When did you discover Pro-Touring.com, and how did it influence you?

[JohnUlaszek]

I can't remember exactly when I started coming here but I want to say it was about four years ago.
I started with a 72 Nova and a plan for a quick and dirty low buck car with 16" f-body wheels and and overdrive automatic.

Initially I got caught up in the Stielow and Tucker excitement and made bigger and bigger plans that would have included Vintage Air, 335's, aftermarket front subframe, Viper Six speed, Alcons, dual quads, triple hemi-afterburners with billet overhead gnuten shafts......

Within the past couple of years I came full circle and my plan solidified in a form that was closer to the original plan, which I have posted in detail on my web page.
Basically a homebuilt smallbock, tremec 5-speed, C5 brakes, truck arm kit, 285-17's out back and AC delete.
The final plans were influenced by the likes of David Pozzi, John Parsons, Katz, and my buddy Paul Ruggles, along with my desire to keep the car looking closer to stock.

[HILROD]

About 3-4 years also. I was looking for suspension ideas for my Camaro and found this place. I mostly lurk and soak everything in. When I first came here it seemed everyone was still planning or building there cars. Now there is cars of all types and stages. I know what I like personally but I have respect for all nice cars. FRANK :bananna2:

[JohnUlaszek]

Did you change your plans or come up with new and different plans based on what you learned here? I know I did, I wanted a stick shift in my car but didn't think I could pull it off, but talking with guys on the site gave me the info I needed to go in the direction I really wanted.

[DarkStar]

1978 Just bought my new 78 Trans-Am (Martinique Blue no t-tops) 400 4 speed. As soon as I got it home put on a set of 15x8 Western Wheel Mini-Lite look alikes with Goodrich G50-15's all the way around. Played as much as I could with shocks. Car ran a best of 13.90 by the time I was done. But the off ramps O Man. Never lost the feeling.

[protour_chevelle]

I was searching for something on the net and the site came up.....How has it changed me? I'm 12grand short now.

-Matt

[956G-Malibu]

Well I just joined about a day ago, was looking for wheels and going for the pro-touring/road-racing moto for my car and I found this site.

[colt zantop]

its been about 2 years for me. It really changed the way I was going with my car also. I planned on do a complete retoration back to original will a stout crate 350. year later It changed to an ls1, and then the rest just snowballed. This site costed me alot of money the more I think about it! LOL

[will69camaro]

I found this site a few years ago now...I've been surfing and planning ever since i found this site and got VERY interested...First "pro-touring" car i saw was a 69 camaro under the cars section Sniz's ride (red 69 camaro) I liked it and did more research, found this site and saw the buildup of the mule and i was hooked!

William

[Nine Ball]

I got interested in doing a pro-tour project about 4 years ago. I always thought a 1st gen Camaro with an LS1 and updated features would be the perfect toy for me. So, I sold my 10-second all motor daily driver ('98 Formula) and shopped around for a few months and found my '69 Camaro. This was the first car I've ever purchased with a complete plan in mind for a project. I already had the wheels ordered before I bought the car!

I remember the first time I found this site, I spent about 2 hours drooling over the cars in the "cars" section. I knew I had to build one, so I did. I can't wait to build my next one now, I have so many neat ideas for different cars I wish I could build them all.

Tony

[MrQuick]

