A while back I read a story on how putting a new driver into an older vehicle was somehow equivalent to child abuse. The line of thinking went something like this: after seeing a couple of old vs. new crash tests, the author had come to the conclusion that anything made before 1999 was an effective death trap and that it was irresponsible to let a new driver operate such a vehicle. What a crock. Your teen driver needs many things: skill, knowledge, time behind the wheel, and if you appeal to their interests and overall train of thought, you should successfully create a safe driver without shoving them into a car with 27 airbags and all the horsepower of a Studebaker. No, not an Avanti…a Studebaker carraige.
My biases might be showing here, but I believe that a 1977-96 GM B-body is a great first car for the learning driver. In particular, this 1978 Caprice coupe is a great option if you have a budding gearhead who wants something interesting to drive as their first car. Why, though? The basics are simple enough: durable frame, cheap parts, low horsepower from the 350 4-barrel, automatic transmission, and two big railroad ties wrapped in chrome that should take care of most of the “whoops” incidents we all have had in our early driving days. It’s not going to blend in the parking lot, and while I doubt any teenager would be thrilled about getting a Chevy painted the same color as a Werther’s Original candy, it’s not the typical Mustang/Camaro/hot import that is the “hot car” choice, either.
Maybe a paint job in a less 1970s color could be a goal for the young gun to work towards…but for $4995, let them save up the money. You’ll be paying enough for the car as-is.
Craigslist Link: 1978 Chevrolet Caprice Classic
High Schooler’s car?
In the UK, hardly anyone of high school age can even afford a car and have to rely on a free school bus. But I doubt any high school kid in the US would even piss on a shit brown Chevy that smells like Granpappy’s long johns on a hot and sweaty summer’s day…
Owned two of them before I was fifteen, Geordie.
Personally I like the UK and the people and a lot of your cars I don\’t think you guys have anymore pus filling than we do
Ummmm. Yeah let’s talk English manufacturing for a bit, shall we? You know as most real gearheads know English cars have the worst electrical wiring since the 30’s. I’ve owned a Triumph or two…
I had one of those! Maroon with a 305 2bbl. Slow as molasses, but it got me to work and back.
Geordie, that’s because the UK is a pus-filled blister on the edge of Europe. In the civilized world, automobiles are required for nearly everyone. In the US, there’s physical space, and that requires time to transverse, it’s not all smashed into a tiny isle with delusions of grandeur.
Other than the horrible, horrible wheels, that would be a good starter car for a kid. The body seems straight and easy to shoot whatever color then, it spins the correct pair of wheels, and has the correct number of spark plugs. It’s got the wrong number of pedals, but sadly it seems that finding people who can drive with both feet is getting harder every year.
Shame, really.
Pus-filled blister?
That’s fine coming from somebody who lives in a country ruled by a babbling gibbering moron who when he went to Europe didn’t even know where he was. So I’ll keep my tiny island and laugh at the lack of wit of a typical Chevy-humper..
Testicular fortitude is a foreign concept, eh Geordie?
My first car was a black 2 door 1977 Caprice with white vinyl interior and a 2bbl 305 for power. Ran 18.05 in the quarter mile and won high school class and street class on the first trip to the track. Was super consistant. The got me down to 8 cars at the bracket finals. Was a great car. Even protected me well when i crashed it later on the road.
I set my son up with a 67 F100 he and i painted it satin black and I found a set of bronco slotted mags for it … and he was voted coolest ride in school
Old CARS ROCK
5th gen camaro wheels look great on everything.
My first car was a 1984 caprice i bought when i was 15 in 1998. It was frost beige with brown interior, had a 305 and cost $500. After owning close to 100 cars since, it is still one of my favorites. I learned how to drive rwd in the snow, learned how to start a carbureted vehicle, and could cruise anywhere, and took my brothers everywhere because my parents knew I was in a safe vehicle. Some day I will own another one.
gourd-ie needs to modernize and learn that his daily driven 8n ford isnt the pinnacle of high performance engineering like he seems to think.
my first from high school was a ’67 Caprice Coupe. 3 mountain bikes or 4 sets of ski’s all in the trunk. 327, turbo 400 (w/shift kit), 12bolt. 7×15 rally’s… Drove it daily for 13 years. wish I hadn’t traded it back in ’95….