When a car isnt a pro tour car

[HPIcustoms]

The debate is out there for all car types, Auto-X, Drift, Rally, Road Racer etc and of course Pro-Touring. But what really makes a car the category it belongs in?
I know guys that call themselves "drifters" just because they own a RWD import and slide around in the snow... I own a fully built Nissan SR20DET swapped 240sx I designed for entry/ intermediate level drifting and even I don't consider it a "drift car" as I'm friends with a Pro-Am/ DMCC drifter here in Manitoba and HIS car is a true pro-drift car. Same goes for guys who claim fully built engines and you can obviously hear and see they are not, import world is full of that.

Calling it whatever gets attention to their build, advertisement and postings, if it works it works I guess.
Basically comes down to "to each their own, and the knowledgeable people will be the wiser". Build what you want, love it, drive the hell out of it and call it whatever you want.

[cornfedbill]

I honestly do not like strict definitions of what a certain style of car is. When we place strict definitions, we limit creativity.

I am not so concerned with what equipment the car has, as I am with what the car does. I do think a true PT car is licensed and insured, and used on public roads to be what I consider PT, even if it is only on sunny days to and from the track.

The proof is in the pudding so to speak beyond that. It needs to turn, brake and perform like a performance corner carver, whether autocross, track or just burning up the canyon.

That's my 2 cents.

[SPLATT71MC]

I'd have to say my car definitely leans towards the Pro Touring category but not in it. My car is being built to have more modern handling and stopping than the 43 year old car that it is. My goal for the car is an everyday driver capable, long distance cruiser that I can have fun with when I want to flog it a bit.

[indyjps]

How about the other end of the spectrum. When does a car pass from pro-touring to a street rodded muscle car? Many of the high end builds I've seen recently are just street rod/show cars with a 60's body instead of a 30's body. Pretty but pretty useless.

[Bird of Prey]

I read the thread . It is Pro Touring when the car is faster then most race cars on the track and street . If you get a lot of money and just put all the race car parts on it cause you can afford it , then it's a high end trailer "QUEEN" that runs . There are $10,000.00 wheels out there and single piston calipers that cost $500.00 a piece , just saying . Performance is the only way to rate a Pro-Street or a Pro-Touring car . Any thing else is just being a pompous prissy snob .

[mikewoods]

I just call my car, "fun".

[Stilettoman]

I feel better after reading this thread - I have been concerned that I don't really understand what a "pro touring" car is supposed to be. Now I realize that people who have been building them for years don't know either. I have tinkered with foreign cars since the early 1960s to improve their handling and braking, but not much to increase power. I won a lot of trophies autocrossing my Ford Cortina back in the day, but all of my mods were in the suspension. My current Studebaker project, shown elsewhere on this forum, is probably about the ultimate "restomod" - the only Studebaker mechanical parts left are the door latches and the window mechanisms. It has more than 2 1/2 times the original horsepower, but there are many here who would laugh at the idea of using an engine with 212 horsepower. My objective is a classic car with a good balance of performance, ride, handling, braking and economy - isn't that what a good touring car should be?

I have numerous friends who are part of the "tuner " crowd, and they have no clue about pro street or pro touring, but they do discuss hot rods versus restomods, and they say an old Mustang, Camaro or other older car that still has a solid rear axle and leaf springs can be a hot rod, but should not be called a restomod because it has not been brought up to modern standards. I tend to agree with that point of view. Even Ford has finally brought the Mustang up to the standards of 1990s European and Japanese cars.

I build my cars to drive, and I think the suggestion that they are "posers" because I never take them to the track is ridiculous. I would go the other way and say if you never take it on a road trip any further than to the nearest track, why is the word "touring" used in your description?

[cluxford]

I hate these definitions, stupid. It's either stock or modified. Stock factory cars all come out with different options, you can get the same car with extra stuff on it. Modified cars are the same, some have more / different mods than the others. Still the same car though.

But if you must, in my view

Drag Week = Pro-street

Power Tour = Pro-touring

Both terms imply** the cars are street cars or touring cars (road trips) AND Pro means that can be raced as well. Quarter mile of road course / auto-x.

If your car can't do both well, that is road trip / street driven thousands and thousands of miles and fast / decent track times (don't have to be spectacular, but reasonable) then by definition it can't do both, so it's just a normal modified car.

Bottom line is call it what you like.

A lot of factory cars coming off the line these days could argue they are pro-touring. The obvious ones Z06 Vette, Hellcat, Z/28 Camaro. But damn even the new Mustang in poverty pack form is pretty quick, can do 100,000 miles of road time and could reasonably hold it's own against many of our cars on the track. What about a CTS-V, an M3 Bimmer, RS Audi, AMG Benz.


** I know a number of the drag week cars esp those under 7 secs push the genuine definition of street car, but 95% of the participants are genuine street cars

[shmoov69]

I would go the other way and say if you never take it on a road trip any further than to the nearest track, why is the word "touring" used in your description?

Awesome!! LoL! I think you nailed the "other" argument!!

[Zachalanche]

Oh, the car has to drive around to different tracks? well then, my car certainly isn't pro-touring. It's more like pro-jackstand.