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Of course I have to make my disclaimer as last post bragging was plagued by the "You should never let a 16 year old drive a 465 HP car" crowd.
*My 16 yr old son was supervised by me in the passenger seat at all times.
*My 16 yr old is the most responsible out of my 5 kids.
*My 16 yr old is a straight A high school student taking college and values hard work, money yada, yada yada.
*MY SON IS VERY MATURE FOR HIS AGE AND I TRUST HIM.
*Lastly, if he ever wants to drive a Corvette by himself, he can buy his own.
So my previous post was last summer when I was allowing my son to practice driving stick on the Corvette in an empty parking lot. He did very well.
Fast forward, he finally got his driver's permit and has regularly driven the Chevy SS manual shift and just rockin' it. But, while its an LS3, the clutch is completely different from the 2019 Corvette. He had not driven the Corvette since his days in the parking lot last summer. This week the opportunity arose where I had to take him to school in the morning (COVID thing). He asked if he could drive the Vette. I won't lie, he is a great driver especially shifting gears but i nervously said yes. He has driven the Corvette every morning to school this week and could not be more proud of his driving capabilities. I then switch seats and drive to work. You gotta love when he looks at you and says, "Dad, not only do I love shifting gears but this car is awesome. Its like a rocket on rails." Smiles for miles for both of us. He did ask that once he got his license if he would be allowed to occasionally drive the SS and Corvette. I had to tell him it will never happened only because while I trust him, I don't trust other drivers, but if you work hard, you can buy your own. He accepted that.
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Sounds like you two have a good understanding concerning the use of your Corvette. Nothing wrong with letting him drive when you are supervising - I did the same for my daughter when she was 16 (although at that time it was in my C4).
Nice except for your logic on why he can not drive the Vette alone because you do not trust other drivers. But you trust other drivers when you are along for the ride. Oh well sounds like he is fine with your reasoning and you have a great Father/Son relationship and in the end that matters most.
Great that your son drove and respected the cars with you ! But I think if a youngster is by her/himself or with a friend she/he may push the limit. But there are lots of youngsters that do respect power and speed better than others.
Rich
Last year I taught my 18 year old how to drive stick in my 15 z06. He did great but I did cringe a little thinking of the abuse the clutch was getting. My dad said nothing like learning to drive stick with 650hp. My younger son will be 18 this summer and wants me to teach him to drive stick. I just sold my 15 z06 and bought a 19 zr1. I’m not too thrilled about about teaching him to drive stick in a car with 772hp. But I feel it is my obligation as a father to teach him to drive stick. Should be interesting and fun.
Last year I taught my 18 year old how to drive stick in my 15 z06. He did great but I did cringe a little thinking of the abuse the clutch was getting. My dad said nothing like learning to drive stick with 650hp. My younger son will be 18 this summer and wants me to teach him to drive stick. I just sold my 15 z06 and bought a 19 zr1. I’m not too thrilled about about teaching him to drive stick in a car with 772hp. But I feel it is my obligation as a father to teach him to drive stick. Should be interesting and fun.
WOW, I recall teaching my sons' ( identical twin boys, born in 1970 ) how to drive in my 1982 Toyota 4X4 5 speed in 1987 . Their first car was a "hand me down " 1972 Chevy Vega auto from my sister.
Rich
My how times have changed !!
No matter how GOOD the kid, there are moments when the maturity is just NOT there... then add peer pressure etc, and everything goes out the window. It only takes seconds for disaster.
The only consolation would be sending him to a good performance driving school. It will give him some realistic idea of the physics he is “playing with” and what can go wrong. It would also be very humbling to ride along with a professional driver to learn how much he doesn’t know! Even then, it doesn’t replace maturity... and even then, these cars just beg to be romped on!
Teaching and learning are great things to share. Turning them loose with the car... absolutely not.
Nice except for your logic on why he can not drive the Vette alone because you do not trust other drivers. But you trust other drivers when you are along for the ride. Oh well sounds like he is fine with your reasoning and you have a great Father/Son relationship and in the end that matters most.
I guess I should explain a little more the conversation.
1. If I am in the car and someone hits him, I am witness and know there was no jackassery in the incident.
2. If he parked, say at the college where my daughter was hit twice while not even moving, I would again, question it unless I was there to witness it.
Hope that makes sense in what I explained to my son.
Both my sons learned to drive stick in my C6 Z06 and ZR1. Nothing wrong with that at all!
My only regret is that I don't have a 3-speed on the column in the stable to let them experience. That's how I learned...
Funny enough I learned to drive 3 on the tree in my Graddaddy's 70 Dodge pickup which he eventually gave to me as my first vehicle. My oldest son now has it and drives it almost every day and where he learned to drive stick. He plans to teach my Grandson how to drive stick on that old truck.
No matter how GOOD the kid, there are moments when the maturity is just NOT there... then add peer pressure etc, and everything goes out the window. It only takes seconds for disaster.
The only consolation would be sending him to a good performance driving school. It will give him some realistic idea of the physics he is “playing with” and what can go wrong. It would also be very humbling to ride along with a professional driver to learn how much he doesn’t know! Even then, it doesn’t replace maturity... and even then, these cars just beg to be romped on!
Teaching and learning are great things to share. Turning them loose with the car... absolutely not.
Please re-read my disclaimer especially the last condition.
I learned to ride motorcycles when I was about 13. Shortly thereafter, my dad brought a 78 Mazda GLC with manual transmission. It was our first Japanese car during the gas shortage. (1.2 liter motor and 40 mpg.) So I just started driving that car at a very young age with my dad or in the driveway. It was a natural extension of the clutch and gears on a motorcycle. Any other manual transmission car was easy.
Both my sons learned to drive stick in my C6 Z06 and ZR1. Nothing wrong with that at all!
My only regret is that I don't have a 3-speed on the column in the stable to let them experience. That's how I learned...
Ah Ha, me too !!! On my fathers 1955 Chevy panel truck. straight 6 and 3 on the tree. He was a carpenter, we lived in Jersey City. I was his helper, I didn't earn much but got a whole lot of experience. Built my own home on a farm in Howell back in 1972 , 62 X 32 at the cost of $16,000
So I got carpentry experience and manual transmission driving experience. The driving was on the sly, when my father went in to purchase the supplies he left the keys in the truck, I drove around in the lumber yard parking lot.
The "starter pedal " was on the floor to the right of the gas pedal.
Sorry to ramble on !!
Rich
Good for you! I can relate. This past fall was the second time I let my son drive my Grand Sport, to learn how to drive a manual. 2019 was a little tougher, but fall 2020 he did much better. 2019 was a large vacant parking lot, 2020 was regular roads all around us. He loved, and I did too. I also feel the same that driving WITH them is one thing, them driving it alone is another. This spring/summer will be a tuff call for me. He gradutes high school in May, and heads off to basic training in August/September. He's already asked to take it to their senior prom/dinner dance. I haven't decided yet...
I let my son my drive my C7R. Me or my wife are usually along for the ride. He is a straight A student. The 1st place runner on his cross country and track team and Top 100 in the country for his age. He has won the state triathlon championship. He is a pilot who soloed at age 15 and works as an aviation mechanic when not in school or running, and will have his pilot's license this summer. I new he was ready when he finally beat me at the go cart track. He does have really good driving skills for his age and is very mature for his age. I trust him100% with the car. He has bee around corvettes since he was born.
01-22-2021, 08:00 PM
Another Proud Dad Moment
. Their first car was a "hand me down " 1972 Chevy Vega auto from my sister.