I've been into well rounded cars since I got me licence. I lived next to a drag racer, had friends with Camaros. So driving fast and classics went together well.
The first indication that I needed a car that handled was when I was riding with my friend Fred who had just bought a 68 Camaro 4 spd, posi and a drag style wheel set up.After spinning out after a 70 mph jaunt down his street I thought out loud...holy s!%* , would have been cool if we had made that turn. Just a note, if we had not have spun out and gone through the turn we would have understeered into a wooden guard rail and down a 125ft cliff. Not good.
After that the idea came, my other friend Mark, had an 85 Camaro IROC Z28, wow this is what I like. Fast and sticky. Now the car...my uncle just gave me his ralley green 71 Nova for my 16th birthday...6cylinder. I had no intentions of building it. I was looking for a Camaro...a black SS/RS Camaro...just like the one I had recently watched in a movie called " Better off dead". I know we all watched it.
Well, 6 months later I found my car...a 68. Payed $300 for it, After spending all the money I had in the car and parts, the car was stolen from the back of a shop I was working at...along with all the parts I bought.They were in the trunk. Ouch! 5k in one shot...oh your welcome.
So after contemplating suicide I looked at the Nova...skip over 10 years of drag and street racing,and chasin crotch rocket through the twisties (you should see the looks on bikers helmets when there a POS Nova on his ass) lots of great crooked roads around here by the way...I found this event called the Triathalon, drag, road coarse and oval track...with one car. Steve Smith had his 65 Chevelle and I noticed the fast drag car usually did good. In my serch to lighten the car brought me to Wayne Due and his C4 frame...185lbs lighter than stock??? After talking with Wayne he recommended this site and I've been here since... :hah: Nova still not running...


How has it affected me?? Well I don't abuse women or alcohol anymore. Definatly look at life different and well, I don't sleep much either. Thanks to Wayne Steve Smith and Larry Callahan...we should call him Dirty Larry...sorry Clint Eastwood fan.

[F70t/a]

That sucks you don't drink vince, Hopefully your down for 4:20 :cheers:


I got into cars that handle during high school. I got tired of drag racing and not being able to handle like vettes and other high end cars. I bought a 99 t/a in 2000 and was planning to road race that with alot of suspension upgrades. In summer of 01 It got jacked from my driveway. With the insureance money I started putting cash into my 70 bird. I did ws6 rims, lowered it and a few other things.Then I seen chris kerr's camaro and then looked at my car and knew I did my build all wrong. long story short i did 3 builds in 3 years and i'm on my 4th one now. Hopefully I dont change my mind and get the car done.


Vince got me into the whole mini tubbing thing too :box: The bigger the better, right vince? :yeah:

[MangeMD]

I heard of the site from Camaros.net about a year and a half ago. While I haven't gone all-out full bore pro-touring, my car does sport a set of Hotchkis springs front and rear, 4 wheel power discs, and 17" rims with stickier tires now...as well as various other items. I like the compomise. :)

(turbos/6spd/mini-tub are next...but that's in about 5 years)

[baz67]

I guess I always liked the pro-touring style of cars. Even before it had a name tagged to it.

I want to take what the factory gave me and make it the best I can make it with what is available to me. Do this all and keeping the whole package balanced.

Brian

[Ricoch3T]

I forgot how I stumbled across this sight, may have been posted on another board I found somehow :). Anyhow it really hasn't effected me except for the different style of wheels. Ever since i first started thinking about building cars (when I was little) I always wanted a camaro that drove like a new car yet looked exactly like an original. Which is basically why i'm not going full pro touring on it. This site mainly gives me different ways to do things, different things to try and whatever. My main focus on my car is to have a decent amount of power and just be fun and easy to drive. :usa:

[Andrew McBride]

Brent Jackson's 69 camaro was advertised for sale in a auto trader and the link was pro-touring.com


Well to be honest I did not know what pro-touring even was. I didn't even know there were aftermarket parts for Camaro's out there:
Example: Tubular control arms, sway bars ect.

I think the looks is what brought me to like the cars. The larger wheels and brakes. suspension dropped. I was never a big fan of modifying anything until I came across this site. I thought all cars had to be restored to look only original, but that all changed once I saw what was going into these cars to make them perform better-braking, better suspension which obviously makes the cars safer and more confortable.

[toddshotrods]

Next month I will have been here for two years. I found it through a link on NastyZ28.com and stuck around because of the diversity. I started internet forum life in '01 or '02 on the Fiero forum, that I am still a part of. When I bought my Camaro in '02 I was looking for a place like it for the Camaro project. I liked NastyZ28 but I didn't want to get too wrapped up in another forum dedicated to a single model. When I found this place I was hooked. My plans had already evolved into all-around performance, from drag racing, so it was a perfect match.

