Pro Touring Wheels (Long)

[tktom24]

There have been numerous conversations on the model broads over the years over the use of larger wheel sizes (18, 19, and 20 inch wheels) on older vehicles. The pro touring style which is popular for the past few years. While I am a big fan of this style , it is not my first choice.

I have recently been working on a pro touring 69 Charger, with 19 and 20 inch wheels, lowered. This will be a curbside build. The build and the conversation got me thinking about a now deceased friend and his 1:1 car collection.

20 years ago I moved back to my hometown after 10 years in the Air Force. We moved in the winter time and it was cold for the first 2 mos. we where in southern Ohio. When the weather warmed it was time to get my Camaro out for summer. The first warm Saturday I was cleaning the car I went into the house. While there I start to here a rumble. My first thought was someone was bringing a semi down our street. I went to the window to look and what I saw surprised me. It was a bright green 71 Dart pro street with a rumble to the engine that made the windows in the house rattle. The car pulled into a driveway down the street. I am not the type of person that walks into someones backyard, but the car nut in me made me go.

What I found was a backyard that I call Mopar guys Heaven. There was 2 440 six pack Super Bees, the Dart, and 2 Road Runners (68 and 69 Hemi 4 speed). All where restored and ready to run.

The gentlemen that owned the cars was in his 70s and extremely nice when I walked into his yard unannounced. We talked about his cars for about 3 hours that day. When I was ready to leave he said he had 1 more car to show me. In his garage was the most beautiful 69 Charger dark green with black vinyl top, that I have ever seen. It had a built 440 4 barrel 4speed with 15 inch Cragers and white letter tires. Well I fell in love and have been since that day.

I have started another build, a Revell 69 Charger that will be built as an exact replica of that car. This will be made easier now that I have unrestricted access to the car. More about that later.

[JasonC]

Although this big wheel on old car thing has been around for the past 10+ years. I been wishing it would die off after awhile. Although it has slowed down in the past few years. I cancelled my Car Craft subscription cause of all the big wheel rides they where putting in it. Granted this was many years ago. Also with this "stance" stuff that's around now. But like most trends, they come and go.

[Harry P.]

I'm not a fan of the giant wheel look either, in general, but I admit that in some instances it looks ok. But most of the time, to my eye at least, maybe go up an inch or two from stock; more than that and you have the "clown car" look. The worst is when you see a car that's "all wheel, no tire"...

Top: OK, I'll buy that.

Bottom: Clown car.

[JM485]

I don't see anything wrong with putting pro-touring style wheels on as long as it is a pro-touring style build. Putting these on with everything else bone stock really doesn't make much sense to me though. As for putting 24+ inch rims on cars, that I just cannot understand.

[CJ1971]

I guess it's different horses for different courses...

When it's your car you can do as you please. I'm with Harry, in some instances bigger wheels can improve more than just looks on a car, not just pro-tourers. Modifications come in many forms, including engine power upgrades/suspension etc. if you do all that to a car, you can't very well ride it on 15-16in stock wheels, can you? Better grip/handling etc means bigger/fatter wheels.

Not only are those stupid Donks an eyesore but lately I've noticed more of those Japanese style Kiwami cars, with their cambers so far off, it looks like the car has been crushed.... That's just beyond stupid, not to mentioned ridiculous! I don't get that ... At all.

Cliff

[TheRX7Project]

Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

I like a car that is LOWERED onto a set of larger-than-stock wheels and tires. Up to a 20" wheel looks good on most muscle cars and classics, and only "performance" or "retro" style wheels, not spinners or ridiculous 2-spoke chrome junk. When a car has to be raised to fit the wheels it's on, it looks wrong. It's not a 4x4.

I do happen to like the "hellaflush" style on Japanese cars though. I'm not sure why. As a performance car guy, I know that "hellaflush" and stretched tires are pretty much the exact opposite of handling and performance... yet for some reason I just like it. For the record my RX7 will not be receiving this treatment.

