I say work with it. I am not too excited about it's present form, but my name is not on the title! The car should have been called "Project Trendy"!!! That was the intent, like it or otherwise. Hell, many of the hardcore traditionalist can point out how many things were wrong with it when "Hollywood Nights" was filmed. None the less, the car is a legend.
Pro Street already is making a comeback in many areas of the country - just not with the people on here Ha Ha, this from the guy who complains when people say bad things about someone elses car
You are right that to some it's not a fad. I should know because I remember prostreet the first time around and I didn't really care for it. I was more Retro when it wasn't popular back in the late 70s early 80s. I had a 57 Chevy that was jacked up pretty high with 10 wide Cragars out back and a 265 dual 4 from a 56 Corvette. It wasn't the fastest thing on the road but for me it was cool. My 55 Nomad had a 327, 4 speed, chrome reverse rims, 8 track, and fuzzy dice. So Don't get me wrong, I love retro, but for many it's just a fad and styles do change. History proves it.
I remember when that car first came out.. I'll admit, it's a very cool car and better than anything i'd probably build.....but, i just can't stand the look of tubed street cars and it just ruins it for me..... I'd take the cookie cutter street machine look Project X had in 1980 over it any day..then or now. Just me though and i know i'm sTrAnGe. Tony
Loved that car when it hit and the fact he actually drove it across country got mad props from me...If i remember right he twisted up a front rim real good to on the trip....Also loved the fact the vent windows were removed...wasnt that a debate a few weeks back about how its a lack of craftsmanship?? Regardless, killer car and i can only hope with the Project X car they jump on the last bit of the wave to make it a GASSER!!!!...RLMAO...
The way the car is configured in it's present state............I would not cross the street to look at it. I loved that car in it's original guise. I built my '57 Bel Air while reading the magazine in the mid 60's and digested every trick they did to it. GM should hold their heads in shame for it's final build. It is sooooo wrong.
August 65...1st look, Letting Readers know of the plan July 65...1st Step..Introduction of letting the reader know it is all "theirs" to decide Sept. 65...Experimental 57 Chevy (Cleaning, detailing, doing bodywork on car...several articles) Nov. 65...1001 Plans for Project X March 66...New Wheels for Project X (Cragar S/S) Feb 67...Project X Goes Racing (quick scan of article looks like 13.36 w/ top end of 103.86) May 67...Pontiac Rearend swap for Project X Nov 67..First Tests of Drag Set up for Project X with 292 engine Jan 68...Low Budget Deep Sump Oil Pan for Project X Feb 68...Better Performance from Project X (12 sec ET's) Mar 68...Part 1 of Drag Tuning Chevy Injectors on the Project X (I do not have this one close by...it may not have had the "photo references"....but April 68 mentions this issue is Part 1) April 68...Drag Tuning Chevy Injectors (Part 2) May 68...Ideas for the new 427 Oct 68...New look for Project X (getting body ready for paint) Another article shows a 427 swap into 55-57 Chevrolets...they used the Project X for this Dec 68...New Look for Project X (Pearlescent Paint job) March 69...Project X 427 installation July 69...Project goes racing (new Rat Motor) Nov 69...A new look for Project X (Tony Nancy Interior) & an article on "de' buggin" the car for a better top end. Dec 69...Project X gets a Clutch Turbo July 70...Project X gets a Detroit Locker Oct 70...Drag Testing Project X (11 sec. 120 MPH) July 72...Street Building Project X Aug 72...More Street Performance from Project X Nov. 72...Project X Hits the Streets...(nears completion as a street machine) Now I am sure there may be more between these years...but I happened to have these nearby, because someone wanted photos of the car (up to 72) for a model he plans on building....these are the ones that had photos of reference for him. He was not interested in borrowing the mags without pictures of the car, so these are the only ones I have close by (the rest are stacked away). Problem is I do not have a working scanner. I can try taking pictures of the mags if someone does not post them. I gave this list as a reference so someone will know what to look for if they want to scan them.
da injun, could you get the date for the 55-57 chevorlet mag you listed between oct 68 and dec 68 or just the month ?
Not to derail...BUT... Pro Street cars were bitchin'. Then, of course, they ran their course and became caricatures of themselves. Project X might have "evolved" for the time, but it lost it's home brewed spirit.
I always dug the Hollywood Knights version of the car. I remember the first time I saw that movie I was about 17 and was at Hot August Nights in Reno. That car made a huge impression on me. After that I was bored with the street rod, bubblegum, poodle skirt, time out doll Tri Fives that littered Reno that weekend. That was about '98 or '99 for me. We had shoulder tapped and somehow ended up with a 20 pack of Budweiser and I remember professing to my friend (drunkenly) that we should start a movement to correct the wrongs of the old farts we were surrounded by and build cars that looked like the old magazines and movies. What did I know? I was a drunk 17 year old ass hole. I may not have known what I know now but I knew that I liked period style cars built correct whether it was a 40s, 50s, 60s, or god forbid 70s build. As long as it was true to the spirit of the car I dug it. Thanks for showing how Project X started. I was never exposed to it's early roots and only followed along from HK and modern magazine builds.
Abso-freekin'-lutely on both counts! Funny thing, I know of one pro -streeter just reacently finished, and three others just started around town right now...
If I remember right they had a book, that PHR put out with about 3 years worth of the build, I had a copy WAY back then, wish I still did
When you said "caricature" this was the first place my mind went! The cartoonish proportions are too much to turn away from!!!
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