I’m a big time Pro Street Fan. I love them. Trailer queens, real street drivers, street drivers that run in the 6’s like Larry Larson’s Chevy II, I like them all. And back in the hayday when names like Dobbertin, Hay, Sullivan, and Trepanier were building these insane big tire cars, we all loved them. I mean who put blowers on top of blowers and turbos on top of blowers? All that was the crazy stuff that Pro Streeters did. And we love it.
How about you? Do you think they are cool still? Do you think they will make a comeback? Do you think that they were during an era of trailer queens that we won’t ever go back to? There are lots of questions that could be asked about Pro Street, but only one that really matters.
So…Answer the question. Should Pro Street Be Dead?
Scott Sullivan's Cheez Whiz as seen in Hot Rod Magazine. Photo copyright Hot Rod Magazine
Matt and Debbie Hay's Old Cierra Pro Streeter
Bumongous. The Car that really kicked Troy Trepanier into the world's face. Like a bunch of Troy's cars, this one was PRO STREET!
Rick Dobbertin's J2000. Arguably one of the most famous Pro Street cars of all time. It was insane, is insane, and yet we can' get enough of it.
Ugly Pro Street (like every car you posted except the Tri-5) should be dead.
So should fake Pro Street and trailer queens. Your car should not be tubbed if it makes anything less than about 550 hp.
But real, well thought-out, clean, well built Pro Street? Not personally a fan, but respect.
Larson type stuff = way cool. Dobbertin type stuff is art, that I can somewhat appreciate, but not functional, so somewhat pointless. Pro street junk that looks like a pro stocker (or other type of real race car), but can’t (or won’t) run the real numbers is what we now call “ricer”. It’s pathetic wannabe crap, so ultimately uncool.
Pro Street should be brought back, cars like Hays and Dobbertins were new cars then, now those same cars can be had (rust free in the south) for pennies. They can look cool if done right. And with todays tech they can go like you know what. Hell just put a Fast EFI on Hays Ciera and see how it would run. Todays blog item should prove this is the way to go.
I am a fan of Pro Street cars, as long as it is semi-tasteful. Sullivan’s ’55 is a great example. Super low stance, clean all around, and no crazy stuff like wheelie bars, parachute, etc. But sometimes, I dig an all out Pro Street car because that’s what was cool when I was growing up. I feel like Pro Street will start being cool again soon. Many of the cars have been off the street for 20 years or more, and I’ve already seen a few Pro Street barn finds popping up here and there. My advice is to start collecting Mr. Gasket street scoops and stock up on masking tape for some crazy striped paint jobs.
Dead? It never died, it may have went dormant but it never died so bite your tongue
Pro Street is NOT dead!! I own a pro street 55 Chevy,my good friend owns a pro street Monza ( done by Steve Roth of Drag Week fame) , another friend has a 34 Chevy all steel, tubbed, blown, and just BAD ASS! Lots of P S cars around here in Pittsburgh. Lets have an all Pro Street event in PA. Signed, VINSANITY!
Personally I think Pro Street is a waste. However, I respect a person’s time, effort and craftsmanship that goes into one. More imporatantly, people should be free to drive what they want.
Give me Pro Touring anytime.
I own and built the 71 tube chassis Dart in the January 2013 Car Craft. They called it pro street, I didn’t. I just wanted to build a bad ass car that had always been creating itself in my head during the 1980’s. The rear tires are 14×32 MT ET Streets, not nearly as big as the pro streeters above. Oh well, it’s alot of fun and as soon as winter is over I plan on getting to the track to prove to myself it will run 8’s in the quarter. I say build whatever you want, some are gonna like it, some not.
N2O Hemi,
First off I think you have one badass Dart, and I agree with you build whatever you want. Like you I have had my version of Pro Street since the ’80s, my street/strip/show 340 Duster will be on the road for the first time legally since 2002.Pro Street isn’t dead, it just needs a up date and to be a fully functional car like yours or Larry Larsons.If it looks the part,then back it up with respectable numbers.
Thanks 75Duster. Would like to see pics of your ride as well.
agreed…
oh…and ..that bitch is bad to the bone..i owned a tube chassis 70 chevelle…i cut up an original 59k mile car after i git back from DuQuoin that year !
Pro Street = The Members Only jacket of hot rodding.
My 66 Chevelle blown 496, tremec600, ford 9, 29x18x15’s was my own creation some 24 years ago. I have gone from blown 350 and 4 speed to the current big thumper in it now. I was 18 when the first SS396’s were made. My brother in his 67 SS396 pro touring says he gets waves and thumbs ups unless he if following me then I get all the attention. Give me a big engine, loud, stick shift beast with junk sticking out of the hood. I’ll figure out how to turn corners later.
Larry Larson’s car is awesome, but not a fan of cars that are essentially just slow Pro Mods with guys calling them ‘Pro Street’.
To each his own. Build what you can build.
For me, I admire the imagination and ability to build anything such as Pro Street, Rat Rods, Concours, Historic, etc. (I don’t care for Donks).