Edited May 3, 2013 by TheRX7Project

[FASTBACK340]

Same debate is raging on MoParts....

I always thought Pro Street was pretty much as debatable as Pro Touring. But at least Pro Touring attempts to make the ride drive able.

As stated, it all depends on the subject & wheel/rim choices. Either can be wrong.... or right.

[Quick GMC]

I'm having a hard time with my own vehicle. I'm a fan of smaller wheels with some meat on them, but there is no denying bigger wheels/thinner tires (to a point) provide better handling and a more stable platform. I may end up putting 20" wheels on my truck instead of the 17's I had planned, simply for the handling, not to mention the 20's are lighter than the 17's I have. As long as a balance is achieved, it looks good. Anything larger than 20" wheels is purely for looks IMO

[1930fordpickup]

In the eye of the beholder.

Pepsi or Coke .

The big debate of life, it changes names or how you use it but still many options for the same result.

[tktom24]

Don't get me started on Pro Street cars. Do you know what happens when you run a full spool rearend with Mickey Thompson

Sportsman tires on the the street.

My son has a 03 Neon SRT4 that was lowered like that. He bent 2 wheels, it cost $1000.00. The car was lowered the right way soon after.

I love the Starliner. The wheels give the car a modern look, without making look cartoonish.

DONKS HA HA HA ROFLOL!!!!!!!! Enough said.

I will be starting a WIP soon. I will try to show the difference between the 2 kits, and the building styles used. I will be trying

some new things. I want to join a model club in my new home here in Dayton Oh, maybe this will be a good introduction.

I will also finish the story about the Charger I am trying to copy.

[Lownslow]

Don't get me started on Pro Street cars. Do you know what happens when you run a full spool rearend with Mickey Thompson

Sportsman tires on the the street.

My son has a 03 Neon SRT4 that was lowered like that. He bent 2 wheels, it cost $1000.00. The car was lowered the right way soon after.

Quote

I love the Starliner. The wheels give the car a modern look, without making look cartoonish.

DONKS HA HA HA ROFLOL!!!!!!!! Enough said.

I will be starting a WIP soon. I will try to show the difference between the 2 kits, and the building styles used. I will be trying

some new things. I want to join a model club in my new home here in Dayton Oh, maybe this will be a good introduction.

I will also finish the story about the Charger I am trying to copy.

donks what?

[W-409]

Honestly I have to say that I have never seen a car with bigger wheels than 15" and thought that it looks good. I know I'm Old School in this thing, but still I would never install Low Profile Tires or big wheels to an old classic. And new RetroMuscles look much better with High Profile tires too, I'd put 15" wheels and high tires on them if I had one.

When looking at my Display Case, I have a bit over 50 models. Two of them have bigger wheels than 15" with lower profile tires... Another one is Martini Porsche and another one is Lancia Stratos... Same thing with modern LS engines, or actually all too modern parts on Classics. I'd say that Old School Is Cool, and as my beformer Signature said, "I Rather Eat Worms Than Install Big Wheels With Low Profile Tires On A Car".

But of course everyone has their own opinions, and in Models & 1:1 cars, all that matters is that the owner likes them just as they are.

[tktom24]

Didn't mean to offend. Just stating my opinion.

[slusher]

Didn't mean to offend. Just stating my opinion.

l don't think anyone is offened. l am 47 and l like to see classics and muscle cars with the size wheel that came on them. l like the old school look. l have over 100 builds and none with the pro touring look. Everyone is different...

[Guest]

I like all kinds of cars and all kinds of different sized wheels myself. If done right, they can look cool. If not,well.. they're just wrong. That's just my opinion though. Most of my pro touring styled models have 19" wheels which is what I like best. But, I have anything from the little 13" spoke wheels up to the big 23" wheels on my builds. I had one that was even built in the "Donk" style. Now, it has the little 13" wheels. But, I'm not satisfied with those either. I have seen a few (very few) real cars that were done in the "Donk" style that I actually liked. They weren't over the top, but done tastefully IMO. Any style of car can be over done. Personally, I think it's better to be under stated rather than over stated. There are such things as too much camber, too much lift, too much wheels and on "rat rods", too much junk.

