Would you use the Charger to teach the kids how to drive?

[bull]

I've been thinking about this for some time. My daughters are 5 and 7 so I've got some time to mull it over but I was thinking about using the Charger, when the time comes, to teach them how to drive. My logic is that if they can drive a BB/4spd '68 w/manual brakes around a parking lot (and that's probably as far as I'd let them go with it) they can drive anything.

The first thing I drove was a JD tractor at the age of about 10 and I think it helped me learn the feel of driving. Let me tell you, everything is pretty easy to drive after learning on a tractor.

Anyway, would you do it? Have you done it? Am I nuts?

[71ChallengeHer]

No way, Shelby learned how to drive in the Daytona and the Acclaim. She can drive the Challenger when I croak. 

[terrible one]

I'm a kid myself, so I guess my input may not be valued as much, but. . .

I think that it would be alright in a big parking lot with no poles, etc. But even if I was alright with my kids driving the Charger, I don't know if that would be the best. I agree with you/ see where you are coming from with the "if they can drive the Charger, they can drive anything" statement, but then again, it's just so much different than a newer car, and one that they will most likely be driving. While this may be a null response, I guess that what I mean to say is that even if you do trust them to do it, is there any real benefit?

[Charger1973]

Hell no give em an old pickup truck.  Thats the best way to learn and they are built tough.   

[Forza]

I'd take em to the carnival and let them in the bumper cars before the front seat of a 2Door charger.

[TruckDriver]

Maybe in a 4 door Charger with a 6 cylinder, not my REAL Charger Better yet, a old '70s Chevy Vega would be better

[sunfire69]

When I took drivers ED waaaayyyy back, the cars were all '69 chargers, 318 but still Chargers. All the same white with a tan top and tan interior.
The simulators in the classroom were "Chargers" also, ralley cluster  and charger style steering wheel .
In our family dads Charger was the grocery getter, camper puller (16ft Coachman) and vacation wagon, and yes it was the car I learned to drive in.
Jerry 

[41husk]

I think, I would give my kids a few lessons using one of the Chargers, but most of the tight in town driving the ram truck would be the weapon of choice.

[hemihead]

Dodge Shadow

[Orange_Crush]

Mine is learning in the wife's minivan and then shes going here:

http://www.bondurant.com/courses/teendriving.php

[my73charger]

I learned first on a tractor and then in an old GMC farm truck with a 4 speed in a hay field.  What a blast!

[Charger_Fan]

You're nuts.

[bull]

When I took drivers ED waaaayyyy back, the cars were all '69 chargers, 318 but still Chargers. All the same white with a tan top and tan interior.
The simulators in the classroom were "Chargers" also, ralley cluster  and charger style steering wheel .
In our family dads Charger was the grocery getter, camper puller (16ft Coachman) and vacation wagon, and yes it was the car I learned to drive in.
Jerry 

That's awesome! I'd love to have one of those old simulaters. I can't remember what kind of car our Driver's Ed used but I know it wasn't a Charger. I owned two of the three 2nd gen Chargers in the whole county, and parts off the third.

[Charger_Fan]

Maybe a rallye cluster could be swapped into this one?

[Old Moparz]

I learned on a 1972 Datsun station wagon, self taught when nobody was home.    Drove it around the yard, around the swimming pool in the backyard, then after getting board in the yard, took it down the street. Progressed from there to around the block, around the neighborhood, & then to some friend's houses to pick them up.

If there's keys & a good battery around, they'll teach themselves Bull, so don't worry about it. 

[bull]

Hmmm. That looks familiar now that I see it again. I'm pretty sure that's the same simulator we had in Driver's Ed when I was 15, back in '81 maybe. I wonder if any of those parts are usable on a car?

Maybe a rallye cluster could be swapped into this one?

[74-StreetMachine]

  I learned to drive in dads 1972 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham and I took my drivers test in moms '68 318 charger.  And I passed the first time.

[41husk]

When I took drivers ED waaaayyyy back, the cars were all '69 chargers, 318 but still Chargers. All the same white with a tan top and tan interior.
The simulators in the classroom were "Chargers" also, ralley cluster  and charger style steering wheel .
In our family dads Charger was the grocery getter, camper puller (16ft Coachman) and vacation wagon, and yes it was the car I learned to drive in.
Jerry 

That's awesome! I'd love to have one of those old simulaters. I can't remember what kind of car our Driver's Ed used but I know it wasn't a Charger. I owned two of the three 2nd gen Chargers in the whole county, and parts off the third.

