Bopcat

My son will be 16 next month. He's had his permit since early this summer. We started out on our Mazda Tribute (like a Ford Escape) since it's an automatic. He's doing fine with that and is driving it to school everyday with my wife. The car that eventually will be his is an SVT Focus that my wife is driving. Lately I've been teaching him to drive the Focus with it's manual transmission and he's just about ready to leave parking lot practice and drive it out on the street. We were going to drive the Focus this weekend but my wife hit a curb and now it needs a new wheel and tire. So, this morning we went out in the Mustang. I had him drive around in a large parking lot before we went on the road. He did great. He's a good kid and far more mature than I was at that age (or even now, maybe). We drove around the suburbs for awhile and then onto this straight, deserted road with no driveways, cross streets, etc. and I told him to open it up. I had turned off the OD but left the traction control on. This was his first taste of an American V-8 muscle car, and he loved it. We made a few runs up and down ths street and went home. Another great father-son bonding experience!

azoufan

Much better bonding experience than I had with my dad and his 69 Mach 1. Something like this...

Me - "Dad, when I get old enough can I have this car?"
Dad - "poo, I'd rather be buried alive in this car than give it to you."

Then he sold it about 8 years later. Conveniently, he does not remember this conversation. Now I'm taking my Mustang back to Oklahoma next week to go see him. He already asked me if he could drive it. Any guesses as to what I told him?

Glad to see you let him drive it. I'm sure he's been drooling over it for a while now. The correct placement of drive time allowances for him could do wonders for grades, chores, college, etc. I really admire you for allowing him to drive it and share the experience with him. Great job!

Sean

korinwoodo

I am 15 and extremely envious of your son :P

mlcrisis

Nice story and that will make memories forever. Keep it up !!!
That's exactly what this world needs - more father & son bonding and teaching. Just be sure to keep drilling it in his head that driving carries with it alot of responsibility for himself and others. Safety must always come 1st and the power, whether it's a 4 cylinder or a powerful V8 must be respected.

May I suggest another bonding experience. Find a defensive driving type track. Take the class together and let him experience Hydroplaning and emergency maneuvers. That will make a lasting impression.

gt5000

im 16 will u adopt? I got the papers!!! I'll work too!

Autotooner

Bopcat

We do plan on taking a defensive driving class up at Sears Point with the Jim Russell driving school. I think he needs a little more seat time before we do this.

I think he's learned that if he does his part and is responsible, good stuff follows.

Infinity

I, too, was lucky. My father bought me my first car (lived too far out in the sticks to get a job w/out a car). It was an '84 T-Bird 5.0. Well, it was supposed to be. It turned out to be a 347 crate motor. It also had a posi rear of some sort. That car would FLY. I loved it, but so did cops and my insurance co. Good luck, Ben. Sounds like you have a good kid on your hands. :thumbsup:

mlcrisis

Awesome, will probably be the best money you ever spent for your son. Not to get in your business, but here's another link to consider Fast Lane Driving School

Sounds like you've done a great job raising a fine young man. I commend you, more kids need dads like you. During this time in his life, I'm sure you'll remember, peer pressure and the feeling of being invincible are tough to fight off. Keep his head the right size, guide him, help him and may you have many grand children in the future.

Bopcat

The Fast Lane Driving School looks pretty good. We live in Northern California and Sears is just an hour and a half away. Willow is a long drive for us. I would rather drive on Willow than Sears, even after all the changes, Willow is safer. Years ago I sponsored and tuned a motorcycle that we raced at Sears and Willow. One of my friends with prior roadracing experience rode it. I was a fairly quick street rider but not a racer. Carpal tunnel problems ended my motorcycling days. My canyon runner now is a Miata with suspension tuning by a local race shop. Riding in the Miata was my son's introduction to performance driving. Nothing like heel and toeing a smooth downshift to impress the young'uns. I bought the SVT Focus a few years ago with the plan to give it to him if he behaved. It's really a sweet car, handles well for front-wheel drive and doesn't have too much power. It's a car that rewards smoothness.

