Teenagers / Classic Cars ??

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I think an old cars a great idea! I'm 16 and I've got a 74 roadrunner, lets me learn more and more as I go. and it looks good.
 
My son expressed an interest in getting an older car - we let him drive our newer cars whenever he has to. So he decided on a Duster - found a project car and after awhile realized that we were way over our heads. So we salvaged what could (had a parts car as well) and we found a slant six 73 Dart - butt ugly (had a sun roof that worked) and he basically started wrenching on it - soon he was trying to fix the rust and keep it running. He asked me one day on how we find old cars and eventually he found a sweet 68 dart in nice shape drove it for a while then we converted it to a 360.
Here is my point. He has investment in it - literally money blood sweat and frustration - he calls when he is in over his head and we figure it out (I travel a lot - US Navy). However - when the weather looks bad or he has to drive a long distance we usually work it out so that he can take one of the newer cars. As I see it that works well for all (of course we can work the schedules out you may not be able).
If she is interested - that is very cool and keep her focused and keep it realistic - something achievable.
Creates a lot of nice memories and Faterh Son (or Daughter) moments...
just my 2 cents
 
As far as airbags . My thinking on them is they only really work if your not wearing a seatbelt .

Pretty true. As I recall, the Federal requirement was to provide either airbags or motorized seatbelts (remember those contraptions?). A shoulder-belt plus airbag is certainly best, but a shoulder-belt alone provides most of the protection.

Those mainly help when the driver runs into something and help little if struck on the side, which is my concern since I never run into things. I would rather be in most 60's cars in a side impact than a smaller modern car, unless it had side air bags and a protection beam. A 4 door or post model is much better. I saw a 69 Dart 2 Dr hardtop just like mine that was hit in the side and the door folder in on the driver.
 
well there are many ways to go om this one. i am now 42 but had my first mopar a 68 charger 383 at age 15. i payed for the car with my own cash, and had to fix it up. body work, paint, mechanical stuff, interior. i kept it in nice shape and was respectful and mindful on what it could do. i also had lots of sweat equity in it.

that being said if your kid is willing to put in the sweat equity into building their first car, with some help from dear old dad. i think its a good idea. they will appreciate it more than if you just give it to them. i wouldent go crazy with an engine. make it look fast, and tune up a slant six. if they really like the car, then later on when they show they are a good driver you can maybe build up an engine with them, another father / kid project.

i would nix the idea of doing a lil red express for her as these are actually too valuable and rare. plus they have a nice quick and thirsty 360 in them. better vehicle as an investment. a slant six duster or dart swinger should be easy enough to find, hell they made lots of em. sheetmetal parts for them are common enough now.

my girlfriends mother asked me if i was going to let my girlfriends son use my 2007 mustang GT 4.6L 5 speed when he gets licenced. i said absolutely NOT. ditto for my 67 barracuda when it gets done.

first off all my vehicles are stick shift, second i asked her if she thought it was a good idea to give a 5 year old a loaded and cocked pistol to play with. she obviously said no. so i replied, do you think giving a 16 year old inexperienced driver a powerful V8 muscle car is a good idea? she had no reply to this.

another idea would be to troll the local city auctions. you can find used police or detective cars. usually crown victorias, or chevy Coprices. these cars were built for severe duty, and the cities usually take care of them well in the mechanical department as they have to always be able to run. they may not be perfect body or interior wise but they can be cheap wheels.

a buddy of mine scored a nice clean 2004 ford crown vic city detective car for $2000. sold it 2 days later for $3500 to some brotha wanting to make a donk or something stupid outta it.

just my .02
mat
 
What is a safe car for my kid that anybody can even work on that's not all computerized these days? I have decided that even w/shoulder belts, I am not ready to have my daughter drive the cuda.

An M body. Very comfy to drive and very safe in a crash.
 
well there are many ways to go om this one. i am now 42 but had my first mopar a 68 charger 383 at age 15. i payed for the car with my own cash, and had to fix it up. body work, paint, mechanical stuff, interior. i kept it in nice shape and was respectful and mindful on what it could do. i also had lots of sweat equity in it.

that being said if your kid is willing to put in the sweat equity into building their first car, with some help from dear old dad. i think its a good idea. they will appreciate it more than if you just give it to them. i wouldent go crazy with an engine. make it look fast, and tune up a slant six. if they really like the car, then later on when they show they are a good driver you can maybe build up an engine with them, another father / kid project.




another idea would be to troll the local city auctions. you can find used police or detective cars. usually crown victorias, or chevy Coprices. these cars were built for severe duty, and the cities usually take care of them well in the mechanical department as they have to always be able to run. they may not be perfect body or interior wise but they can be cheap wheels.


Also probably not a great idea. It all depends on the maturity level still. One of my friends has one and since they look like cop cars you can get away with alot. Most cops cant even tell the difference. one entertaining thing to do is go park it where a cop would be and watch people slow down as they pass.
 
i think its a great idea. most teenage girls want something like a Mercedes. but get her something cheap and "common" (you know common in the old car world) since shell most li8kely get it banged up. i DO think that a truck is probably the safest type of vehicle since theyre big and brawny. get her one of the ford or chevy type trucks you always see hot rodded at shows, theyre safe reliable strong and its not a mopar so we dont care much if the car gets banged around.

also let me say this, im only 21 now and when i was in high school i had the car that everyone knew, a 89 firebird formula. loved that car but did some really dumb **** things in it like racing and drifting on the streets around town. im smarter now cause ive seen some bad wrecks that friends have been in and i wont be doing that anymore. however i got that car as a birthday present and had a deal with my parents to pay them back half of it, and it was running fine so i didint have to do any work on it. i do feel though that if i had gotten a car that needed work done to it like my scamp did (does) then i would have been much more responsible because now i know what goes into them and its all i wanna do.

on an ironic note that firebird got wrecked due to a brake lock up and engine stall in the snow and not doing something stupid in it (unless driving it in snow counts) go figure
 
My vote is get an older car or truck. the cabin could always be reinfored with a roll cage. and add in 5 pt harness' make her help you build it. my girls (currently 6 and 2) will be building thier cars. i will not buy a car for them. they will earn it. i have no problem funding the car if they build it.
 
Ah Yeah

probably NOT a good idea for a teenage girl to have. unless she wants to wind up with a bad reputation weather its deserved or not. at my current age and experience i shudder to think of how much fun id have with the ladies if i had all that knowledge back then and a shaggin wagon back when i was a teenager. id take a dodge tradesman 200 van complete with porthole windows, shag carpeting, a built in wet bar, and the pre requesite heart shaped bed in the back OOOOH YEAAAAH. as men we are all perverts, some just hide it better than others LOL.

just my .02
matt
 
Loved getting a Duster at 18. So much to learn working on the older cars and it's just so great to cruise around in something nobody else my age has. Plus my parents love it, if I'm in the garage working on the car then I'm not out causing trouble, just spending my money!
 
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