Our high school still uses that film with the simulators

[TruckDriver]

I actually learned how to drive in a '80 Olds Cutlass 4 door and 2 door. For stick shift, they had a yellow Chevy Chevette that one of the girls drove through the side of the school Needless to say, I was on my own to learn how to drive stick. I did that in a old '74 Vega I got for free

[Charger_Fan]

I wonder if any of those parts are usable on a car?

I know the steering wheel is a real one, I've heard stories of guys getting those in pristine condition for their resto's.

[hemigeno]

Heck yeah, why not. I learned in a '68 w/a 383. When I was 13,summer of 1980 what a blast that was. Its only a car, in 100 years, like its really gonna mater anyways.
Mark

Ummm, I don't think I'm turning my 16 year old daughter (she's taking her driving test on 7/31) loose with a 4-speed Hemicar.  It's only a car, yes, but I'd like to keep my daughter around more than I'd like to keep the car!

[Charger1973]

That thing is friggin sweet! 

[Silver R/T]

gotta start them out on a beater honda or something else before they can drive real car

[dkn1997]

Start them out on something difficult so that when it comes time to rent that ryder or uhaul to move, they are not afraid to jump in and wheel it around like it's cool. 

[CaptMarvel]

Ive been taking my 3 younger ones (ages 3, 10 & 11) for little rides in it recently out in the country where Ive got it stashed. They think its the best thing in the world (especially when I get on it at the end of the long driveway) The answer is heck yes, Id teach them how to drive in the Charger! It'd be a blast and make those priceless memories for them. Its a cool classic car and somewhat valuable, but lets not forget to have some fun with them otherwise what are they really worth in the long run?

[bull]

That's kind of what I'm thinking. It's not just an exercise in education it's a trust thing too. I don't want my kids thinking the Charger is more important to me than them but at the same time I want them to learn the same respect and admiration for the car as I have. Of course I don't want it to get wrecked but I think turning the reins over to them in my most prized possession would show them more than I can say to them.

[dkn1997]

Ummm, I don't think I'm turning my 16 year old daughter (she's taking her driving test on 7/31) loose with a 4-speed Hemicar.......

Pussy!!      come on, man up!! 

[Nacho-RT74]

I "stolen" my dad's 88 Jeep wrangler Limited when he was on a vacation trip once, then practice on a 87 Toyota Land Cruiser on building parking lot just practicing manual shiftingand clucth play, even the Jeep I "stolen" was maunual tranny... wasn't easy, but PC Games ( Test Driver LOL ) teach me A LOT. anyway just in case I took driving class on a driving school for safety and was on a Fiat Spazio... then drove a 81 Range Rover, and now My Charger.

I would teach in My Charger... maybe not the first tries but definitelly Yes would do it. Will choose first a manual trannie car to teach and then The Charger to make it feel confortable about Big Cars. I don't like when ppl say doesn't like because is too big and lots of blind points. If you look at 40% of actuall SMALL cars, they have same or less rear view size ( Neon for example ), just helped by big side mirrors.

[NHCharger]

My insurance (Hagerty) prohibits anyone with less than five years experience from driving my Chargers. Both my boys learned on my Chevy Express 1 ton cargo van. After driving that most other vehicles seem small.

[69_500]

Ah come on Gene, let the girl learn how to drive in the Charger, that way she will be just fine at driving by the time the Daytona is done.



I'll let my boy drive the 500 when he gets old enough to drive. For now though he is only 3 so that is a bit of a ways away. I don't think I'll change my mind before then though, if not the 500 then another Charger that we will have by that time.

[JR]

 On one had, if they can drive it the Charger they will be fine in todays modern econo crap boxes, but on the other hand, what happens in the event of mechanical failure? Say the throttle sticks, the brakes fail, or something happens in the steering. All are possible in a 40 year old car and a 15 year old most likely wont think fast enough to react before theres' a problem. My 68 got backed into a tree by an 18 year old friend for the same reason.

Kids just don't have the reflexes or the skill to handle that situation. I say let them drive some manual tranny long wheelbase 3/4 ton truck. Thats just as much a crash course in driving.

[bull]

My insurance (Hagerty) prohibits anyone with less than five years experience from driving my Chargers.

And I'm sure you've never broken any rules.