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

[Cupomeat]

I bought my 914 at 17 and it was my first car. I considered it a good first car as a kid as it had great brakes, great handling and not enough power to easily get myself in trouble in.

That being said, I was VERY responsible as a kid, but did drive around with way too many passengers (girls) and YES, you can easily have sex in the car, but don't worry about that, if he is gonna, it doesn't matter what car he has.

Only other thing, I agree with 73-914 kid, Do NOT put a cage and harnesses in the car, he is safer with stock seatbelts and a door he can climb out of in an accident (avoids the entrapment, head instersection with cage, etc. )

That being said, I agree with bozo914, get him a old civic or corolla to learn and wreck and work on the 914 together.

Enjoy and you can't keep him from every danger, he has to learn.