Whats a safe teenager daily driven car power limit? Before i DEFINENTELY sign the papers on the nova, im looking also at an 88t/a with an l98, t56 6 speed from a 95 trans am, edelbrock TES headers and random tech car with a hooker cat back, then it will also get my msd ignition. The car has 15000 on the engine, only 2000 on the rebuilt trans and clutch, plus the paint is brand new with good tires, brakes, and also an interior that was changed to black not even a month ago.... *seriously thinking*

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~~looking for car!~~

In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

[This message has been edited by Graeme'sFirebird (edited October 03, 2001).]

 

also.. it comes with a superram and an edelbrock base and a BBK 58mm tb

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~~looking for car!~~
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

[This message has been edited by Graeme'sFirebird (edited October 03, 2001).]

 

It depends on how mature and responsible you are. I drove like a mad man until I ran my car off the road and almost totaled it (turns out all it was was alot of scratches. And I mean I hit the S-H-I-T out of that ditch! Almost flipped the car.) Thank *** it was the RS and not the Z. There is no way the Z28 woulda come out with that little of damage.

 

sounds like a nice car thats got some GO!!! hehe....but, yea would agree, how much power is all relative to how you drive it. WOT is an option but a friend of mine had a 97Z and drove it very responsibly....you know, not smashing it around every turn. then he was goofing off one night in the rain and spun it around three times, up and embankment and into a bunck of mailboxes (thats what he gets for dropping the clucth, in the rain, around a turn). its all relative in my opinion. the only thing with more power though is that driving in the rain and snow is much of of a PITA

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1990 Firebird 3.1
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- Auto Trans, TA Body Kit
- Home Made C.A.I. (KNN-RE-0810)
- ASP Underdrive Pulleys
- MSD 8.5mm Superconducter Wires (custom-cut)
- MSD GM Blaster Coil (8226)
- AC Delco Cap & Rotor
- Bosh Platinum +4 plugs
- Mobil 1 Synthetic Fluids
- 2.5" Hooker Aero-Chamber Cat-back (27121)
- 2.5" Hooker Elite Stainless Extension Tips (31503)
- GTS Blackouts (stickers removed - #GT034)
- TB Bypass

KILLS = Dodge Daytona, 2000 Toyota 4 Runner 4WD,
1999ish Explorer XLT, "older" Jeep Cherokee, 68ish Mustang (died completely when the light went green )

LOSSES = 300zx (took me in 2nd )

"The racing dice added 5hp...I SWEAR!"

 

Nope, driving crazy i dont do... so i dont really need to worry about that..but rain i do.. at least this t/a has posi..

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~~Looking for car!~~
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

 

Instead of how much power is too much ask yourself how much self-control you have. In that answer lies the truth of what you should be driving.

 

No such thing as to much power. j/k

A posi may not help in the rain. Be very careful with the throttle.

If you drive smart and not like an idiot it should be a good car.


Just my thoughts.

Phil

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89 IROC 5.0 TBI
89 RS 5.0 TBI, T-Tops, Soon to be a IROC clone.

 

1hp per cubic inch is ideal power, so get the teen the smallest 4 bannger and he still will have fun with 90-100HP

 

If you aren't responsible, even a Honda Civic can be too much car.

I have a '97 Z too, and in the 7 months I have had it I have not been pulled over, nor have I come anywhere close to spinning it into a ditch. Why?? Self control. Also, here's a theory; love and respect thy car, and maybe said person won't be such a jackass to it

Its amazing how many people take beautiful cars and trash them because they drive like *******s. My 2 cars get so much respect because of their appearance, and why is that?? Neither one is restored. Its because both are driven sanely. You can tell a car that has been beat on just by looking at it.

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Jason E

'89 Camaro RS
-Medium Grey Metallic
-2.8, A4, T-tops, 94k miles
-Hypertech chip, Accel wires/coil/K&Ns
-Alpine 60x4 and Bostons

'97 Z28
-30th Anniversary package (white with orange stripes)
-LT1, M6, t-tops, 45k miles
-Eclipse CD and 10" Aluminum sub in JL Audio Stealth box, Boston RM speakers, Xtant 403a amp

Speed Kills...Wanna live forever? Drive a Ford.
Long Live #3...

