[gman628]

I know many of you guys post about the joys of taking the grandkids for rides in the Chevelle, but for those of you that have grandkids old enough to drive have you let them get behind the wheel? I was going through mine phone looking back at some of the pictures and videos of the grandkids and was wondering how many guys actually do this and was it a pretty special feeling for both of you?

A couple years back, I found out that one of my granddaughters was really interested in getting a motorcycle, and then found out that all three granddaughters felt the same way. I asked them if grandpa bought a bike to teach them, would they actually want to learn, so we got us a 2005 DRZ400S and we practiced.




Then (shame on me), we all got on the Road King for our first rides ever.


And then there's no better feeling than when you ask them if they want to go for a ride in the Chevelle and midway through the ride you pull into a parking lot and surprise them with the question "would you like to take grampa back home". I had them drive me around the parking lot to get used to the steering, brakes, and throttle response, then let them drive it the 10-12 miles back home.


I wish I could post videos, but my photo hosting site doesn't support videos and I'm too lazy to figure it out. I have to make it a mission to get the three grandsons out in the Chevelle, they've been invited to do so, just haven't done it, besides my 500hp+ Chevelle would just be a training car for them, their dads have street/strip cars well over the 1000hp mark. I don't want to hear comments like "wow grandpa, I thought it was faster than that".lol

Who else has put a young person behind the wheel of their classic car or taught them how to ride a bike or shoot a gun or...?

 

[Johns70SS]

I'll get my 4 grandkids out, but for now they just look at it in my shop. And they get a kick out of putting finger prints on the car which they know drives me nuts...LOL. But once they are no longer in car seats then I'll give them a ride. I don't want the car seats to mark up my mint upholstery. And I have to put barriers up around my SS to keep my golden from walking around the car and licking my chrome. Drives me nuts too...LOL

 

[oldcutlass]

We weren't blessed with a child until I was 35. The Cutlass started out as a father and son first car project. I taught him how to drive in it and he took his drivers test with it. After a period of time I realized he is not going to be a car guy and we bought him a late model car to drive. To date no grandkids yet, he is still single.

 

[MFortie]

I have nine, but all are too young to drive. A few of them have had rides and love it when G-pa mashes the go pedal. The oldest isn't interested in much more than his video games unfortunately. His parents do limit his screen time, but...

The next oldest had multiple open heart surgeries starting at one week old and has some developmental issues as a result (oxygen loss) and will probably never drive. Second youngest is autistic and also won't ever drive.

 

[69SS454]

I haven't even let my wife drive my baby. LOL. I have given my grand daughter rides but she is only 5.

 

[gman628]

I have nine, but all are too young to drive. A few of them have had rides and love it when G-pa mashes the go pedal. The oldest isn't interested in much more than his video games unfortunately. His parents do limit his screen time, but...

The next oldest had multiple open heart surgeries starting at one week old and has some developmental issues as a result (oxygen loss) and will probably never drive. Second youngest is autistic and also won't ever drive.

It really sucks when a young person starts off life with challenges as two of your grandchildren have. We were very fortunate that all six of ours are healthy and doing well. I also feel fortunate that I could have grandchildren early enough in life that five of the six are adults and the youngest is 17 years old and I haven't reached 60 yet, in fact, I am looking forward to my first great grandchild 3 months before I turn 59 this year. My wife is 11 years older than me and had three kids already, my step kids are only 7,10, and13 years younger than me and most people I know have kids that went to school with my grandkids.

 

[gman628]

I haven't even let my wife drive my baby. LOL.

LOL, I know what you mean, the po of my car would never let any drive it and for 10 yrs I wouldn't either, but the feeling I got from just surprising the girls with letting them get behind the wheel was well worth it, they know they can drive me around in it anytime they want now. It's funny how my smallest granddaughter (the dark haired one above) weighs about 105 lbs. and I swear 90 lbs. of that is all in her right foot!!
My wife has been offered the opportunity to drive it since we've owned it but keeps declining.

 

[67_LS1]

While my grandson is still too young to drive, he loves cars and boats and quickly became my best car-guy buddy.

 

[jeffs68]

One of my grandsons I bought him a pw-50, he loves that thing. Another grandson I gave him my first 22 rifle. We go to the range often, plus now I’m teaching him how to reload.