As for how being here has affected my projects - two different roads:

My supercar project is based on a Fiero chassis, and the guys on the Fiero forum had helped me grow it into a true sporting hot rod. The knowledge and wisdom I found on this site just blew the roof off the whole project and helped escalate my plans into more than I ever dreamed they could be. It actually delayed the project too, because I have spent those two years doing my homework to prepare myself to build it. I hate doing things over because I wasn't ready...

On the other hand, it tamed my plans for the Camaro down. I actually attribute most of that to Salt Racer. I had been paying attention to him and when the results of his work on the AME 55 were revealed I was sold on what is possible with simple parts and proper tuning. I mean, the man pulled sports car numbers out of a MII suspended shoebox Chevy!!! I realized that I didn't need a kazillion dollar C5 subframe, coilovers, etc, to build a comfortable Tourer that I would love. Don't get me wrong, I love the high-dollar exotic parts and the supercar will have more than its share of them.

So Pro-Touring.com has broadened my horizons and helped me go comfortably in two directions, at the same time.

[Steve Chryssos]

Ahhh yes....How did I find pro-touring.com?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
I was traversing a winding mountain pass in the himalayas on the back of an ornery yak. On more than one occassion, the beast lost its footing. Each time the yak teetered on the edge of existence, he would break wind. Finally, the foul smelling exhaust emanating from the yak's tailpipe prompted me to ask the rhetorical question:"Surely there must be a better way!"

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Enzo, my Tibettan travelling companion proclaimed: "Larry has the wisdom you seek." Freezing my nuts off, I responded with the obvious question: "Who's this freakin Larry guy?"

Rather than answer my question, Enzo--riding a far more capable animal--passed me on the left. On the horse's shapely arse was a bumper sticker. The words of wisdom on that sticker changed my life forever:

IF YOU CAN READ THIS,VISIT
https://www.pro-touring.com

[JohnUlaszek]

Damn you Steve,
I just blew milk and cheerios out my nose

[C4Bird]

A few years ago I watched my dad sell his 71 Trans-Am clone (full suspension) with a 400hp 400 and m21 4 speed to a guy for $4000 after a 4 year build up. I bought my 71 firebird for $600 a year later in hopes of one day having a similar car. The car sat for about a year without moving, when I saw the Red Witch. At that moment I decided I was going to build my car up to be a track/road performer. I spent the next couple of years reading nearly every mag that had a pro-touring car in it. About 6 months ago, while looking for a web site with articles relating to pro-touring, I found this one, and haven't looked anywhere since. There are so many knowledgable and helpfull people on this board it is almost unreal! A thank you goes out to Larry for the start and every one here for all of the time and help!

As far as influence, when I came to this site, the car was going to be a wide tire, stock suspension, turbo powered small block with a 4L60E. The last few months have changed it into a full caged, 4 link with watts rear, big cube small block with turbos, a 6 speed tranny and C4 vette front suspension and custom sub frame. It may be more expensive, but it will definatley be MORE fun!!
-Nate

[zbugger]

Wow.... You can really tell when Steevo is bored. Thank goodness for boredom.

I found this site by chance as I was looking for pictures of cars that I was interested in. I did a google search, and this site came up.I've been here since. How has it influenced me? I've learned a lot. I learned that I won't be called nuts for wanting my car to handle like a Corvette. I've learned that I can upgrade all sorts of parts on my car to make it like a new car. Best of all, I've actually made more friends because of it. There are more people out there like me, and I know that I'm not alone in being nuts. Now if only I could find a girlfriend.....

