Daughter want's to drive the truck

[Surfdaddy]

I haven’t had a chance to do anything with the truck since Thanksgiving, only starting it once a week or so and driving it around the block. I have to run to my parents house every weekend (186 miles one way)and after I killed the motor on the Squareback, which I just finished a 140hp 2165cc I haven’t had time for anything. My oldest daughter asked if she could take the truck to her high school car show on Friday. Yesterday I took her out for a check ride to see if she could handle it. She did pretty well considering she has never driven a truck or something without power steering or brakes or fuel injection (learning how to start it). She drove 10 miles of in town stuff and did pretty good. She is used to driving an econo-crate and she thought it was pretty fun. Today she’ll drive some more and we’ll work on parking a bit more. On Thursday we’ll l drive and then polish the chrome and get it ready. We picked up my youngest daughter from school and even she thought it was cool to see her driving the old truck.

[doobiebro]

Thats very cool....My 1st vehicle I learned to drive (mid 80s)actually looked like yours...It was 2 tone white and red 1966 GMC truck longbed fleet side 305 V6 no powersteering, no powerbrakes. Man that truck brought so many memories. I actually took my wife to the highschool prom in it....You learn to drive that you can drive anything....

[1963c-10]

Thats awesome. Had my 2.5 year old niece out with me this weekend while tearing down the 61 parts truck. She had a blast. Good tool hander also.

[Corts60]

That is awesome!

[SS317]

That's awesome you are letting her drive it. I hope my daughters like my trucks when they get that age.

[ekgguy]

I am building a '68 LWB for my 16 year old daughter. She is right there in the middle of everything helping away.

[j.kirn]

Isay let her have some fun in dads truck and show off some old school truck

[Surfdaddy]

She likes the truck now. When I first got it they were watching the Twilight movies and said “No not Bella’s truck!!!” After I got it cleaned up and they got used to it they like it now. We get a lot of looks and people asking about it every time it’s out. Even my 13 year old isn’t embarrassed to have me drop her off at her friend’s house. I built the VW for my oldest but we got a 07 Focus and had her drive that, which is good since she has had two fender benders in the first 4 months of driving, which has cost me 2500 bucks. If that happen in the VW it would have cost a lot more. She’s in AP Physics and had a lesson in inertia and kinetic energy. They showed on utube a 09 Malibu and a 59 Biscayne do a 25 mph corner to corner head on crash. The Malibu driver would have walked away butt the Biscayne driver would have been killed. She loves the look of the VW but doesn’t want to drive very far it now. I said that after a little more practice she could take the truck any time. She thinks the truck is a lot safer than the VW.

[chance65c20]

my son i 1 and 1/2 and he loves my 65. hope he likes rust as much as i do!!!!

[1963c-10]

I think its important to get the younger generations involved in the classics. Teaches them to turn their own wrenches. And keeps them out of trouble.

[chevy_man5]

Surfdaddy, have you messed with that hood at all?

[Surfdaddy]

A little, I’ve been real busy with work until last month (12 hours a day 5-6 days a week.) I blew up the motor on the VW so I had to build one from the ground up which has taken time, and my dad became real sick. I’ve been running to my parents’ house every weekend, which is 186 miles one way. I looked the hood again on Friday night and was going to just put it on but promised I would finish the VW before working on anything else. I got the motor and new trans in the car and just need to fire it up which I’ll do on Friday night or Monday when I get home.

[chevy_man5]

Sorry to hear about your dad. Hope he is getting better!

I can definitely relate to the long hours. I run 50-60 almost every week, and have for the last several years. Small company, lots of hats to wear! LOL

Good luck on the VW firing up!

[Surfdaddy]

I’m glad to be getting a break from work since this has been going on for more than 4 years and everyone is tired, and with the NASA budget up in the air it’s hard to see when we’ll get busy again maybe 3 years from now.
I have a little pucker factor with firing it up since I haven’t worked with Webber 40’s before. I’m really afraid that I’ll get it to go lean and burn a valve or get it too hot. As far as my dad goes, everyone either has or will have to go through it at some time. Just sucks, but it is what it is….. Right now I’m driving over 700 miles a week and glad to have work be a second thought.