 

[pduncan]

While my grandson is still too young to drive, he loves cars and boats and quickly became my best car-guy buddy. View attachment 759356
View attachment 759354
View attachment 759355
View attachment 759357

love the pic workin on the bike with a rag hanging out his pocket. Thats cute

 

[michaeldwilson]

not only do they get to drive them with me they are being left to them when im gone. 5 grandkids. 69 chevelle ss 70 chevelle ss 69 nova ss 67 camaro ss 69 c10. all restored by my son and i. been collecting them for over 30 years back when they were cheap. just trying to keep the passion alive

 

[DUKE 69]

not only do they get to drive them with me they are being left to them when im gone. 5 grandkids. 69 chevelle ss 70 chevelle ss 69 nova ss 67 camaro ss 69 c10. all restored by my son and i. been collecting them for over 30 years back when they were cheap. just trying to keep the passion alive View attachment 759498

Is it too late to be adopted? LOL!!

 

[gman628]

not only do they get to drive them with me they are being left to them when im gone. 5 grandkids. 69 chevelle ss 70 chevelle ss 69 nova ss 67 camaro ss 69 c10. all restored by my son and i. been collecting them for over 30 years back when they were cheap. just trying to keep the passion alive.

I'm up for adoption if you feel like restoring another one...just saying. lol I would love to have that kind of money and time left. t I do have guns in the safe that are earmarked for each grandchild that they have picked out as the one the would like to have when I move on.

 

[gman628]

Is it too late to be adopted? LOL!!

You hit send before me, but it's my thread, I get first dibs! lol Oh man, doesn't that already sound like a family fight over grandpa's cars?

 

[hydro462]

The first vehicle I ever drove was my uncles 1957 Chris Craft boat! It had a 348 Chevy engine.
The throttle was in the center of the steering wheel. It was a paddel that you pushed down counter clockwise for more power.
When I floored that 348, the boats front would come up out of the water and kind of stand there for a split second, while the propeller was packing the water around the bottom of the boat.
Then, once the water under the boat got dense enough, the boat would become more boyant and rise up and out of the water, the prop was able to get a better grip and fling the boat across the top of the water, it sounded like a dragster..

 

[mrpaticular]

I bought my 69' in 1971. Grandson was too young to walk through shows when we started taking him. When he was 4 we were walking through the Frankenmuth Block party show ( 1000 cars ). We we stopped to look at something. Papa, you would not like this car, it has rust on it. The owner was standing right there. OOPS. 4 year old see things at a different level. Once he was too short to see out the window so he was standing looking over the dash. I nailed it throwing him back into the seat. He was hooked. He has been track racing what ever he has. Now he has a 2014 R/T charger. He has tried so many traction tires i forget what he has now. He has ran a best of 12.50 without taking anything off the engine. Just put a scat pack ported intake on 2 weeks ago. He has got this fast through electronics, tires and suspension. I told him last year he needs to learn to drive the chevelle. At 71, I am sure he could get a tenth or more out of it. Youngest son has a 10.80 NA malibu. Its nice whey we all go to the track together. Oldest son is working on his 340 duster. Wife wants a challenger scat pack 1320 in orange. Whoever said you have to die to get to Heaven was wrong.
Rick

 

[CallMeYams]

As someone who is 23 I was the grandson who got to hop in the cars! Grandfather used to let me ride on the back of his Harley and then my dad bought one and let me ride. I was blessed enough to have my chevelle be my first car! Of course if dad ever wants to take her for a spin he gets dibs lol.

 

[72soft-top]

I’m fortunate that my family shares my passion. My wife has her dads 78 SA vette that he bought new. My daughter has a 75 Conv vette, and my other daughter just picked up a 68 Camaro that I’ll have ready for Spring. Nothing like cruising and having them all in front of me. I’m a lucky guy.

 

[michaeldwilson]

I'm up for adoption if you feel like restoring another one...just saying. lol I would love to have that kind of money and time left. t I do have guns in the safe that are earmarked for each grandchild that they have picked out as the one the would like to have when I move on.

My wife shares my passion for cars too. otherwise i couldnt do it ether. we have been together for 48 years. we have never took a vacation. still live in our first house. never owned a new car. we gave up alot to have the cars but its great to know we are leaving a piece of us with the grandkids

 

[Jim Mac]

my grandson who's 8 loves pops hotrods. he loves burnouts but lately he's been all about fishing. We do ride, kids got quads, pops rides a classic honda three wheeler. jim