Dagnabit, Son is 15 going on 40

[Pickemuptruck71]

Tis a sad day in this household. My son has been dragging his feet the last couple of weeks; everytime we were to head to the garage to start spinning wrenches, Josh came up with a reason not to. So last night we had this heart to heart about what the heck is going on; he told me "Dad, the best I'm gonna get outta this beast is 12 mpg, and working at McDonalds' I won't be able to afford anything other than putting gas in it, I really would like to get something with a 4 cyl or small v-6" So......I guess its time to list the parts on the parts board, I figure we'll sell the parts and then he can take the cash and buy whatever he wants. I'm kinda proud of the young man, and as I told him last night, when your cash flow is better, we'll build ya one. The 454, the B&M t-350, the edelbrock carb, dang hold on while I wipe the tear from my eye. They all gotta go

[llegos]

sorry to hear that...fortunatly ive got a decent job, and a beater car that gets decent milege, so i can still afford fuel.


BTW, i doubt you would get 12 with that setup, i get it with a fairly stock 350 and a manual tranny(and i drive somewhat normal)

[bigcdawg99]

Sorry to hear about that man. My dad and I grew close wrencing on a 62 longbed through high school. You should be proud though, it sounds like he's very mature and responsible for his age. At 15 I blew every cent I made. The gearhead bug will never leave him either. I had to sell my truck at 17 for similar reasons. I bought my 71 a year ago (now 24 years old) and my dad comes over to help me work on it about every other weekend. The time will come.

[farside847]

Nah, give it a few days, he'll come to his sences....

[GMC71k20]

spending every dollar i had on my trruck kept me away from drugs and unfortunalty boobs

[Green Machine]

We've had a simliar discussion here with my 15 yr old son. Just got done restoring the 68(mine), so do we start fixing up the 70 Green Machine for my son ? Might cost 5 to 10k depending on engine needs, or just buy something that runs cheap ? We drove a 99 S10 5 speed 2200 4 cyl and were not really impressed, We've decided that the 70 need fixing regardless and may put a stock 305 in for better mileage. If that doesn't work for fuel costs atleast we will have another nice truck to drive occasionaly, and will have to find a cheap running beater for him for daily use. Have a daughter now 13 and younger son now 11 so will have more vehicle decisions coming up also, damn gas prices screws up the plans.......

[TP from Cntl PA]

Heck, I don't even think he afford much anything else other than fuel driving even a Civic..........I'd be working my pencil on paper pretty hard, it may not even pay him to work at the current time.

Could I interested you in putting a Cummins in that truck........... MPG is unbelieveable................

[muddbugg72]

how about selling that engine and tranny and buying a complete EFI truck with OD tranny and doing a engine tranny swap. might not get 20 mpg but will be a cool truck with decent gas milage. hope all turns out well.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

My 19 year old complains like that everyday and he has a full time job. He also says he'll NEVER sell his truck and is working hard to get out of the small debt he owes me so he can buy a second (small) car. Hold on to what you have and start saving.

[navybear70]

Thank God I grew up in between the two major gas crunches. Too young to get hit by the early eighties. My first vehicle was a 78 Scottsdale with an Olds sm block, bought in 1990 for $1500.

[cdowns]

could it be that your son just doesn't share your interest in these trucks??? if so let him just find his own way,he'd really endup hating them if it's forced on him..

[boraxman]

Just pay for his gas card

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by farside847

Nah, give it a few days, he'll come to his sences....

If he doesn't, I'll trade ya my 89 civic for it, on the other cars for sale thread

[sinister72]

Mine son started at 15,,working on a 69 swb, his first car!I do believe his love for these old trucks a 69,71,and 72.Is why he went to trade school and at 24 is a very successful industrial maintance Tech and make more than his Dad .hahahah!

[Stocker]

As others have said, he sounds mature and fiscally responsible, traits you don't often see in kids of that age, or even much older than 15. Congratulations! Help him find a reliable car that he wants, and that he can afford to buy and to operate.

And - ask him if he'd like to continue helping you build the truck. It would still be great time together, and when it's finished, if he hasn't changed his mind, sell the completed truck. Part of the proceeds would be his, of course!

[chickenwing]

If he really enjoys working on it.... Could ya buy the truck from him and still carry on? Lot of stuff passes from father to son in a garage. I guess you could still have that workin on a civic. But... it just seems wrong.

[chickenwing]

Originally Posted by Stocker

As others have said, he sounds mature and fiscally responsible, traits you don't often see in kids of that age, or even much older than 15. Congratulations! Help him find a reliable car that he wants, and that he can afford to buy and to operate.

