A couple of years ago, I told my wife that assembling an engine would make a great father and son project. It was great for our relationship and I got a new engine for my car. Now the price has come do, the pup got his license and you know which car he wants to drive. He was out Friday night with it, top down in 40 degree weather. Needless to say, I didn't sleep until he got in at 11.

Everything is fine and I even got to drive it today for a while.

Dave

You need one of those tachometers with a memory recall.

No need, I set the rev limiter to 4 grand Just kidding

I'm gonna try trust 1st

The argument I would use is that the 914 is not the safest car for him to drive on Friday nights and Saturday nights, when most of the drunks and druggies and wackos are out.

That way, it's not a question of his driving, it's just a matter of his personal safety, pure and simple. Do you have a bigger car that is available on those nights?

Ya, mine has a small four in it and it just screems,"Faster,Faster,Faster!" He needs one of those big GMs thats just happy to be ideling at a stoplight and gives alot of protection around your little one. My first vehicle was a motorcycle and am happy to still be here after the accident.

Dave, When my oldest got his license I had a modded BMW 530I. I tossed him the keys and told him to be careful. He had a buddy over and they walked out to the car on pins and needles. I went up to my office and hear them start out the driveway with a rumble. About a block away I hear my son stand on it. (free flow exhaust ) I called him on the cell phone and told him I hear him! I think that worked about a week. Just as soon as I could I signed him up for the BMW Teen Driving Clinic. This is a skills based driving school. It's open to anyone. It was the best thing I ever did. He has been accident and ticket free for 3 years. (knock on wood) During the three years he drove My slammed 530I, my 1995 M3, and a lowered GTI he bought. I believe in the skills training and lots of talks about where spirited driving is ok.

I met your boy, he'll be fine. He may test the car a little. We all did. But if he has a chance to push the car where it's safe like a D.E. or a car clinic, I think he'll be less likely to hurt himself or the car. and less likely to do it where it's not safe.

I'm a big believer in autocross, pca driving schools, DE, etc. as a safe way to release the desire to go faster than it's sane to go on the street. It's a whole other thing you can do as a father and son!

Now, I wouldn't even drive my 914 out on a Friday night and park it in some strange place. :-)

Yep, DE's, AXing, is great for your son but he has to be 18. See what the local PCA can do.

My son Blair learned that speed is fun at the track or AX course and doesn't get tickets on the street.

i'd take exception to the not the safest car statement rog. look at some of the hits a few unfortunate members have taken. i'd rather take my chances belted in tight to a 914 than a kia rio and a few other cars if i thought for awhile. thing is, gerry respects the car and has a vested interest in it. he didn't get the folks used honda to cruise around in, just to be discarded like a broken cd player. gerry is prob a better driver skill wise, than most of the other kids. good on em'.

k

dave washes those red shop rags with white clothes. i wouldn't expect anything less from him.

That's true... Dave's 914 is a very safe car.

I hope the A-X/ DE people make an exception for Gerry.

LOL

The very first 914 I road in, was a friend of mines, fathers car.
We always gave it back in one piece, we were 17 at the time. It was a hopped 2.0l.

My 19 year old neice is eyeballing mine

Later

Yeah. Kids are scary at that age.

So..... 19 year old niece, huh? Interested in 914s? Yep.

Hahaha. Joking.

You better start Helping him build his own. he has passed the point of no return. Once you drive a 914 you are
invected with the 914 virus. But then you know this,get another 914 your and his .AX WITH HIM OR GIVE HIM THE OLD ONE AND REALLY BUILD THE 2ED ONE THE WAY YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO. Dave

He's doing a Drivers skills day with the oregon PCA Sunday morning and we are sharing the car for an AX in the afternoom. He's signed up for a 2 day DE after Parade in August and we'll do some more AXs in between.

Dave

Dave,

Meeting you and your family at WCC I really don't think you are going to have to worry that much. It's all about the "event" he'll be driving it to... party at friends=no, date with girly girl=yes .

Ferg

I have the same issue in the making...15yrs old on permit, getting lic. this summer... But he is building his car from scratch and has a promise from me on track time , skills class and autox.....He has already got a pretty good lesson....some older kids in a very bad accident and lost one!!

He has been at the track with me since he was 10 and I point out the differece between a run off area and a ditch on the side of the road. Hopefully it sticks....pins and needles....


By the way nextel, GPS tracking and average speed every two mintues...trust but verify!!!!!

The issue will always be the decisions they make. We can teach them to handle the car. I'm sure his reflexes are better than mine and with a little practice I'm sure he will be able to out run me at AX. The tough part is what will the kids do when the guy next to them starts to rev his engine.

Washington has kind of a cool deal. For the first six months kids can only drive siblings and no other kids. They have to be off the road by 1 AM. At least they get a little time to learn before their friends are egging them on.

Dave

QUOTE (Bleyseng @ Mar 19 2006, 09:36 PM)

Yep, DE's, AXing, is great for your son but he has to be 18. See what the local PCA can do. My son Blair learned that speed is fun at the track or AX course and doesn't get tickets on the street.

You can AX in the SCCA at 16

QUOTE (Dave-O @ Mar 20 2006, 07:35 AM)

QUOTE (Bleyseng @ Mar 19 2006, 09:36 PM) Yep, DE's, AXing, is great for your son but he has to be 18. See what the local PCA can do. My son Blair learned that speed is fun at the track or AX course and doesn't get tickets on the street. You can AX in the SCCA at 16

Well unless they recently changed the rules. it has been 18 for SCCA.
Back in the days of the "Cool Blue Teener" My son's 1st car BTW. We did our our drivers ed. High school parking lot. We did all the stupid stuff like donuts and going really fast emergency stops.

Then we started the OK really learn how to drive this thing. got him going in a circle faster and tighter till it got loose. taught him how to catch it and steer out etc.
I got so dizzy I had to get out and let him learn on his own.

I think that 1 only having two seats is a plus. less kids in the car, fairly under powered specially if you loosen up the throttle cable

Better brakes and better handling are a plus too. And having the ONLY Alaska Blue Metallic 914 in 50 mile radious helps. All the cops knew who's car that was and know me.

Got a call from a friend one day to tell me he saw the car zipping down the HWY at a pretty good clip Wednesday at noon. Uh yea Fred that woulda been me..... Sorry man.

I am the worst example for not speeding.

Do the AX thing..
PCA allows 16 years old, but it is region dependent.

The two seat thing is a huge plus.

The only purple 914 in the northeast makes it easy for the cops also...I agree with that...

Really, there are very few classic cars in the northeast that are DD, so it makes it easy to spot...

Aside from that, put the spare tire in the front, bolt it down,,,its part of the crash protection system.
Make sure he wear seat belts.

Sit back, be proud, and watch him grow up...it is a fun part of his life....

Rich

My SCCA rulebook says 16, and that UNDER 16 could race based on a case to case evaluation.

Is this correct or did this change? I have an '03 rulebook. I want to get my little bro into Formula Vee.

Get him his own.

The fun never ends....

The current issue if Grassroots Motor Sports has a good artical about a teen driving school. Teaching the kids vehical limits with hands on, 60-0 braking exercises and slalom courses in new BMWs. And the best part is that it's free. They offer the courses in a few cities, might be just the ticket
Samson

If you want, you can check into Clifford alarms. They have a model that you can set the limits of your cars speed. If that limit is exceeded, the alarm will call you and notify you. Additionally, you can set up a geographical area for him to use the vehicle... If they go outside of that area, you will be notified as well. Also, at any time, you can log into a web site and see where your car is at anytime (gps locator). I think it is a G5 model alarm...