Seems like the hot new thing is pro touring. Or has been for a while now. Upgrade the suspension, the wheels (Torq Thrust IIs) and add a LS based engine. I found these pics today, of trends that were hot and now are looooong goooone. Think of these cars as the pro touring cars of the era. Pics start in 1980. Watch the change in styles every 5 years or so.

1980









1986









1990

 

Ye gods. The cars are hard enough on the eyes, then there's all them guys running around in nut-hugger shorts.

Pro Street was one of the absolute worst trends to ever hit the car hobby. What was bad was a lot of them looked like 200 mph sitting still yet couldn't get out of their own way.

Wonder if any of those cars still look like that, or if anyone "updated" them to the next trend?

 

Very interesting pics. I remember some of those trends from high school. Yes, those stickers seemed to have amazing powers, too.
Most of these styles are clearly outdated, but some still around.
Regardless, I will always like those classic Cragar wheels.....

 

Style and trends do change, thank goodness. I guess the Pro Steet movement didn't bother me much then or now. I couldn't afford it. At least it was American.

Loved the Mustang pictured above.

Most notable trend I recall didn't involve American cars. Remember Fast and Furious? Fart pipes and book shelf wings. I've had a hard time with that but I've come to terms with the technology and respect it...somewhat.

What about drifting? What the heck started that? Can't get my head wrapped around that one. Its all most like sprint cars cross bred with ice skating. I'm hoping Will Ferrel and Owen Wilson will make a movie and spoof it...its the only postive thing I can think of.

I think the only trend that won't go out of style......keeping the car as close as possible to appearing stock....but carries a big stick. Classic...like a black suit with a white dress shirt.

 

LMAO at the people in a lot of those pictures.

 

Things got a little randy back in 91

http://www.grstreetracers.com/GRSR_1991SMN

 

Things got a little randy back in 91

http://www.grstreetracers.com/GRSR_1991SMN[/QUOTE]

Randy, Larry, Bob,...I'm just glad trends change!!

 

These guys approve of the top poppin on that page.

 

HAHAAHAHA the good ole 90`s BIG *** hair and tight pants lol
Thanks for the laugh I am so thankfull those days are gone.....

 

Well, you should have seen the trend in 74-75 on LI. Super chargers higher then the roof line. I think they took them off of Peterbilt trucks! Narrow front and super wide rear tires. Glass pack mufflers...why they were called mufflers? And then those things I think they were called traction bars....always looked like the axle was loose. On top of all that was a CB antenna. I almost forgot the little Christmas tree air freshener on the rear view.

 

Her butt is as wide as the rear tires. She needs commercial plates.

 

Can't say much I lived through those times, good thing I threw all those clothes away a long time ago. Never did paint a car in pastels though thank god. Some of those girls should have kept their tops on, scary

 

Knee high socks & mullets, yeah baby.

 

 

Fixed

 

What happened to these cars? Where did they go??

 

.....Knee high socks & mullets, yeah baby.


Those are funny pics, lol!! The tight shorts... the short shorts... the big hair.... oh Lord! Takes ya back doesn't it!

 

There's leaders, and there's followers.

If we look at trends as a way of stepping out of the normal herd of people
and doing something daring and different, then it also equates to how people
become famous singers, dancers, actors, etc.

You have to be willing to step out of the herd at the risk of being heckled by
those who don't stray from the "normal" herd, to follow your dreams. (Leaders)

All music , clothing, etc are trends or fads. Almost all of them pass eventually.
Doesn't make them any less cooler for their era though. Everyone here wore
the common clothing of the 1980's. I was a headbanger with long hair, and I
still have my high school biker leather.

When it comes to car trends, the great thing is .....parts come off.
Paint booths are still running even more in 2010. So if you're skerred to modify
based on what goes out of style, then you're skerred to step out of the herd. (followers)

When front wheel drive cars became performance cars.
You turn and mash the pedal and the front end pulls you through a turn while your rear "drifts".

RWD car drifting is kinda weird though since it came from FWD cars.

 

let's not forget,flower power,bell bottoms and tie dye

 

Lets face it, I guarantee there's guys on here that are still wearing Polo Green, Old Spice, Drakkar, or Stetson in 2010.

LOL

 

LMAO! at those pics
i just joined this site so idk how old any of you guys are but im 21 nd i deff saw some pics of my dad (whose 50) wearin tht **** lol...nd yess his shorts are still a few inches above his knees ...i LOL at him all the time

but i cnt laugh too much cause he got me 2 out of 3 of my cars...71 cutlass, 72 nova, nd i had picked up the 66 grand prix

but being 21 i was right in the middle of tht whole fast nd the furious trend...nd i live in NY so those shitbox cars were riced out on every block...ohh well glad i had never gotten into tho haha

 

I get the feeling most are in their 40's and up.

Build your car how YOU want it to be, and good luck.

 

Matter of fact I do wear Old Spice on occasion. One of those classic scents that will never go out of style after what, 70+ years? Shulton introduced it in 1937 I believe. I'll also wear Pinaud Clubman sometimes, which has been around in one form or other since the mid 1800s. Get compliments on it too, often from people who wouldn't have a clue what it is.

You won't find me wearing any celebrity's "designer" scent, or for that matter anybody's name on my back. I come from a time and a family that considered things like that low-class and trashy.


And you're what, 36? Keep breathing boy... four years can go by very quickly. Ten years can go by even quicker.

I absolutely love it when people who hack on older folks all of a sudden find themselves old, and the subject of younger folks' derision.

 

Glad that is on the slow way out...