And - ask him if he'd like to continue helping you build the truck. It would still be great time together, and when it's finished, if he hasn't changed his mind, sell the completed truck. Part of the proceeds would be his, of course!

Weird how either I think like you or you think like me. Finally got back to finish and I ended up making a double post.

[dtlilly]

Please don't tell us in 3 months he wants a Civic SI, and wants to put a fart can and some racing stickers on it!!!!

Kids taste change as quick as the weather at that age. When I was 16 I had to have 4X4 raised to the clouds, then I wanted a sports car, then I wanted a classic car, then I wanted a 4X4 again........... Just my opinion

[llegos]

Originally Posted by dtlilly

Please don't tell us in 3 months he wants a Civic SI, and wants to put a fart can and some racing stickers on it!!!!

Kids taste change as quick as the weather at that age. When I was 16 I had to have 4X4 raised to the clouds, then I wanted a sports car, then I wanted a classic car, then I wanted a 4X4 again........... Just my opinion

totally agreed about the changes... I wanted a muscle car, then a supra, then a classic porsche, back to trucks...i think i would have been happy with any of em...

dont bash civics too much...done coreectly with a turbo they can get 300+HP, and yes they dont have the V8 sound, but 300 horse is a lot for a car that size...i agree there are a lot of kids that screw up there lil imports, but when done right they can be quite nice

[4x4Poet]

Originally Posted by Stocker

...And - ask him if he'd like to continue helping you build the truck. It would still be great time together, and when it's finished, if he hasn't changed his mind, sell the completed truck. Part of the proceeds would be his, of course!

That's a good idea. If he continues to help you, pay him a portion of truck's worth whether you keep the truck or sell it. Then he'll still develop some skills he can put to good use on any automobile.

[dtlilly]

Originally Posted by llegos

totally agreed about the changes... dont bash civics too much...

LOL! Not bashing, actually using as an example from my past.

I was driving a 76 F-150 factory high boy SWB 4X4 because "I had to have it". I justified that it was a rare truck and all my friends were wheeling in the mud. I said, "it will be a good investment, and I can fix it up as I drive it".

7 months later I found an 87 Honda Civic CRX SI... that I absolutely "had to have". I justified getting rid of the gas hog 4X4 truck for a car that would get 40 MPG. I sold the #ord 4X4 at a loss, just for the money to buy the CRX.

6 months later, I was wanting to sell the Honda for a 67 Dodge Dart GT with a 273 V8. I justified the classic car would increase in value over time. I can go on and on about the different vehicles I've had in my youth.

My point is: Gas prices do not make that much of a difference in the choices a young man makes about the ride he drives. The main factor is the "coolness" factor, and how many women will want him because he drives a certain car/truck. If your son wanted to drive a blown 67 Vette, he would find the means to pay for the car and the gas. If a McDonalds job doesn't pay for what he wants, he will find a different job that does. If he has dreams to own a house some day... he will get good grades, then go to college to be able to earn $60k+ a year.

That is what men do! And if you think age matters, please think again!! The childhood dreams of a fancy car or truck has been the down fall of many a marriage. WE men have an internal program to get the things we want, be it the woman, car, salary, house, etc... we are unique amoung humans, we have the ability to change course overnight!

[ACES]

Pickemuptruck71, Sounds like a very responsible young man you have there. Wise beyond his years.
I have no doubt that he was taught fiscal responsibility at an early age from his parents.

All of us here love these trucks, but I don't think any of us want to see a young person go into debt just to drive one.

I also think its great to hear about a father and son doing something together other than watching TV.

-Art

[weasel29gm]

If I done a 67-72 for my son and he wanted to trade, he would be walkin' LOL!! Mine just turned 16 and refers the 69 as his. But he's gettin' a S-10. Told him I'd buy the first one and its his baby after that. Pay for his own insursance. In fact a neighbor has a 92 S-10 that was his grandpas. 98K 2.8 V-6 5-speed for $ 1,500. Think I'll go with it since we know the truck.

[al's71gmc]

My 17 YO son and me are fixing up a 72 gmc 4x4 for him to drive. In most things he is very financially conservative, but the GMC truck bug bit him hard, and he's determined to make it work for his DD. He leaves for college in 1 year, and in the meantime he'll be driving the truck. It is a blast working with him on the truck! It's something I would have loved to do with my dad when I was his age, but missed out on, so I was determined to give him the op.
A friend stopped by the other day to give us some tech support. I told my son that this guy knows alot about engines, and my kid says " shoot dad, you can fix just about anything on here yourself, can't you." Almost brought a tear to my eye! He's wrong of course, but it was still nice hearing it. LOL
Al

[Stocker]

Cool story, Al - very cool!