I just picked up a 1977 "project car" to build with and for my son who's almost 10. As you can see there's no rush here except for the fact that I'm getting older each and every day :-)
The car is in fair shape, needs some minor body work to straighted out some door gaps, the frame is clean - no rust. It need the usual a 30 year old car needs that hasn't been taken care of. The engine is in rough shape, not that I care too much as I plan on yanking and rebuilding it. I tried rebuilding the carb just to get it running and it was so pitted inside it wasn't worth it so I bought a replacement Quadrajet from Ecklers. It now runs and I was able to get it in my garage and up on my KwikLift to begin work. My question is, what was the first year GM put computers in Corvettes? Since I'm NOT dumb enough to dump ****loads of money into a frame-off only to hand it over to a 17 year old I was thinking of making the car safe, upgrading from a carb to fuel injection, better suspension and some interior upgrades to make it more driveable etc etc.
Any thoughts?

Ed

 

There are advantages to having computers on cars/engines...simplicity is not one of them. The primary advantages are emissions control and economy, because the real-time air/fuel monitoring and management systems are much more responsive than a "fixed" piece of hardware. However, the carb's advantage is that it doesn't require a number of expensive sensors and injectors, nor a computer to function; and, once it has been set up correctly, it's good-to-go for quite a while. As a learning tool, the computer-free C3 Corvette is about as good as it gets. Leave it "as is" and let Junior learn the basics and have some fun while he's learning. If he wants to "graduate" to computer controlled cars, he can do that on his own.

 

I believe your thinking backwards?
The more reliable and driver friendly you make it, the more he is going to drive it, the only way to save the car from a 17 year old is to save it from a 17 year old!!!!!!!!!!!
These people moved to town with a 68 SS Camaro, flat azz perfect.
They parents leave town and tell him not to touch the maro.
The first thing he does is wipe the front end off the car in front of the place his dad works!!!!!!!!

 

Interesting...but that has nothing to do with the car. That, however, has everything to do with the maturity of the child. If you bring the boy up to respect a performance vehicle...and to be trustworthy....it shouldn't be a problem.

 

It's all about upbringing - which is one of the main reasons for this project.
The deal is if he works on the car with me, gets his license at 16 (or whatever the legal age will be at that time), drives for a year with no speeding tickets, DUI's or accidents that are his fault the car is his. My hopes are one, he'll keep his sights OFF my 2005 and two if he has to put his time, effort, blood and eventually money into the car he'll appreciate it all the more rather than just having it the keys handed to him and think long and hard before he goes and does something stupid in it.

Ed

 

sounds like a good project....i did the same thing with my son when he was 15.

 

Well at least another vette will be put on the road for awhile!

 

To answer your question, the 1981 was the first year for computers in the vette.

I would make the car as safe as possible and see if the Corvette or the Playstation wins as far as his interest in the car. He will have Fuel injected cars the rest of his life. He will learn more about motors with a carburetor than anything.

I would use the ~$2000 - 2500 your going to spend on fuel injection to send him to a good advanced driving school later on so he does not wrap the car around a tree.

I bought my 16 year old son a really lame 4 door Ford Focus and he got pulled over doing 84 in a 55.... He got the ticket dismissed and I think he has learned his lesson. My son has near genius SAT score results and straight "A's" since the second grade. I would never think of giving him one of my Corvettes to drive without advanced driving lessons.

One guy in my Corvette club just got his Z06 back from the shop. His 17 year old put it in a ditch and darn near ripped the side of the car off. That is a vette with traction control!!!! We all know C3's require some skill to drive no matter what year the car is.... His insurance company dropped him immediately just cause the kid lives in his house!

Teach the boy how to really work on the car and respect it. A lot of grown ups cannot handle or respect these cars without wrecking them or putting other peoples lives in danger.

In 7 years the price of gas will be so high he may not be able to afford to drive it everyday.

Your a good Dad. Make sure the agreement is etched in stone.

"PARENTAL SUPERVISION REQUIRED"

Rd

 

It's funny you mention advanced driving school. About a month ago I mentioned that I'd like to go to one and my wife just thought it was another one of those "gotta have it" moments :-) However your point is well taken. As I have been driving for 35 years HE would benefit from it much more than I. Funny thing is sending him to one never even crossed my mind - what kind of parent am I ?

Anyway it's probably the best piece of advice yet and I don't mind saying this whole thing scares the hell out of me, corvette, chevelle, geo whatever. I remember my days as a teenager with a drivers license and though I've never been in a bad accident it's an honest to god miracle I'm still here to talk about it. I spent many years as a funeral director and every time I'd get a young kid from a car wreck on my embalming table I'd look at them and think that should have been me a thousand times over...

 

You're always going to worry...whether it's driving a Corvette--or going out with someone else in their car. [Personally, I always preferred my kids driving, rather than their friends.] Other than the driving school (good idea!), be sure to share those old stories of how foolish you were when you were young. It can be humbling, but if they know it can happen to "Dad", it probably can happen to them.