[jeffandre]

I have always wanted to put wider tires on my already good suspended car, and a friend showed me a copy of the Mule buildup back in June, 2002 I believe. I came here, discussed minitubbing with everyone, and the rest is history. Without this site (thank you Larry, and everyone else who participates) I would have left the car alone, always wondering what the potential was had the knowledge and drive to cut it up. Now I know, and I love it!!!

[c.schulz]

My big influence was well before PT.com........Must have been 1996.I was at the camaro nats in Dearborn MI.I was standing talking and looking at some cars when out of the corner of my eye I spotted this white 69 that had these 17" race type wheels.Went over to meet the guy that owned the car.He must have been very moddest and told me that it belonged to his roomate.Well after looking over the car and asking quetion after question I finally got the truth that it was his car after all.I was hooked from then on.Oh,this guys name was Mark Steilow.
Chris

[USAZR1]

After buying & building my first ZR-1 Corvette,I decided to incorporate some of its ideas into my former 68 El Camino. That car was a fun ride with alum head 468",700R4,and 4.10 cogs. We added Baer brakes,Hellwig sway bars,17" & 20" TT II's w/Michelin Pilots,Avo Pro shocks,and poly bushings. The car was a lot of fun to drive straight and around corners,too. I sold it in 2000(after 32 years of ownership) because of a financial hardship but was already planning a more capable replacement in my mind.
In 2003,I found this site and a prostreet 69 El Camino in Omaha,NE & the rest is history. :drive:

[ProdigyCustoms]

It's been a few years since I found the site, but probably a 1 1/2 or so I have been active. How did it influence us? Probably increased the cost of our projects 25% to 50%. The pear pressure in here is extreme as there are really some world class rides in here done, or being done. And for our customers that want to try to stay current with trends, and do what some would say as "requirments", can get pretty damned expensive.
It's all terrific stuff. I really think this board has elevated the entire Pro Touring hobby to a higher level.

[ramz69ss]

the year......1988............I saw a bright light coming from a magazine at the local store......I opened it up and saw big red...........my ideal of what I thought cars should be, was changed forever!
now, I don't know when I stumbled across this site, but the site when I first started to look at it had far less people,,it had no influence on me(my style) at all,,,,it was just nice to see other people have the same style of cars, who had alot of wisdom and were not a**holes when you asked a question because you did not grow-up on a race team or etc.,,i would not have built my own adapter plate and made the mods. to my 6spd needed for it to fit in my camaro,if it was not for the helpful few on this site. I do not get on here as much as before but i think the pt thing blowing-up too much could be the reason. But I am glad the ones with the wisdom are still here, well most of them.
I still enjoy reading the heated discussions and the amazing conversations about technical issues and theory. Overall, I am glad that it is still around

[Martin71RS]

I came across PT.com about 6 years ago when I was searching the net for info on modding Camaros. I came here through Jim's Cormaro site (Jim, where are you...and how is your car???) He was (is) building a Camaro with Corvette suspension so he was way ahead of a lot of others in my book....

PT.com was very small then, I was the first non US member :icon996: and the site has grown enormous since then.
(I hope that wont affect the attitude on the forums too much....I allready noticed a change, and it is not for the better.....! )

How PT.com affected me....well, I spent more money on my car then I could have ever imagined, I gained a lot of technical knowledge and made some friends.

And...not to forget I now have a Camaro that handles very well (will be even better) and is fun to drive :drive1:

Martin

[trapin]

