914 as kids first car? :(, nervous about this one. Options

[Brian Mifsud]

Hi All,

Hypocrite that I am, I'm nervous about my kids desire to own a 914 as his first car. I bought and drove one as a "Step Up" from my hot-rodded '69 Beetle when I was 19. I just feel though that there are a hell of a lot more people on the road driving earth-moving Suburban/lifted 4x4s etc than when I was young (early 80's) and that the likelihood of getting run over/punted in a 914 these days is much higher.

Now, this has no basis on fact, just my hunch, and probably my protective instinct so...

Do you think that a 914 with these mods might be enough to ease my fears?

- Fully caged including door bars to slow down side impact incursions

- Safety harness?

- Added bright LED Brake Light bars

- Fuel Cell to minimize the gasoline-in-the lap fun of VW's and Porsches

- automatic Fire supression system

- Use a '75 or '76 model year for the honking big 5MPH bumper added safety margin

- Better than stock tires and brakes

- Driving school - (Learn to handle the car on wet curvy roads, no ABS, etc)


Okay, clearly I'm a paranoid guy... I really would have preferred that my son drive something forgiving in a crash like a mid/late -90's Mustang

Opinions?

Thanks

Brian

[montoya 73 2.0]

My pops had a 67 Pontiac Firebird with a 400 in it! Really fast and fun car when I was a kid. My oldest brother wanted it when he turned 18 but pops said no. My middle brother when he turned 18 then wanted it but pops said no. I never asked for it because he said no to the other two, Well when he sold it I had told him it would have been nice to keep it in the family and he said that if he knew I wanted it he would have given it to me. I was surprised that he said that, and told him of course I wanted it but I never asked because he didn't give it to my other brothers. He then told me, if I would have asked for it when I was 18 he would have said no also.

He then told me the story of how he received the 400 big block, It was purchased from a father of a kid that had wrapped his Firebird around a pole while racing another kid and passed away. It was a father / son build and the only thing left of the car salvageable was the trans and motor. So he told me there was no way he would put his sons in a race car when at 18 young men feel in-destructible but when I asked about it I was 29 and with a 8 year old child so I was more responsible.

I agree 100% with Andy, a honda or even a toyota would be better. Something economical and reliable not to mention with plenty of airbags! Hell, my daughters are 22 and 21 now, they still scare me when they drive around!