[tyoneal]

To Everyone:

I have tried to be accurate in this definition, I'm sure some people will disagree with me because of the boundaries I put in place, but definitions have meanings. This is a relatively new word, and there should be a real definition associated with it.

Please take a moment and give this some thought, and ask yourself if these additions should be mandatory to truly satisfy the "Pro Touring" definition?

First, I believe the definition below is pretty accurate, but incomplete.

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Pro-touring: A style of building custom vehicles that integrates modern electronics, structural modifications, high performance engines, suspensions, wheels, brakes, and styling with the intention of driving them in conditions ranging from daily street use to high performance competition.
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These have to be a part of a Pro Touring Car:

1) I HAS to be drivin on the street, AND in some sort of competition at least once. (Drag Strip, Real Track Days, organized Road Ralley, Autocross, USCA event, other SCCA events) If you are not doing this, you don't know enough about your car for it to be "Pro Touring", until challenged in competition what you have is a Hotrod, Trailer Queen, Show Car, Custom, Vintage, Cruising etc. car. These are all wonderful parts of the car Hobby, But Pro Touring should be more specific.

Have you noticed the price difference between a recognized "Pro Touring" car and any other type car that has been customized someway? Done nicely they will almost always be worth more money, because of the time and effort someone has put into the car to "Make it work".

It's not unusual for a good 1969 Camaro PT car to fetch close to or above $100,000. That is more money than many used Exotic Cars. Porsche's, Ferrari's, Mercedes Benz, Lotus, Aston Marton's, plus most of the true stock Historic Vintage Street Cars that go to auction.
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2) A "Pro Touring" car MUST be at least Vintage in age, 25-30 year old. One does not go out and buy a New 2015 "Pro Touring" Car. A PT car MUST show a sizable effort to upgrade every aspect of a car to increase it's performance.

Cars like the new Camaro's, Corvette's, Challengers, Lotus, Ferrari's, Lambo's, Toyota (The Fast one from the factory) etc. Should NEVER be considered "Pro Touring" Cars!

With 25-30 year old cars one must really have a plan and execute it, and prove it, for it to be at least somewhat successful in the outcome.

Cars newer than this should never be allowed to compete in the same class as "Pro Touring" cars. Many new cars start out with traction control, ABS, Launch Control, terrific suspension geometry, great specially tuned shocks, Blowers, Turbo's etc. It is ridiculous to have these types of cars considered, "Pro Touring".

"Pro Touring" cars are a culmination of many hours of work, tons of money, artistic skill, problem solving, research, and so on. Clicking boxes and writing checks don't count unless you are buying an existing, or paying for a Vintage car to be assembled. I would like to do every part of my cars, but I have a bad back and replaced shoulder. There are just some things that I physically can't do, however there is much I can do and should. It could be that people don't have the time to build one. I know this sounds like going into a dealership for a new car, but it isn't because as stated above:

a) The principal base car is used. (ie. Vintage Car)

b) Many hours of work have to go into it.

c) Artistic Skills

d) Problem Solving

e) Research

f) Lots of money (probably at least $20-$30,000 in parts, more than likely a lot more than this.)

New cars are on a assembly line with everything already done and basically the same. To pay someone to build a custom car requires much more time and skill, as practically all these cars are customized with no two being the same, nor with starting with the exact same "Base" and quality of the car to work with.

I truly believe knowledgable people know there is a profound difference between a "Pro Touring" car and everything else. PT cars perform better, usually have very high quality parts throughout, and cost a lot more to build.

I think without specifics, the meaning of the word "Pro Touring" becomes "Watered Down", when newer cars, just older cars, restomods, Hotrods and the like are thrown in with the definition.

I really believe that even the Ultimate Street car competition should divide the old and the new cars. They are just totally different animals. You can always compare your times against them or compete with them directly, but that's as far as it should go. NEW CARS are never in competition in the "Pro Touring" class.

Believe me the after market builders that add to the new cars are terrific, they do a great job, however these cars are in a different league than the sucessful conversion of a Classic Car (over 25 years old) into a legitimate performing Pro Touring Car!

Please I really want to hear other opinions, I do believe these are very important differences. When you set out to build one of these cars, it is usually no small undertaking either in time or money. A lot of dedication is required to finish it.

Someone mentioned, "A protouring car is what you think it is". I believe this to be wrong. A Roush enhanced new Mustang, AMG Mercedes are both terrific top of the line car companies, but they start in most cases with cars that are already pretty hot performers from the get go, and thus do not conform with the definition of building/creating Pro Touring cars.

Thanks,

Ty O'Neal

Maybe at the different Venues, the organizers of the different car gatherings around the Nation could certify a true protouring car vs. a Modifiedcar of some kind. It is done for other groups of cars like the Corvettes. (Bloomington Gold, Silver, Survivor etc.)

If Judging is kept rigid and constant, it might actually become a certification that helps the value of your car if you want to sell it.

Made legitimate, it could help the continued justification to pay the higher price normally associated with PT cars.