why don't we have a protouring / streetfighter AWESOMENESS thread???

I don't know if you got the memo, but this automotive hobby is hardly about doing the rational thing...

bravenrace wrote: So you're saying that you'd be willing to shell out $14k for a suspension? Then another $5-6k on brakes, $10k on the engine, and about $2k on wheels and tires, in addition to the relatively high cost of the old car, just so it can look better than the new one while performing "almost" as well? I love my old cars, and I love driving them, but it makes a lot more sense dollar wise to buy something like a Miata or FR-S for daily driving, autocrossing and track use and have the old car to cruise in. Don't get me wrong, I love a lot of these pro-touring cars, but I wouldn't spend that kind of money on my Mustang. For some reason, I don't think you would either.

Now to find that rust free unicorn 72 F100 with the underbed storage bins for E36 M3s and giggles.....

DAJIBAN!

njansenv wrote: I don't know if you got the memo, but this automotive hobby is hardly about doing the rational thing...

GRM is all about being rational...and frugal...and budget oriented...and cheap, and kinda hillbilly.

93EXCivic wrote: In reply to bravenrace: If I had that kinda money to play with yeah sure. Unfortunately I don't though (or fortunately not sure which). Although I would try to build a Protouring TR6 or Spitfire instead like this.

"If" you had that kind of money. But I assume you don't, and neither do I, so I guess we agree. My only point is that it doesn't make financial sense, not that I don't like them or wouldn't want to do the same to my car.

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/r_q_collectibles

bravenrace wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: In reply to bravenrace: If I had that kinda money to play with yeah sure. Unfortunately I don't though (or fortunately not sure which). Although I would try to build a Protouring TR6 or Spitfire instead like this.

"If" you had that kind of money. But I assume you don't, and neither do I, so I guess we agree. My only point is that it doesn't make financial sense, not that I don't like them or wouldn't want to do the same to my car.

Yeah. I guess so but I do have access to a welding shop so it wouldn't stop me from trying.

PHeller wrote:

njansenv wrote: I don't know if you got the memo, but this automotive hobby is hardly about doing the rational thing...

GRM is all about being rational...and frugal...and budget oriented...and cheap, and kinda hillbilly.

I've got cheap and hillbilly down, but rational eludes me. Maybe it's because I'm into turbo Caravans.

I need to finish my project at some point... I built a 2.3L turbo motor out of a turbocoupe to fit into a 2nd Generation Ford Ranger... unfortunately moving and no garage at the moment puts a real damper on finally finishing the project...

my truck would be true grassroots style... probably mostly will be junkyard parts and self engineered parts will be going on this truck... I plan on driving the crap out of the truck so I just thought it would be much cooler if I did everything on my own...

I nominate fellow GRM'er, The Family Truckster.

i believe ill leave this here: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=111545

just for shameless self promotion.....

and i need motivation to work on the damn thing. its berkeleying garage art right now, has been all summer.

Downside to pro-touring vehicles is they take up so much damn room in the garage if they don't get finished.

Compared to a Yugo which can be put at the back of the garage sideways.

stan wrote: "3"???? Dang how I envy your energy and time!!

Keep in mind that one of them isn't even started and the other two have been very slow projects that have lasted for 15 years with only a little tiny light at the end of the tunnel.

You don't have to spend mega$$$ to make an old car handle well or have it be pro touring, just like you don't have to spend $5K on shocks for your ES Miata. There are plenty of guys (even at the top of the timesheets) who have real budgets into insanely quick cars.

true that. im typically middle of the pack on my higer treadwear compund tires, low budget, poorly driven car. if i had a much more adjustable driver, id do even better.

next mods for mine are seat time, EFI, and 5 speed.

I'm pretty dissapointed in where this thread has gone. Enough of the BS whining.

More of the cool cars!

I recently picked up a '78 Malibu that I plan to make handle reasonably well. It won't be "pro touring" but it can draw on inspiration from that. It's not going to be a racecar...it's going to be a driver that I can have fun with.

It seems like this comes up a lot on car forums everywhere. There tends to be a disconnect between those that are content to drive anything competitively, and those that feel the car must be competitive to enjoy driving it. A car doesn't have to be particularly well suited to your choice of competition so long as it is reasonably safe and fun to the driver.

So long as it doesn't try to kill you, driving an ill handling beast can be a hell of a lot of fun even if you finish at the bottom results list.

Dusterbd13 wrote: i believe ill leave this here: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=111545 just for shameless self promotion..... and i need motivation to work on the damn thing. its berkeleying garage art right now, has been all summer.

Me likey!!! I had a Duster once. Unfortunately it was a winter beater that I bought from a friend for $35. The only thing I did to it was put a radio in it. I drove it on a daily 60 mile commute all winter, and then about 1 week from switching back to my Trans Am the torsion bar mounts let go (rusted out). So I drove it home in the weeds and parked it. It was only then that I opened the hood for the first time and checked the milky oil in the slant six. Engine still ran fine. I called the junk yard, they came with a wrecker, paid me $150, and left with it. I think your's is nicer.

a lot of dusters died similar fates.

and you almost cant kill a slant six. we actually drove one with no oil or filter for about 5 miles once just to see if it would die. it didnt.

those things will be riding around with the zombies and cockroaches.

and soeday, im going to build a slant six, turbo or ITB powered valiant post car. do a serious suspension, paint it white, etc. vintage trans am styled, 15 inch wheel equipped, pro-beater.

and thanks for the kudos on the car. read the thread. its mildly entertaining.

The MotorState challenge brought all kinds of cool metal out to Gingerman Raceway. Most are not built with "cheap" in mind, but there's some backyard home brews out there. Regardless of cost, who cares??? These are getting driven! http://www.motorstate.com/mschallenge.htm

pics from the event: (let's try to steer this back in the right direction)

ClemSparks wrote: I'm pretty dissapointed in where this thread has gone. Enough of the BS whining. More of the cool cars!

No joke, how did a thread about cool cars turn into yet another whinefest about spending too much money?

Attention GRM'ers, some people like to spend money on their cars vs putting them together with worn-out junkyard parts and duct tape.

Get over it.

same event. past years: