Resto mod=Pro-Touring ???

[Bill Howell]

There is a very interesting article in this week's(01/10/05) Autoweek. The article is about the upcoming auction action in Arizona and in part talks about a "recent phenomenon in the collector car world". It seems to be somwhat of an interview or at least quotes from Craig Jackson. He is describing a car that will be in this month's auction and he calls it a "resto mod". He even goes on to describe somthing he calls "nouveau rod" which is a modern chassis with all the trick parts and a "handcrafted body that looks like some French coachbuilders suddenly warped themselves 80 into the future". However you could replace resto mod/nouveau rod with pro-touring and the article would not change to me.
My question to everyone is what do you think is the difference in resto mod and pro-touring? The only thing I can see is one is a 55 chevy and the other is predominantly first gen camaros.
I just though I would through this out and see what you all think.

[Matt]

First car I saw called a rest-omod was the eleanor mustang, which is arguablely a PT car. I think PT is more geared to performance, and being actively used as track/ street cars, but to me the idea is the same.

[MarkM66]

To me, a resto mod is a car that looks pretty much factory stock. With the exception of upgraded engine/tranny, suspension, and brakes. Upgraded, but still relatively stock looking.

Resto Mod means no "Bling."

[rob07002]

Yes I agree. PT is performace driven as opposed to a retro-mod car. Its much like in the late 80's and early 90's with the drag racing version, the "pro-street" cars with huge wheel tubs and tires but only overcammed small blocks with ac.

[MuscleRodz]

Resto mod is a older vehicle that has been updated for drivability and safety on the road. It have a newer engine and tranny, disk brakes, aftermarket wheels and modern tires. From the outside it should look relatively stock. Handling will improve but not the focus. Another better term would be street rod.

A PRO-TOURING takes it several steps further and is more geared to all around performace. Basically a street driven, street legal race car with ALL the creature comforts. That my opinion, and everyone knows what opinions are like.

Mike

[Flynlo416]

I alway's thought Resto-Mod was the term Ford guy's used to define their pro-touring cars.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I thought a resto mod, or restification as we would call it, is basically your typical restored muscle car with wheel-tires, some bolt on sway bars, decent shocks, basic improvements to driveability, maybe some under hood mods, a sound system, maybe a set of better seats.
I thought a Pro Touring car was a very updated older car, tricked out for maximum handling and brakeing, capable of competing with late models, possibly even using late model drivetrains, but in a classic body, possibly with creature conforts equal or better then new cars. I thought Pro Touring was a level or two beyond resto mod. I thought a Pro Touring car had a bit more engineering and fabrication than a resto mod.

[Restomod]

Heres how I look at it....
Restomod = Fords
Pro Touring = GMs
G-Machines = Everything else American
All useing anything/everything to make a vintage car better than it EVER was.

[nancejd]

I think a resto-mod is a car that has updates, but can easily be returned to stock. Basically they are bolt on cars. Installing weld in sub frame connectors for instance would take you out of that category, and into the pro-touring world. Tunnel surgery to fit your new transmission would be another example. There really is no reason not to resto mod your numbers matching Yenko if you so desire, I doubt you would want to give it the full pro-touring treatment.

[Restomod]

Well if thats how it is I need to change my user name to Pro Resto or Resto Touring or Pro Mod or Pro Restomod or............AWWWthahellwidit LOL!!

[TonyL]

Resto-mod= Old car, newer/upgraded drive train, tires & wheels and brakes. (usually newer OEM parts are used to upgrade brakes & seats etc.) The outward appearance of the car is less radical than a PT car.

PT car= Race oriented classic car. Appearance is more likely to be race inspired. Lowered stance is very prevalent. Late model or higher output engines are common rather than "warmed over" power plants in resto-mods. Eleanor is NOT a resto-mod.

The problems are that magazines are fighting over what term to use. PHR has gotten with the program and uses “our” term. Hotrod and car craft uses the term resto-mod (at least they used to) I think that CarCraft used to use “Real street eliminator”. It seems that the magazines refuse to adopt the term unilaterally, hence this discussion popping up from time to time.

I believe the term pro-touring meaning what the majority of us here think it means will win out.

[1970cuda]

so if pro touring=gm
g machine= non gm and non ford
and restomod= ford only
is that saying that a car that is not of gm origin that it can't be
of caliber of the camaros on this site. i thought that a protouring car is a 60's to early 70's muscle car infused with the modern dna of the best cars for today (motors,brakes,ac,suspension etc.)
say that a ford=restomod is like saying that there isn't anything that you can do except throw some nice tires on it and be done with it.
there are so many different cars and so many different ways to build them that there is no way you can say a=b and c=d. let's all just enjoy what everone has to offer and forget about symantics

[TonyL]

this ford= "resto-mod" thing is a result of magazine labeling again.
Since PHR rarely features fords, and mags like mustangs and fast fords use the term "resto-mod" thats where this logic comes from.

make has no bearing on wheather a car is pro-toured or not. just look at my sig.

