NORTY

Teach them in a old Toyota pickup. Let them get some "sticktime." About 3-4 hours should do it. Then, take them in your Vette and teach them how to really drive a stick. Be patient with them and they'll get it quickly. Utilize back roads if available. If they ride motos, then they've already got half the technique down. Don't just let them drive it once and think they're good at it. Having kids that are proficient at anything requires practice, practice, practice!

First time I drove a clutch was 1971. It wasn't until I attended the Jim Russel British School of Motor Racing (Riverside) did I learn how to drive a stick. Yes, you can spin an open wheeled car! (Especially if you hit a fuel trail in front of you!) Those things come around QUICK!

AORoads

Yes, but......he wouldn't get to "drive" the car w/o me for a long, long, long, long, time. Did I mention...?

One flooring it on a curve, with sand or oil, at 60, and he might be in a tree. I couldn't live with that.

VettedCandidate

Guys, thanks for your responses...I am in a situation where I have no other manual vehicles and he has been through Drivers Ed and could get his license now. They don't have manual vehicles in Drivers Ed either. I want him to learn how to drive a stick but I am not letting him drive it alone. Wish I had an old farm pickup like the one I learned on...

garyo

I taught my now 17 year old son to drive my car when he was 16. It was a great time together. I was thrilled to see how happy he was behind the wheel. He now drives a stick ALMOST as good as I do. Whenever we are in the car I usually let him drive. Although he pleads with me almost daily, I will not let him drive the car by himself. I know an accident can occur with any car but I just would never forgive myself if it happened in my 400hp car.

z51vett

Corvette is easy to do since it has torque. I taught my soninlaw how to drive one. I made a point of not touching gas and taking off did this on hill and showed him I could do it in 6th gear yes 6th gear.
z51vett

Leprkon

use the "other" Vette.... the Che-vette... give him the power when he can deal with the responsibility.

johnnyquest

Take him to a racing school. They'll teach him to drive a stick and throw in how to corner it!

mksz51

Was your son in law 16 years old? Age is a major part of the argument here that many of the posters have ignored. In fact - it is the issue.

Jeff Pedersen

Sure. You have insurance right? What's the worst a 16 year can do in a Vette? Maybe a couple of pedestrians or a tree as long as your insured your covered.

Hankster7

I learned how to drive a stick on an old 43 Willis Jeep pickup when i was 12. Soon after, I rolled it. Scared the hell out of me.

johnnyquest

I learned on a Fiat X19. I tried to roll it but the wheels had too much camber.

craneguy

Right on Arethur. Im teaching my 17 yro daughter and we have the greatest time. (always supervised & not on the highway yet) She's learning how to check the fluid levels, clean the car, and of course shifting 6 speed manual.

I read on a previous thread here that some astute vette owner told his kid that he had to really obey the law and drive courteously because everybody is watching the "special" car. I agree best of luck.

B

jweek

Did this my son.

96Magnuson

My son just turned 16 in April and I let him learn in my vette..The enjoyment we both got out of the experience was and is PRICELESS..

Wayne O

I wouldn't let my kids learn to drive a stick with my high powered Corvette. Fortunately, my oldest son learned to drive a stick with his Lancer Ralliart before he ever got behind the wheel of my C6 (actually, he learned on his friend's car before I got him his own car).

My daughter recently got her driver's license. I wanted to teach her how to drive a stick-shift in my son's Ralliart but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. At that point it was probably just informational overload. After she gets comfortable simply driving an automatic, I may try again to teach her to drive a stick.

My youngest son still has a few years before he's old enough to drive.

Jeff Pedersen

All you that teach your 16 yr old kids how to drive stick or just learn to drive in a Vette do us all a favor and post the day your going to do this. I'm staying home and taking my kids off the streets that day. 400 HP + in the hands of a 16 year old kid. You people got to be crazy. This new parenting and befriending your kids is to much. Stop watching Oprah and start acting like a parent instaed of sucking up to and spoiling the kids.

craneguy

I would feel more remiss in my duties if my daughter wrapped the C6 around a tree and I hadn't shown her how to safely operate and respect the vette.
also
I dont watch oprah
I already am a parent
I dont suck up to my kids
I dont spoil my kids
Thank you for the parenting tips.

B

anothercrisis

I think the C6 is an easy car to learn to drive a manual. I taught my 16 year old daughter enough in a couple of afternoons that I feel like she could use the car in an emergency. HOWEVER....She drives the beat up Scion that I bought for her!

DarkMastyr

As long as you instill within him the idea that he needs to respect the power, I think the C6 is a great car to learn on. I learned to drive stick in my C6. The clutch is pretty strong relative to some dinky little Honda, so unless he does a 6k clutch dump, the car should be fine.

yankintx

I think I'd rather teach my son how to drive with an auto first. Once he has the basics down, then maybe I'd teach him to drive a vette with a manual tranny.

Heck, I learned to drive on an old foreign car with a manual tranny and about 80hp.