I admire the evolution of our car crafting. Such as how a stripped down model called The Bug became today’s Top Fuel monsters. Or how Factory Experimental became Funny Car. We should include this as Pro Stock begat Pro Street begat Pro Modified.
As Gear Heads, Car Crafters, Auto Magicians, Whatever. Take it to the limits, then bend the limits a bit at a time.
There are hundreds of old pro streeters out there that would look great if the owners would just get rid of the neon graphics. It ain’t dead… they’re just embarrassed to bring ’em out with dated 1980’s paint.
Ron
I have always had the opinion that you should build and enjoy what makes you happy, without regard for what the loud mouth on the corner has to say.
It’s amazing, in the world of cars and in the world of boats, how many unsolicited and dearly held oipinions one can recieve in a single afternoon, mostly from folk who haven’t so much as changed a tire in many a year.
A right hand drive 55?
Good catch. It’s a Hot Rod photo and they flipped it in the magazine. LOL
How many of those pics were taken in Du Quion, IL?
the guys at the mags did prob a years worth of features in the back field…lol
EVERYBODY was there….
i still would like to build a pro street S10………. maybe thats what should be done with that cab and frame i have
Style is style and has nothing to do with function. Pro touring how many of those style cars have actually seen a track? Rat Rods how many have been built by or a pro builder or have never been driven? I was at a rat rod show and personally saw 6 rat rods on trailers and they were pushed not driven into the show. And the rat rod movement was all about disrespect for high dollar, shop built trailer queen cars no matter what style they were built in. The bottom line is enjoy the hobby, respect peoples work whether you like the style or not, and if you have the money build what you think is cool and show it off.
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Build what you like, show respect and enjoy the hobby!!!!
True Pro Street, built and driven was balls to the wall take no prisoners fun. Pro touring is how much too large of a dia. rim can you waste wheelwell with ugliness. Plus it seems too many think it has to have an over rated pos LS series engine in it. The pro touring crowd is narrow minded on powertrain and frankly, very stupid.
It should be laid to rest. Its a shame how many nice cars have been “gutted” to make useless pro-street cars.
I consider my car Pro Street, aside from it lacking the big meats out back. Are those required?
Does a naturally aspirated BBC with Domintor making 700 hp, Aeromotive fuel system, Moser M9, 12 point cage, and 4 in cowl fit the bill? Are my 275/60/r15’s a deal breaker? I just can’t wait until 20+ in rims die. Rubber band tires on muscle cars make me throw up in my mouth a little bit every time I see them.
Yeah, yours is not pro street. Which is a good thing, a car should only have as much tire as it needs.
I have all sorts of Pro Street cars on my website. Some full tubbed and some not. Kind of funny cause some of the full cage big meat cars with 555 Built engines are just able to pull a 9:90 in the quarter! While I have stock tire stock turbo GTR’s doing that with a tune and down pipes!
Pro Street is more for show than go it seems more times than not?
http://theinstoreblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/dodge-colt-challenger-srt-8-1000bhp
Brand new challenger pro streeted
Pro Street is cool and it supports the industry and hobby
I have had 3 pro st cars and loved them! With the new tires that have developed over the junk Mickeys,they were a pleasure to drive. Yes they were real pro st cars and not posers.
My daughter and I will be enjoying the Power Tour in our Pro Street supercharged ’70 Chevelle. I have owned the car for 35 years and performed the Pro Street transformation 20 years ago. In my opinion, you can’t beat the look of a tubbed and blown muscle car.
How about a Pro Street Camry? or SUV? Nah, never mind!
I admire how much thought and work it takes to create a Pro Street. There is a lot of engineering and fabrication. Every Pro Street built is unique and has personality.
It’s way better than glued-on body kit skirts with a mile-high-wing and what ever bolt-on do-dads, vinyl stickered and a 5 gallon bucket-sized muffler kazoo sounding exhaust pipe and a sound system that rattles the whole car.
wow chadmouth…..a bunch of jaded guys here eh>>> ? i was (lucky enough) in the thick of it when it was ‘in” lets not remember our humble “beginnings”……pro street is part of our automotive culture…like the rat rods of today…which most will bitch about in 20 yrs….
some of you guys are prob too young….and whats with this 550hp rule????????????you guys clearly never cruised DuQuoin……….or Englishtown…or Hamburg…never tasted it…
i miss the 80s AND the 90s…..
alan
I do believe all the ideas you’ve offered for your post. They’re really convincing and can definitely work. Still, the posts are very short for newbies. Could you please prolong them a little from next time? Thank you for the post.
I have a biz that is only about 6 or 8 miles from my house that builds beautiful Pro Street cars along with Pro Touring cars. Then they also build road race cars, drag cars and pretty much anything you can think of? Then 2 or 3 more shops all within a 25 mile radius that can and does build awesome Pro Street or cars of that nature.
It may have died down in the Magazines but it is still alive around me every summer!
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