-touring guys need to be acknowledged in the same context as their F1 counterparts.

For every Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, Beatles, Elvis etc there are thousands of 1 hit wonders ... Spawned by these artists... Just as there are local car guys imitating the big ticket car guys... They won't be nearly as good or have the same quality etc but it would be boring if we ALL liked Elvis or The Beatles or The Stones & nothing else, right??

Cliff