About 16 years ago my friend's parents had a guy living with them who was a CGIT (college grad in training) at GM. One day I stopped over there and noticed a '65 Mustang (I think it was a '65) in the driveway that had the look of a road racer. I asked my friend Craig about it and he said it belonged to the guy that was living with his family. When he came outside I got to chatting with him for a few minutes and expressed my curiosity over the configuration of his car (real nice guy, by the way). He told me it was a 'Trans Am' style race car. Fast forward about 12 years, a co-worker flys out to California to pick up a '65 Malibu. He drives it back and the following Monday he brings it into work. A few of us go outside to look at it. It has an LT1/TPI engine, 18 inch wheels, huge brakes, modified suspension, and sitting low to the ground. My first reaction was, "what the hell is THAT??!!". He tells me, "It's Pro-Touring". When I inquired about what Pro-Touring was, he told me it was modern version of the old 'trans-am' style race cars. I remembered the 'trans-am' styled Mustang that I had seen long ago and instantly became intrigued. A quick 'google' search on the WWW, netted me this website and I have been hooked ever since. Coincidentally, that college grad who lived with my friend's family went on to work for Summit Racing before settling back here in Michigan with GM. He's built some pretty wild Camaros and I think he just did a '65 Malibu that was talked about in Popular Hotrodding.

Mark was his name, if my memory serves me correct. :)

[Salt Racer]

...influenced by the likes of David Pozzi, John Parsons, Katz, and my buddy Paul Ruggles....

I'm a bad influence. If it weren't for me, JP's car would have been done by now and his wallet a lot fatter.

[parsonsj]

Damn right. Stay away from Katz. :)

I'll never forget one of Katz's first posts:

"Attention John Parsons ... "

My schedule has been sliding right ever since. The result will be worth it, though.

jp

[slownova]

i found it when i built my firebird somehow. thats when everyone was cool.

[HILROD]

Well all of your posts have changed my projects direction many times. Which is great because I hate to re-do anything. It's just taken longer to get done. Also BIG RED what can I say that actually started it all! For me anyway. 1969 Camaro's were always my favorite but a 68 fell into my lap. All the parts I've been saving for years will finally get used but now what do I do with my DZ 302? As Tim Allen says she needs more power! :git:

[JJSmitches]

I only found Pro-Touring.com about 3 months ago and it has already changed the plans for my vehicle. I scrapped my plan to use one of the popular rear suspension kits out there and am looking at putting together the best peices I can find from multipule kits or guys on here that can help me get what I need.

[Salt Racer]

I'll never forget one of Katz's first posts:

"Attention John Parsons ... "

My schedule has been sliding right ever since...

Yeah, I too remember. You were talking about making a pocket on the trunk floor for high-mount PHB. I just had to stop it before you go too far. Everything snowballed from there, and the rest is history...

[ZZ430]

It was April 2001. I was chatting with Tony H and he was helping Larry find cars for the site. I sent in pics of my 67 Camaro convertible.

At the time, my cars were pretty much "done", and since then have just added wheels and tires to my 70 Camaro, and a few tweaks here and there. Most of my funds were put back into my small performance shop, where we build mostly Chevy street machines.

Influence? I always thought I was slumming it because my Wilwood rotors were not drilled/slotted/zinc washed etc....I have learned that it's mostly just for appearance.

Oh yeah, and I ran a couple of open track events at the old Denver airport course the SCCA had for a while. I got off my car show chair and wrung out the equipment.

[bfharrin]

Hello everyone...I am a Newbie to the forum. I found this site with good ol'google:) I just turned 29 and getting married in April. I purchased a 66" chevy II last year since I knew I would need a hobby. Seriously, my interest have gone from foreign imports to now classics(thanks to Gone in 60 Seconds ,2 Fast 2 Furious and Overhaulin'). I guess I got it honestly, my dad owns a 40th anniversary corvette and a Yenko Nova. Earlier on, I only had interest in the appearance and luxuries offered to imports. After buying new cars like every couple of years and personalizing them, it seemed as every stop light I came to would be my clone:) With the demand soaring in the import market, I always hoped a few manufacturers would branch out and make aftermarket parts for classics...(ex...altezza tails/fenders/wheels/suspension).
This site is a blessing for myself and others who aren't as artististic but share the same ideas as other who are(ex: Parson's 66 Nova)...Thank you guys for for having me as a member and of course listening!!!

[parsonsj]

bfharrin,
Welcome back from the dark side. You're not too far from me: I live around the corner in Germantown.

jp