18 yr old boy, should I let him drive it.

[Jaydee]

Let him drive it, and disconnect four plug wires.
JD

[69boss429]

I bought my Boss 429 when I was 18 with my Dad's blessing.
I never wrecked it but there were several "O S--T" moments
I drag raced it and generally drove the snot out of it.
I know,I know,it's not a Cobra,but my point would be that I bought it with my own money and it was my responsibility.
Birthday presant,take your son or daughter somewhere they rent rides in someone else's Cobra or otherwise overpowered beast and let them cut their teeth.
Then if the desire is strong enough that they simply cannot live without owning one help them build one that they pay for.
If they are responsible for it there is a better chance they will respect it.
A wrecked car is no fun and worse yet,would you let your daughter climb into her boyfriends new Cobra if he just borrowed it .
Let them buy their own.

[joyridin']

If driving the Cobra lets him appreciate what real power and handling are all about, let him do it. Beats him taking the family car out on a road some night with his foot to the floor and killing himself.

[GRUF78]

No Effing way.

GRUFF

[madmaxx]

It's not as much about driving experience it's about individuality. In other word anybody can drive safely at posted speeds. Less than 1 % of 18 year old are actually men and some never get there. they are influenced and cohereced by anything but themselves. If you are asking the question then he is no where ready. Has he bought his own cars, saved enough and will pay for his college education? Worked an actual job or is he the characteristic titty baby. Doing good is not staying out of trouble it improving yourself and support others instead of others supporting youself.

[*13*]

18 must have been a long time ago, for you...

[terry mason]

Jason, I agree with 13, responsibility is taught and caught, not deserved. I was raised around fast cars, sprints and super modified. Worked side by side with my dad on many of them. He showed me by his actions that NO ONE CAN HANDLE AN OVER POWERED CAR IN ALL SITUATIONS. That lesson has served me well, when I forget that, and I have, I get into trouble. My son grew up around fast cars also, learned to drive in a street rod. Your son sounds a lot like Ryan.
Ryan is now 34 years old, he is a graduate engineer, has driven my Cobra many times. Most of the time I have been with him. He has built and driven many fast cars himself, never had a ticket and now owns his own Cobra.
It is a hard decision to make and I agree his mom should be involved in the decision, I like what you said about your own immaturity, if he is cut from that cloth maybe he should not be allowed to drive the Cobra, if not you should honor that.
With that being said all my kids spent a LOT of time driving with me in parking lots. Good luck on your decision. terry

[madmaxx]

I turned 18 mentally about 12 years old. I led life of hard work and now love every minute of it as I continually reap the dividends. No my parents were not my friends, thank God!

Gotta give my parents credit 4 kids all with master degrees all millionaires and all paid for our own educations, cars, houses, and I have owned three cobras to boot.





QUOTE=*13*;1272234]18 must have been a long time ago, for you...[/quote]

[jhv48]

Originally Posted by madmaxx

I turned 18 mentally about 12 years old. I led life of hard work and now love every minute of it as I continually reap the dividends. No my parents were not my friends, thank God!

Gotta give my parents credit 4 kids all with master degrees all millionaires and all paid for our own educations, cars, houses, and I have owned three cobras to boot.





QUOTE=*13*;1272234]18 must have been a long time ago, for you...

[/quote]

And your point is???!

[madmaxx]

If the father question the child ability the child is not ready. Age is meaningless. The post you questioned was a resposne to another post. Real simple if some ones wants to drive a cobra Ferrari go buy one.




And your point is???![/quote]

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by D-CEL

I am now facing the “should I let him drive it” struggle. My son is a wonderful, near 18 year old, senior in high school, good decision maker, who is beside himself about not being allowed to drive the Cobra.
I know how I would have felt it that car was in the garage when I was 18 .
I have no fear of his mechanical ability to operate the pedals safely. But….I have tremendous angst thinking about the yahoo in a new Corvette or Porsche or Honda with a fart pipe, that pulls up and sees a teenager behind the wheel of that snarling, rumbling thing. I know I would not have been able to keep the testosterone floodgates closed.
I certainly want him to enjoy the fruits of life, but I’m restrained by the “im your dad, not your friend” protectionist mentality.
I kinda feel like he is being punished, for how I was as a young man and my though process now.
Lets hear your thoughts

thanks
Jason

Do you love and care about him?

If so, I'd send him to a quality High Performance driving school first.

Heck, my brother just turned 54 and asks why I've never let him drive any of my Cobras. My response, "because I love you too much".


Bill S.

[PatBuckley]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Do you love and care about him?

If so, I'd send him to a quality High Performance driving school first.

Heck, my brother just turned 54 and asks why I've never let him drive any of my Cobras. My response, "because I love you too much".


Bill S.

Bill, do you really think that a few days spent at a HPDS will instill good judgement in an 18 year old? Do you really think that those few days at the school will ingrain the kind of reflex action that are required when one finds oneself in an unexpected "situation"?

I don't.

I think those driving schools install a false sense of security in their students. I think it takes years of practicing what they teach before the benefits of attending are realized.

Kind of like a guy taking karate lessons for three days and then heading out to the local bar spoiling for a fight.

[twin turbo]

Originally Posted by PatBuckley

I think those driving schools install a false sense of security in their students.

That reminds me of one particular driving school that was using Corvettes. They had a problem with multiple people crashing their cars on one particular corner immediately after leaving the track.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by PatBuckley

Bill, do you really think that a few days spent at a HPDS will instill good judgement in an 18 year old?

If the parent in question is insistent on putting his child behind the wheel, it could not hurt. Personally, I have yet to let Josh get behind the wheel of any of my Cobras or Mustang based race cars. he is not ready for either or and I love him too much to allow him the choice of poor judgement in risking his life.


Bill S.

[D-CEL]

First: Thanks everybody for your input I truly appreciate all of your insight.
I have been digesting it all and taken some really good points away.
I completely agree with the "Its not about age, its about maturity"
And with that I have decided that I am going to take him out with me as the passenger and see how he does. I will get him comfortable so he drops his guard and see what he is likely to do if he was ever by himself.

"And the Zen Master said, We'll see..."

Jason

[MaSnaka]

So Jason what's the verdict???? You have enough advisers yet? Does he drive or does he ride?

John

[mdross1]

I think we are mostly all the same when it comes to other people driving our Cobra's. Once gave in and let my son drive our car told him to avoid one road because of rocks pushing up through the tar. Well he did not and was sick when he drove back in the driveway. He straddled a rock bulge the bell housing flange hit it, no damage. In the end was glad because it inspired me to trim that flange and gain an inch of clearance.

[blown871]

Too many variables having that driver or any other driver in your car.
the 'what if's' out weigh the nice gesture of letting someone driving the car.


They call them 'accidents for a reason' and your entire world can change.. with putting that variable into motion.

... Your insurance.. only covers so much....the price of any claim can affect/effect the rest of your world in a millisecond.

[ERA2076]

Cobra Driving Takes Skill

[HSC-ZL1]

I asked both of my kids, several times during my cobra build if they wanted to come out in the garage and help. Neither of them will drive my cobra until they are 26 as the insurance allows because I never got any help. I do not count the brake bleed pedal pushing as help. I guess I am a little old school and believe privileges are earned. I think driving a big block cobra is a privilege.