914 as kids first car? :(, nervous about this one. Options

[Brian Mifsud]

Hi All,

Hypocrite that I am, I'm nervous about my kids desire to own a 914 as his first car. I bought and drove one as a "Step Up" from my hot-rodded '69 Beetle when I was 19. I just feel though that there are a hell of a lot more people on the road driving earth-moving Suburban/lifted 4x4s etc than when I was young (early 80's) and that the likelihood of getting run over/punted in a 914 these days is much higher.

Now, this has no basis on fact, just my hunch, and probably my protective instinct so...

Do you think that a 914 with these mods might be enough to ease my fears?

- Fully caged including door bars to slow down side impact incursions

- Safety harness?

- Added bright LED Brake Light bars

- Fuel Cell to minimize the gasoline-in-the lap fun of VW's and Porsches

- automatic Fire supression system

- Use a '75 or '76 model year for the honking big 5MPH bumper added safety margin

- Better than stock tires and brakes

- Driving school - (Learn to handle the car on wet curvy roads, no ABS, etc)


Okay, clearly I'm a paranoid guy... I really would have preferred that my son drive something forgiving in a crash like a mid/late -90's Mustang

Opinions?

Thanks

Brian

['73-914kid]

I'll give you some perspective on this one as I've driven my 914 since the day I turned 15 1/2 (Learners permit) I love driving my car around everywhere, but you cannot drive it like a suburban, as it is one of the smallest cars on the road, and is not crazy visible. I have a loud exhaust on my car, so that helps a little I think.

-He needs to have the situational awareness of a fighter pilot to survive on the road day to day, especially on the freeway. I have been "moved over" countless times by soccer moms who are trying to change lanes in the freeway and not looking to see if a car is there.
-A third brake light on the targa bar is a must have for being visible in traffic.
-Find a late car like a 75/76 with the impact bumpers and heavy doors. These are as safe as you can be in a 914 without installing a full cage, harnesses, and race seats.
-Leave the fuel tank in. They don't spill fuel, and if the charcoal canister and evap system is properly setup, he will only smell fuel upon making a hard left-hand turn with a full tank of fuel.

I drive around with door bars and a roll bar, because when I built my car, the plan was to autocross it often. It has become a danger to my own safety I'm sure for the reasons:
-I not longer have racing seats and harnesses, so my head can easily hit the roll bar if I was in hard side impact collision
-When I had race seats and harnesses in, it was easy to get lazy, and not tighten down the belts, and sometimes not run the crotch strap. This in itself was dangerous, as in an impact, the shock of your body coming forward, and then stopping HARD on the harnesses would be no bueno. The snap is quite violent. They are only good if you are pinned in the car with them.

I drove around for 2 years with what I would call a streetable "race car". No tickets, but I should have been pulled over many times over with some of the stuff you can do in a 914 with a hot 4 cylinder.


914's are very easy to get out of for a young kid. A fire system is not needed, especially if you install the stainless tunnel fuel lines IMO. If the car catches on fire, it will catch in the engine bay from fuel spraying everywhere... he should be able to get out.


You sound very protective, which I respect, but I don't think you sound ready to let him have a 914 as a first car, becasue they just arent as safe as a modern car with airbags and proper crash structures.