[Blown03SVT]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (beer holder?). Larger than stock is great up to a limit. I am old enough to remember when 17" wheels were high tech and expensive. They were all the rage in the late 80's early 90's on sport trucks and pony cars. Now they are just run of the mill. To me the pro touring style evolved from trying to take an older car and give it modern handling, braking and ammenties. As with anything, some believe excess is better. Some of the cars that are built by the likes of Foose, Strope, Trepainer... some of them are an all out winners with that. They look, work and sit just right. Others examples are cartooninsh or clownish has Harry coined. Bigger wheels do not equate to better handling. They equal more rotational mass. Harder to stop, harder to accelerate and turn. Also the shorter side wall gives less flex which tightens up the intial handling feel at the expense of ride quality and predictability at the max of tire adheshion. Ponder this for a moment... real race cars (indy, formula 1, nascar, scca) have side walls that would equal what is essentially a 50 or 60 series sidewall aspect ratio. That side wall flex is desireable as it gives you warning that you are cornering at the limits which usually results in some form of under steer. With a super low profile the tire doesn't have the give, and they literally snap away from traction at the limit. So the +1, +2 (ex: 15"to 16" or 15" to 17") sizing works as a fair compromise of ride, handling and looks. But going from 15" to 22" is not logical from a actual working stand point. It's for looks. Same as the euro tuner stance, flush, oni demon camber, bagged mini trucks, lifted 4x4's and pro street.

Form -vs- Function

Edited May 3, 2013 by Blown03SVT

[FASTBACK340]

I agree. 17"'s on a big full size car would look updated. 22"'s on a Honda, well..... just how many clowns ARE in that Honda?

Edited May 3, 2013 by FASTBACK340

[Greg Myers]

Just where are we goin ?

?????

Been there done that

[tktom24]

The have seen that type of wheels on that Cutlass before. The car ran but was not street driven, as it was a rolling advertisement for a custom shop in

Florida.

Unless the body comes up off the ground some how, I don't know how you can drive that thing.

[ZTony8]

One of the dumber things I've seen(besides Donks on 24s and 27s) was at the Detroit Auto show a few years ago.Ford exhibited a Ranger pickup with a suspension kit on that would have lowered the truck a couple of inches had they not installed oversized rims on it that ended up RAISING the truck over the stock height.That one still makes me shake my head.

[tktom24]

This is what I want the car to look like when Finished.

This is my starting point.

These are the wheels I will be using. They are a bit big, but that is the look I going for.

[CJ1971]

Look it's just my opinion & mine only, & maybe you don't have a choice, but I'd ditch that Mpc/amt re-pop Charger & start with Revell's '69 Charger. It's a complete waste of time using that kit/body. Just too much effort to get it looking half decent & it still won't be as good as Revell's Charger.

Are the wheels you're using the same diameter front/rear?? You should try for a set that's smaller in the front, that way you'd be able to set it lower it the front... Better stance. ( just my opinion )

Cheers Cliff

[TheRX7Project]

^^ That's pretty bad ass.

[tktom24]

Cliff,

I agree 100% with everything you said. The chassis pan is from a Johan Superbird. The engine is a blob from the parts box, with no detail and only visible

from the bottom. The wheels where widened by me, and yes they are the same diameter.

This will most likely be one of the last pro touring cars that I will build. I am just done with them.

I think I need to move this thread to The on the bench section of the forum.

[whale392]

Since you have this and are already into it; do you have any Revell engines you could put down into the bay? Using the AMT/MPC Charger body may be a 'rough' starting point, but because of that you can do more custom work to it without feeling bad.

Personally, I like the Pro-Touring style of build and even more so in scale.