Thunder Road

Hey Sean, Where in OK? I was born in Shawnee, graduated in Wetumka. Folks still live in Shawnee.

tacbear

My son is 15 also and he has been learning in our Harley F 150 and our SVT Focus (which will also be his one day). We were out in my 2000 Supercharged Mustang GT and I let him drive it a few miles (you should have seen the smile on his face), he said "Father, now I know why so many people love Mustangs, I can't wait for some of my "Ricer" friends to see me behind the wheel of this beast". We are also going to take a driving course together.

PolkThug

I learned how to drive stick on a Mustang too. Looking back now, I can't believe how much patience my parents had, I bet my dad held back a few expletives during my not so good shifts.

azoufan

Why, Mustang Oklahoma of course! Going to try to catch the Baylor game while I'm in town too. Now let's hope your local police don't mind an out of state car with limo tint on the windows. :nono:

Sean

Boltzman

Wow,what a lucky kid.My first car was a 72 plymouth duster.started driving in 83

RaGsHoCkEy88

lol im 18 and i have an 05 GT!!

06GT

If your wife hit a curb, she probably needs a driving lesson too.

S197 GT

All right Ben, I live in Fremont too. Take it easy on his wheel time in the GT. He's only 16. He can drive the Focus, and it will insure our GT's stay in 1 piece.

Cheese302

well i consier my father the best dad of all time. I love him to death and there are too many reasons why. But here is my story.

the car is a 1969 Boss 302 Mustang. I have dreamt of owning one since i was about 6-7 years old. Well on october 31 1999 when i was sixteen we rented a trailer and drove to collegeville PA and bought the Boss that still lives in our garage. well it was always hands off to me

i sat in it someitmes, i got to ride in it, but never drive it, not even pull it into the garage for him. Then One night, my dad had a couple to many down the shore and by outside pressure. I got to drive home, it was amazing. i finally sat behind the wheel of my dream car. That was when i was 18.

The next summer, we had it at the shop that i worked for. the night i was working that the car was finished i called my dad to let him know to run over and pick it up. He told me to drive it home..... i was floored.

after that i was able to take my friends for a couple short spins around the block here and there. It was truely an awesome experiance. Then we found a crack in the firewall. It was time to pull the car apart. I started, the motor came out, the interior was removed, i started from scratch on the brakes, the power steering, had the engine rebuilt and dyno tuned by bitner automotive in trenton NJ, put a whole new wiring harness in the dash.

i took the car apart in may 2003

i started reassembling in march of this year.

i finished reassembling the car two weeks ago. Up till now this was purely a work of the love of the car. I LOVE boss 302's Then this week i got the keys handed to me to take a girl on a date in it. I was soo happy. I couldn't thank my dad enough.

i am 22 now so it took six long years to finally be trusted with the car. Although i am happy it took that long for some reason, it means a lot more to me now.

only 7.5 months of straight working on it while getting through my fourth year, a summer of class, and my last semester of Mechanical engineering at NJIT, working 30+ hours a week to keep gas in my daily driver, and trying to maintain some form of social life: I reassembled "the boss"

although i think earning eagle scout, graduating with honors from high school, and trying to be a son his dad could be proud of, could have helped. i must say

THANKS DAD....... The most influential, best friend, greatest person a son needs, and mine is the best.

Bopcat: that's a great thing you did for your son, I am sure he will grow up to be the person you want him to be. I am greatful for fathers who treat their son with the kind of respect you and my father have given your son and me. I wish other kids were as greatful for what ther parents do as i am,and as i am sure your son is for you.

slammer223

I'm teaching my 16 yr old daughter to drive the Mustang. She's been driving the F-150 with automatic quite well, so.... we went to the school parking lot for clutch and shifting practice. She has gotten pretty good within the limitations of not being able to get out of second gear around there. Next will be out on some back country roads. Even though young female drivers tend to have a collective reputation of "lack of attention," she's showed me that she can indeed pay attention when she needs to.

I still found myself pressing my left foot hard into the floor for some reason.....

I wish there was a good driving school nearby. I know I could use that kind of training too.