Real classic will never die.
I am with you on that - wolves in sheep's clothing too - I love it.
Like my mom's old Galaxie 4dr with a 429 under the hood from the factory!

I still have my parachute pants and related stuff from back then; still wear some of the shirts even now!

It came back and is still in. I am waiting for it to fade again...

My mom kept her bells fromt he 70s and now she can wear them again - in style, too.

I have to admit I still like the big hair on the ladies - very sophisticated. It might have took hours for them to do, but I am glad it was not me. I remember my shoulder-length wavy hair in the mid 80s - it was a pain to dry.
Remember the mohawks in the early 80's? I did not look too bad with one...
I was not a fan of the tight pants, but I have to say it IS better than the nowdays "fall down" style...

 

My buddy found this old 74 that had been forgotten about!!!!

64b4bfb0.jpg
9b2f88e8.jpg
3c2f719d.jpg

 

That '74 looks like a Hot Wheels car or an HO scale slot car.
Oh wow..the pastel colors maaaan.

Those cars all went to the same great boneyard in the sky that all the 70's custom vans went.
House painters destroyed most wagons then grabbed those old rusty custom vans.
Those pro streets are useless for hauling ladders so I don't know what other purpose they could serve?
Maybe they would be good for delivering newspapers, but they wouldn't get very good traction in the winter and no trunk space.

Restore the car to original and you can never go wrong.
If that's following the herd all I can say is "Moooooooo".
If I put '69 Cramaro side stripes on my Vista Cruiser will I be a leader?
Just kidding...just kidding.
May be cool in woodgrain though?

The only cologne real car guys wear is Eau de Fossil Fuels and Lubricants.

 

I'm with you Blue,

I keep a 1/2 pint of diesel fuel hidden in my car. A couple of drops behind my ear will mask the scent of the raunchiest perfume of the girls at the "Shoe Show" [a.k.a Men's Adult Entertainment Club]

 

You are funny!! I still like it when Larry wears Old Spice, and Stetson, lol! But hey..... I'm old too!

....And you're what, 36? Keep breathing boy... four years can go by very quickly. Ten years can go by even quicker


Now that's funny right there, lol! And true too!!

 

+1.

 

Lol!!!
That's a good 1!!!
Everytime I work on wiring on a non dirty job my old lady swears I haven't been working on a car!!!! Smh!!!!

 

I knew it.
That's like asking my grandfather what's hip.
Age in numbers ?? Yes.
Age in mentality ??? No.

I live in Chicago bro, the lifestyle never ends for people here whereas say Iowa it dies after college.
There is a huge difference living around a major city like Chicago, New York, Miami, etc.
Trends continue well into my age group and above in Chicago.
IT's a huge party city with a huge night life.

Obviously there are stay at home types no matter what city you live by though.

 

This is hugely condescending. I just can't let this go by, I and many of my country brethren, have traveled to many parts of the world and partied in Cities like London, Paris, and yes even New York and the small city of Chicago. Just because we live in the country and have to travel to the "Big City" doesn't mean we aren't up on the trends that come and go and believe me in my 65 years on this earth I have seen many. Next time you want to put on your big boy britches and go party come to the country and we'll show you how its done city boy

 

I like to edit alot, and I see the moderator wanted to take my pre-edit to post it.

Have at it. I like to mess with RocketRaider.

My point was, age groups and living areas (North , south, urban, rural, etc)
view things that are trendy very differently. Always have, always will.

If everyone here had a picture of themselves next to their car, it would change some people's minds
on how they accepted advice on what's "Cool or trendy" ......tell me I'm wrong.
You have to look at this through the eyes of various age groups to realize it.
I might sound like an a** being the one saying it, doesn't make it any less true.

I was stationed on Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton Washington for 3 years aboard the USS California.
Dreary overcast weather 90% of the year. Very depressing. Seattle was a beautiful clean modern city.
That was the saving grace. Bremerton was boring as hell.......I called it Mayberry. Culture shock big time.
I drank 5-6 days a week......that's how bored I was. Not much else to do.

So I've been there, done that. Stephens pass for snowboarding was cool though.
My 1978 Camaro was actually purchased in Tacoma.

If I appear to have an offensive personality, trust me, I'm never TRYING to be an a**hole. I love to goof off.
But speaking my mind clearly sometimes might come off that way on a 2 dimensional forum without seeing my body language or smiling face.

 

What lifestyle???

 

DAAAA Bears



(sorry couldn't help it)

 

Hey now!!!! We're doing waaaaaay better then I anticipated this year.
I am shocked.

 

The 5th picture down, does anyone know if this is the famed Matt and Debbie Haye's Cutlass Cierra? That car got tons of coverage in the magazines back in the day. If anyone has pics of Rick Dobbertin's cars please post them up. He had the twin turbo blue Chevy II that was way ahead of it's time, and the stainless steel chassied Pontiac J200. That was in the very beginning of the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals! There were tons of cheesy cars but some cool ones too.

 

HEY whats wrong with Old Spice? i use there deodorant and there body wash.

 

Brute all the way

 

Back in the day I hung out and partied hard with guys like Aces High. Had a blast. Then I got married, bought a house, started the family, saved my pennies and bought my Olds. Now in my mid 40's I enjoy a beer or two with the guys, but have outgrown the parties and would rather hang out in the garage at home. If I could I would love to live out in the country.

I like running into guys like Aces at car shows or cruise nights. They are fun, say what they think and fell, and you will always know where you stand. But when the car show or cruise night is over I can go home after I have had enough fun....

That's why I like this site. We have a lot of different people with different views and ideas.