I have been trying to get my dad to let me drive a classic stang but he just isn't going for it. I was thinking a '65-'69 fastback, but my dad fears they are unsafe as recently my friend with a '66 coupe could not control his brakes and steering and got in a wreck. So I was wondering about how muhc money I would be spending to make the car safe (i.e. new chassis def. ABS and power steering new tranny maybe new engine block, etc) Any ideas or ballpark figures would be great to help me get out of this conundrum of a father who will not let his 16 year old drive the muscle he craves

 

Having a 16 y/o daughter myself, I should invoke my 5th amendment rights, and refuse to answer this question on the grounds it could come back to haunt me.......

Sorry, but a vintage Mustang won't be as safe as a newer car for a "new" driver, without spending MORE money than the newer car would cost...

I'm sure ABS COULD be done, but modern ABS systems are controlled by a computer that ties into the rest of the car. Airbags are probably a bigger safety item, but there's no reasonable way to retrofit and test them on an early car.

If you were MY kid, the only way you could impress upon me that you're a good fit for a musclecar would be to save your pennies and put yourself thru something like Bondurant's School's Teen Driving Course.

Just my .02...

 

Having wrecked my first car (not a Mustang) twice when I was 16, I'm going to side with Cloney here. As cool as they are, I couldn't hand a new driver the keys to an early mustang with no safety features either.

You have to respect other people around you, the car and yourself and I've seen very few first timers that can.

 

Plenty of guys have done the ABS and Air Bag upgrades here. And if you are having girl troubles, your cat is lost, or anything else for that matter they can help you out.

 

Listen to GT350Clone!

Sounds like your friend should'nt have been driving a muscle car also. Steering and brakes are what it's all about my friend.
Steering? Brakes? + Muscle = Power!

I agree with your Father.

Sounds like he's only trying to keep you alive.
Why not show your father that your "RESPONSIBLE" with a regular vehicle, and in a couple of years down the road, who knows maybe you will step up to a high performance car, by showing that responsibility.

getting behind the wheel of a muscle car is one thing. Being responsible enough, and being able to handle it is entirely different.

Slow down, have patience, your day will come!

 

 

I've had this talk with many a young person. You don't want one, especially if you are going to drive it alot or drive it in traffic. You couldn't pay me to daily drive an older Mustang without power anything every day. Just my opinion.

Some other points to add to Cloney and the others. And remember, we all drove these cars day in in day out when we were your age. My first car was a 68 coupe which I got when I was 16. I drove it for 7 years through high school, college and when I started work. I had to get rid of it when I moved to Kansas City becuase it stinked driving it in rush hour traffic. (I still have it by the way ).

1) Early cars until mid-67 I think did not have a collapsable steering wheel. The steering column on early cars is a big spear. IF you did get one, get one built after 67 so it would be a tad safer.

2) Brakes. Even my Shelby with power assist doesn't stop that well. You'll pay alot of money to get to todays standards.

3) Steering. Expensive to upgrade, not close to todays cars.

4) Did I mention brakes?

5) Horsepower. Todays engines have more of it. Pretty simple. The 67 Shelby GT350 is rated at 306 HP at the flywheel (gross horsepower rating). The 2005 Mustang is 300 HP at the rear wheel (wheel-driven horsepower). The 6 cylinder car is rated at 215 (somebody hit me if I'm wrong here ). Simply put, that 215 HP is just about as much as a 67 Shelby GT350 (with an AT, assuming 10 to 25% loss, I've heard alot higher (306 * .78 = 239). Our 2003 Mach 1 was rated at 305 HP (wheel-driven) and many have been put on the dyno and gotten as much as 340 HP because of the shaker. (Here is an article explaining the differences: http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/techcente...5/article.html).

6) Yes, classic Mustangs are cooler. But, being alive is even cooler. And not having to worry about door dings, stupid drivers and everything else that you worry about when you're driving a classic. My nephews 65 Coupe got keyed, trashed and everything else you can imagine at his high school.

7) Seat belts. No shoulder harnesses unless you put them in, and I'll never been convinced that the ones you put in a classic will be as safe.

8) Other safety devices such as emergency flashers (not on 65's), brake lights and tail lights (the old ones aren't very bright, reproduction wiring harnesses don't always connect, etc.), no air bags just to name a few of the other factors. In addition, todays cars are structurally more safe and sound.

 

compromise. get something to drive around to show your dad you can be a responsible driver and at the same time find a classic stang that you and your dad can restore together, that will also show him that you are responsible as well and less likely to have an at fault wreck in something that you built yourself. i still have my first car, my 69 gt coupe, and i'm just now getting all the stuff i damaged on the car when i was youger, fixed. i've had my car for 20 years and let me tell you that's a long to have a beat up mustang even if it is your first car. i wouldn't trade my car for anything in the world but i also would never recommend a classic for a first car, unless like previously stated, that you had a major role in restoring it, and not judt working on it either, put up all the cash you have for it too, parts are expensive.

 

I use mine as a daily driver except during the winter months and it's manual everything. It took a while to get used to but I love every minute of it...except the cost of gas. At the same time, it's not a car for a new driver. Listen to the guys on here because they make very good points. A classic in good condition with disk brakes and maybe rack and pinion steering would make a nice driver, but all that stuff costs $$$ and you still lack the safety features and driveability of a new car. I would go with another car as your daily driver and start saving some money for a stang a few years down the road. You might also get a project to work on as the other guys have said.

 

Most people seem to forget that the 'nut' behind the wheel is also a safety item. That's YOU! Cloney's link to the Bondourant school is right on. Or any school for that matter.

I put my two 17 yr olds through the Audi Teen school at Road Atlanta. They had great fun and hopefully learned a thing or two, if nothing else that I cared enough to do it.