Did you guys notice?

[demon1515]

Many many Pro Touring car projects and actual finished cars, where converted to PT from Drag car background,

Kind of odd right?
what do you think about this?

[Rhino]

Many classic cars on the road today weren't originally DD's for the last 40 years. They were cars that eventually found their way into a garage/barn somewhere and are coming out of the woodwork. Most of those cars were usually put there because they weren't streetable in some fashion. A drag car makes the perfect case for not being street driven. They're usually put away somewhere for when the owner wants to get out and play.

IMO, the same behavior can be seen in the corner carving scene. Pro-touring vehicles will likely morph into the next fad whenever it rolls back around. They may even get nut and bolt restos back to stock.

[Satatic]

I never see drag cars in junk yards either, just daily drivers.

[TheJDMan]

It makes sense if you think about it. Former drag cars rarely were street driven and if they were it was generally only on nice days. Also, given the nature of drag racing the bodies don't suffer much damage.

I know my car's life history, it was sold new in Phoenix where I purchased it, unmolested, as the second owner in 73. I drove it on the street till 76 at which time it became a drag car. I raced it for about 10 years and then parked it in the garage for the next 25 years. After finding this site I decided to dust it off and make it into a pro-touring car. I suspect a lot of baby boomers are in a similar situation. As I near retirement I want to build the car that I have loved for nearly 40 years. I feel very fortunate in that I never sold my car so I don't have to go out and find one to work on. Also, generally speaking I see more interest in 60's muscle cars today than I did 20 to 30 years ago. That could be a big part of why these cars seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Personally I think it is great!

[cobragt]

I have know people in he past that were die hard drag racers and once they got a taste of running autocross they lost all interest in drag racing. One guy I knew showed up with an 80 Camaro set up for drag racing, didn't handle for crap but the next month it was all set up for autocross. He most have dumped a ton of money and time to get it done that quickly.

[demon1515]

Well with me was totally the opposite, i start as a road racer back in the early 80's when i was in Jr high with imports, cuz that was my dad can afford back then, he got a Dodge Demon 340 clutch-flite himself (that's my love for Mopars) and by late 80's 89 to be exact, a friend of mine invite me to a Friday night Drags and i was hooked since then (again on imports) specially Toyota's then after the craze of the (wrong wheel drive Honda's) i try my luck on Mopar's and i get hooked drag race em, move to the states due to economy crisis and bough a slant six 67 dart in NY for 50 bucks with a dead hole and drive it for 6 month like that before sell it to move to the south, here i had found my way back into the ol school imports (Toyota's) again till couple of years back when i bough this clean southern Dart from its original owner, and sit in my carport till couple of month back that i decide to start building a hot rod street machine that serves both purposes but trust me my intentions where to build a all out Drag car with it but i change my mind cuz i want to enjoy it and i want to drive it, every weekend!

[jerhofer]

My car is travelling full circle. It was orginally purchased in 1977 by a gentleman who owned it until his death in 2006 from cancer at the age of 49. According to his best friend, he initially showed the car but after three years he tired of the car show scene. He got hooked on drag racing and the car was a race car for the rest of the time he owned it. As stated above, the car was rarely driven and has very few miles on the chassis. The downside is that it has remnants of it drag racing history in the form of a removed full roll cage, a number of holes to mount whatever was needed for racing, the door beams were removed to lighten the car, etc.

Overall, it was in tremendous shape with only 18K miles and requiring a relative few details to make it into a PT car. After his death the car passed into the hands of his best friend who was also his drag racing buddy. He held onto the car for a year or so but never titled it. Eventually, he sold it to "CarNDrvr" in Texas who began the transformation to a PT car. He installed the suspension and brakes. Once I purchased it, I have continued the move to a more modernized car that can be driven anywhere. I installed Vintage Air, the gauges, EZ-EFI fuel injection, power windows, power mirrors, etc. I am retired now and have also retired from autocross and track events. Working on the car is part of my retirement and I enjoy taking it to cruise-in's. So, the car has come full circle back to a sort of show car.

It was a beautiful day yesterday and my wife and I took a long drive in the Camaro, stopping at the Richard Childress Winery along the way. It was a great drive along many of the wonderful back roads in our area.

www.jerryforthofer.wordpress.com

[MoonMan]

I'm in the process of converting mine from a drag car to pt. I like to call it evolution :) (no offense to drag racers...I love the straight track but am really looking forward to trying the twisties).

[Procharmo]

I'm in the middle of a compromise. Pro-touring suspension. Adjustable shocks, Caltracs. Powerful SBC. The intention is to use 17" skinies to get over the big brakes along with 15x10 drag radials then revert to 17x11's and 17x9s change the shock valving and back to the street. Without a full cage I can only RWYB but there are no time limits at RWYB days.

I guess they may ban me from the track if I hit low 8's in the 1/4!!!!!

[64impala]

IMO i think the pro-touring setup is all around better. Street, Strip, Cruise, ect. You have more options on what you are able to do with the car.

[MrQuick]

Many many Pro Touring car projects and actual finished cars, where converted to PT from Drag car background,

Kind of odd right?
what do you think about this? I believe this had to do with available activities in the area. There were more drag strips that auto crosses and road tracks near large cities. That has changed. I'm not saying the activities did not exist but not maybe it was not in the mind set of muscule car owners.

Back then it was like a hockey player at a figure skating competition. It was just funny to see. People equated road racing with vintage track cars. I also believe the technology created by the pro-touring movement has helped a lot of older domestics become more competitive in these motor sports.

I went from late night back alley street racing to legit track drag racing to hill climbs to auto cross to big tracks, then retired to building and tuning.

[sr73bu]

Pro-Touring is a combination of all things hot rodding from the beginning (IMO). There is no reason you can't drag race a PT car, cruise a PT car, road race a PT car or do anything (except maybe off-roading). I think that is what has captured "hot rodders" to build an all around car... a pro-touring car. You really can't autocross or road race a purpose built drag race car with skinnys and 90/10 shocks up front. I still love drag racing and respect those cars, but can see why this movement has taken off... simply because you have one car that can do it all.

-Sean

[demon1515]

only thing i know is i love the looks of this trend on old cars!

[68 TT]

My 68 Camaro is making the same transition. I drag raced it for 23 years. Now it is being converted into a PT car I can enjoy on the street with my family.

I will be making it capable of wearing the drag wheels & tires as well since I still love to hit the track when I can.

[WEAVER]

We have had alot of Pro Street cars turned PT style in the shop also