Where to put the ladder? - InspectionNews

Bruce Ramsey · #1 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 06:07 PM

My 15 year old son is just a few months away from being legally old enough to be granted his drivers license. He is always talking about which car I should buy him when he turns 16.

The shopping plaza down the street held an Italian car cruise-in a couple of weekends ago so the family went by for a look see. In the parking lot were a couple dozen Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Fiats, Acura NSX, and Porches. Not all of them were Italian but no one was complaining. Really it was just a bunch of middle aged men drinking coffee and grinning from ear to ear while talking about their toys.

We went because my son is always getting whiplash trying to watch cars as they zoom by. Thought it would be fun to see some up close.

Guess which one he liked the most of all the cars in the parking lot that day?

Jerry Peck · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 07:25 PM

Bruce,

Kit or 'the real thing'?

We have a few 'real things' around here (but then, this IS Daytona Beach) and a few more kits.

The real ones are aluminum, the kits (most of them) are fiberglass. Like D Type Jaguars, there are some kits which are aluminum like the real thing, in fact, they are not so much 'kits' as they are 'faithful reproductions', and only slightly less expensive than 'the real thing' (still a lot more than "A Fistful of Dollars", nodding acknowledgment for that title to Clint Eastwood).

Have to admit, they are nice.

The guy just across from the end of our street has a '67 Stingray, and just around the corner is a guy who has a '54 Corvette AND a '65 Austin Healey 3000. And me and my *new* (relatively speaking) '83 Jaguar XJS.

But I like those Cobras ( YouTube - The Rip Chords - Hey Little Cobra ). Started out as lowly AC Cobras and then Carroll Shelby got his hands on them.

Ted Menelly · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 07:31 PM

I have almost bought one at least three times in my life. The almost clincher was the 427.

I drove them all and knew I could not by one. You just cannot drive slow in them. So much power, so little car.

Buy hime something else and get a model for the cobra.

Just an old fart that still says "I wanna go fast"

Jerry Peck · #4 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

I have almost bought one at least three times in my life. The almost clincher was the 427.

Ted,

They were also made with the 289.

Trying to remember what the stats on the 427 were: 0-100 in 6 seconds. 0-100-0 in 10 seconds. Something like that.

Ted Menelly · #5 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Ted,

They were also made with the 289.

Trying to remember what the stats on the 427 were: 0-100 in 6 seconds. 0-100-0 in 10 seconds. Something like that.

I had a 64 1/2, 2 65 fastbacks and a 66 fastback mustang, all with extremely powerful 289. All over built and scary. Point being made is a 289 can be way more than powerful enough for anyone's thrill. The 427, oh my.

The first car being a go fast car is not always the greatest idea unless he is extremely responsible. Well, not sure about that. Dad is a home inspector

I won't mention the GTO's, 428 T-Bird, Chevelle's I had. Uh oh, getting excited, better stop now I'll be out buying one. They make the Cobras about 2 miles from me in Fort Worth.

Gees, did I have to remind myself. I think they are called Mark Five. The manufacturer that is.

Edit here. The fastest I ever went was 160 in a GTO convertible. Raced a 66 corvette from the Borne Bridge to Kingston exit on route 3 in Mass, about 30 some odd miles, 35 years ago.. Yup. I won. I got off at the exit and he nailed it going by me as I was slowing down and nothing but blue and gray smoke was pouring out the back. Ah yes, the good ole days.

wayne soper · #6 (**permalink**) 09-06-2008, 08:25 AM

Buy him the one he can afford the insurance on. Make him pay for his own insurance. When he see's whatr it costs to insure one of those he'll straighten out sure!

Bruce Ramsey · #7 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 07:30 PM

The deal is he has to have the deductible in a savings account before he drives. He pays for the insurance.

I expect a 16 yr old to bump into stuff a few times over the next couple a years. I see no sense in buying anything overly nice or expensive. Higher insurance, more costly to repair, more headaches all around.

I am not buying him a vehicle. I am buying myself a new vehicle and he may get my old vehicle with 150,000+ miles and several dings. At $75 a fill-up, he won't be driving much anyway since he doesn't have a job. Between honors classes homework, Boy Scouts, and year round travel sports team, he does not have much time left over for a job.

Everyone should have a dream. He can dream on.

Jerry Peck · #8 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey

I am not buying him a vehicle. I am buying myself a new vehicle and he may get my old vehicle with 150,000+ miles and several dings.

Kinda like when I bought my first car ... when *I bought* it.

Not only did I have to have the money for it, and for in$urance, by my Dad *had to approve of it* too.

He did not approve of the first 2-3 I looked at (the first two had raced, and won, at the 12 hours at Sebring race - wonder why I was not allowed to buy them

), then, the one I bought, he said that if I did not buy it, *he would*.

But he never got the chance to buy it ... hey, *I* did all the leg work, no way was I going to let him buy it.

A 1954 Jaguar Mk VII Sedan.