You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
My boy is 8, a budding engineer and I’d love to build a car with him. I guess we’ll build a buggy or similar, maybe a Caterham or Austin 7 special.
The bit I’m struggling with is, it’s probably a once only in his childhood type thing. So when should I do it for the most memories / learning experience?
Any thoughts? Keep the petrol hate away 🙂 this is dads and lads engineering
Sounds like an awesome idea, fancy adopting a 57 year old son? Why not start with a smaller project first to gauge his patience and interest? Refurb a vintage petrol mower or an old scooter/moped. Even restoring a vintage push bike would teach him really valuable skills. At 8 he might not have the patience for the amount of time and effort involved with a full car build. But once puberty kicks in, his mind will be on other stuff. You probably have a couple or 3 year window. Good luck!
I would say if he's interested now crack on, i built a Fugitive 2 kit car with my dad's occasion input, his welding skills came in handy. The MEV kitcar seems a straightforward build.
I have a daughter and we built loads of stuff together, great bonding experiences and now she's got her own place can tackle stuff without my help.
That's a really good idea! Love the thought of working on something like that as a joint project. Would you consider a restoration? Maybe something like an old Land Rover or an MG? Both are relatively easy to take apart and put back together again...
Bloke's comments are solid though, a car might be a bit advanced for him now. BUT... if he likes bikes, you could get him started on a BMX or something and work up through something like a Super Cub.
Just the sort of thing I'd love to have done - if only my son's attention span had been longer than 5 mins.
If it was me id get something like a Westfield or Beach Buggy that is a runner but needs some potential attention, I'd run it during the summer then each winter focus in a different area.
I think at that age he is quickly going to lose interest in something that never moves. Much better to have days out with dad as a reward for all his efforts.
We’ve been building a go kart and he’s been helping me on my supercharger project on my mini.
I think your convincing me sooner rather than later is a good plan.
Maybe something he can drive now, or in a couple of years, some sort of off road buggy. A Caterham would be great but it'll be another decade before he can have a go in it
“ Maybe something like an old Land Rover or an MG?”
So you want to punish the child? 😂😂
Sounds great - do it!
There’s a great thread on RetroRides where a guy builds a sand rail with his son, started him out quite young and got him grinding and cleaning and assembling. It’s a pretty cool car now, all registered and legal. I like how he weighed in parts for scrap to help pay for new bits and went to auto jumbles to collect parts etc. I’ll try and find the link.
EDIT here it is https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/189020/toms-uva-fugitive
My friend and his Dad restored an old MGB (in British Racing Green) together over about 10 years. By the time he was 18 it made for quite a cool first car for him.
One of those off road buggy things that are only a few grand look cool. Assuming there’s a track locally you could take it to that would allow him to drive.
If not crack on with a kit car I reckon. Just make sure you really look into how easy specific kits are to build / speak to some owners about their experience. I think Caterham and Westfield are pretty much bolt together affairs.
The Tiger Cat E1 I had certainly wasn’t. I think it was 27 panels of aluminium I had to cut / bend / drill and rivet to fit. Took ages! A lot of the rest went together ok - but the wiring loom was also not really as sold. No wiring diagram as such - just a description which colour did what - only they’d used different colour wires in my loom 🤦♂️
Maybe something he can drive now, or in a couple of years
His son is 8!!
Brilliant idea! Mx5 based MEV Exocet is the thing that immediately springs to mind. My 8 year old is gagging to build one!
A friend has picked up an MX5 for £800 this summer to be the donor for a kit car project with his 11 year old.
This sounds ace. I've talked about doing this with my son but to be honest, I'm struggling with how I'd fit the car in the garage to work on it
Would love to do something small (so it fits in easily) and fun
Maybe something he can drive now, or in a couple of years
His son is 8!!
Lewis Hamilton was in karts at 4...
I'm sure an 8yr old could handle a wee buggy
helping me on my supercharger project on my mini.
Tell me it's an original Mini not a BMW! I want to know what that is like to drive 🙂
Tell me it’s an original Mini not a BMW! I want to know what that is like to drive 🙂
It is indeed an original mini. Late 60’s mk2. Further reports on driving once the hairdryer is in the noisy cupboard
Mx5 based MEV Exocet
That looks awesome!
It is indeed an original mini. Late 60’s mk2. Further reports on driving once the hairdryer is in the noisy cupboard
Ohh nice. The fastest Mini I ever saw was one with a Maxi 1750 engine (twin SUs) - I believe that engine had circa. 100bhp output so made that Mini fly! I couldn't get anywhere near it in my 1275GT LOL!
Here is an example (not the car I knew of growing up in the mid-80s)
A bit like the MX5 based on, this might be a fun project based on a BMW Z3. Not too technically challenging but enough different tasks and problems to overcome to feel he has really done something more than fetch the spanners.