[TonyL]

To put it another way, Pro-touring.com’s definition of pro-touring is along these lines:

Any car built to exceed in every way the capabilities of its current, or most recent production counterpart is a pro-toured car. So if your 69 Mustang or Camaro out performs in every way a ’04 than your pro-touring, baby.

[Bill Howell]

I see that I am not the only one "confused" with all the names floating around out there.
I guess I should have put this in the first post. I saw the 55 in the showroom when I was in Phoenix last month. Here is the quote about the car that was in Autoweek.
"As an example, Jackson points to the yellow and white 1955 Chevrolet 210 custom two-door sedan with BelAir trim that was built by Steve Cool Creations and is sitting in the Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. showroom. Beneath this seemingly stock exterior lurks a 502cid,600-hp V-8 with 1960's-vintage Hilborn intake converted to fuel injection, Boyd Coddington polished aluminum A-arms, an air ride Technologies Shockwaves setup and 13-inch Baer brakes."
This was the statement that lead me to believe the two names were synominous(sp?) in meaning. The car may not have a LSx but neither do all the cars here. With it having the Baer brakes,fuel injection air ride stuff etc and as I remember it had 17x8 on each corner,it certainly sounds p-t to me.
I think Tony hit it on the head when he said that different mags. muddy the water by not getting together and using the same terminology.
It is interesting though to read the all the posts and find we can disagree without starting a war

I forgot this: As somone mentioned earlier, PHR has carried the Pro-touring banner and I applaud them for listening to us here and in turn let us help shape the direction their magazine.

[TonyL]

disagreeing without starting wars is what makes this site so great. Thus far this group of enthusiasts has been the most open minded group ever.

[MuscleRodz]

I know the Steve Cook '55 very well. It was built 20 miles from me. It is not Pro-Touring. It was built to look at, and to see if an Oklahoma builder could compete with the big dogs in CA. It was not built to hang corners. If you can get close to it, look it over carefully. The body work is incredible. Shoebox's have a slight coke bottle effect to the body sides. This car does not. It is a perfect curve front to back. Fit and finish of that car is second to none. I would put it in the top three of all 55-57's built. To me it is a late model street rod. It should bring six figures at BJ.

Mike

[TonyHuntimer]

There are different levels of each name. Restomod has really evolved past stock looking cars with slight modifications. It has evolved into what we know as "Pro-Touring" in the last couple of years.

According to 90% of the people in the industries I have contacted for writing my books... This is how everything plays out in the end.
Restomod = Pro-Touring = G-Machine = Real Street Eliminator

These are names thought up for magazines, by guys who have friends at magazines or work for magazines.

Basically, each magazine wanted to have their own "TERM" for our favorite car building style. That way they could all be different... but the same.



my 2 cents,
Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

Back to the arguing!

[DarkBuddha]

Being a Mustang guy, I've seen the term "restomod" used to describe a particular movement in the Mustang world. Personally I believe a restomod has a focus on both restoration and modification, but the modifications are typically bolt-on, or at least completely reversible. Sure a restomod car can be PT, but it doesn't have to be... the modifications may be geared more towards drag racing (gears, motor mods, etc.), or show/cruising (chrome under the hood, a/c, etc.), or strictly appearance (like simply adding wheels or bolt-on scoops).

PT/g-machine cars appeal to me in a different way... more "engineering", more technology, more focus on overall performance, less strict reverence for appearing stock.

I've had personally debates on my own car, and I start to wonder about all these labels. Whatever happened to the street machines? I'm building my car to be driven on the street. Sure, it'll see the track, but it'll live on the street. I want to be willing and for it to be capable to drive anywhere, anytime, and leave it parked on the street, and not freak if a bird ****s on it. You know, street driven... what's the label for that?

[vintageracer]

"Restomod" is a term invented and "copyrighted" over 20 years ago by Mr. Ron Bramlett of Mustangs Plus in Stockton California. He publishes a bimonthly newsletter "Restomod News" that is sent to his customers. It is exsclusively about "restomod" parts he has manufactured or made available to his early Mustang customers. Ron races numerous vintage/open track Mustangs and sponsors several more. He is all about driving/modifying/racing early Mustangs. Look at his cataglog and you will see that "pro-touring" is a more extreme form of "restomod".

Now you know!!!