 

How much is the T/A and how much is the Nova??

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Stock 2.8 MPFI auto w/ Flowmaster 80 Series, More to come......
Pioneer DEH-11
Targa E-910 7-Band Equalizer w/ crossover
2x 10" Pioneer subs powered by 300 Watt Jensen amp
2- 6x9" Pioneer (rear)
More to come..... (hey, i dont got a job yet)

 

I agree with Brian F, mostly. If you can find one, get an 82-84 datsun 200sx. I had one for 2 yrs in highschool/college. That thing was like a timex " takes a liken' & keeps on tickin". could have used more power, but way I drove it some times, i would have killed it sooner. it finnaly died on the way to college, had something fall of the dash, looked down to see what it was, looked up & BAM. hit a van. the force of the crash went in to another van infront of the first. bumper angled up, hood mangled, fenders crumpled. It still brought me back home.wouldn't start the next day, or ever after that. when killed it had 196,000 miles and with the 5 speed, I got 35- 40 mpg @ 60 on road trips. that little naps-z engine was good.

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$150.00 2.8 Auto.
Blown Head Gasket.
turbo has arrived,
this close / \ to getting parts to fix it.

 

Well when I had my old T/A I grew up with it at each mod so I would say that was good because I had one bad experience. I was driving a L98 91Z when I had nothing but a cat back and a few free mods on the T/A and was not use to the extra power. Not only that the Z had a 3.42 gear( I think) and my T/A had a 2.77 so the Z was a lot faster at the time. Well I ended up wrapping it around a Tree when I was showing off. Made me grow up quick.
My point is that you only know what your capable of controlling. You just have to consider what you and the car are capable of and not to push it over the limit.
If I were you I would get the Trans Am and just be mature about driving it and not show off. You will like it more than the Nova.

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89 Trans Am Turbo 3.8L All stock 43,000 miles #1053 of 1555

Past Thirdgen:
86 Trans Am w/ built 355TPI with SLP goodies and too much other stuff to List. One sweet *** car, wish I would have had a good enough Job to pay insurance on three cars so I could keep it, but for a 89 Turbo Trans Am w/ Low miles, I think I made the right choice!

 

Im in the same position your in im afraid im gonan kill my self when i get the firebird runnin it has a HELLLLL of allot more power then my camaro just the TQ alone is 355 lbs

 

Rain & Snow doesn't matter at all with horsepower, it's how you drive. I've never lost it in rain or snow (including "state of emergency" blizzards). Not pointed at Graeme, but if a person is worried about the car being too powerful, the person shouldn't buy it.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

well the 600 horse 600 FtLbs turbo 4.3 I am working on will be my limit for a while...LOL

 

I think that if you're thinking the car is too fast, you have enough common sense to handle the power resposibly... I don't think power is the problem... any car with 90+ HP can get to high enough velocity to spin out of control or flip and kill people. Even my CRX with 76 Hp had enough engine to go 105... LOL it only weighed 1800 Lbs though... you can drive almost any car in the snow, it just depends how slow you go and if you know the "4x4" tricks of the trade.

Some of the best experience can be gained doing donuts in a parking lot...

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1984 Firebird - Daily driver, 305 LG4, T5 - Hurst short shifter, Edelbrock 600 CFM Performer Carb + Intake - Edelbrock Pro-Flow air filter, gutted cat, IROC 16x8 Wheels, AIWA bargain basement (from Sears of course) CD player, Eight-ball shift ****
Check out my ride here - My $1300 Toy

"IT'S SNOWING! TO THE HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT!" - The Mustang and Firebird face off in the dead of winter.

 

I know i can handle it im becoming a better driver had too many close calls in the camaro i almsot fliped into an inbankment after loosing control and don a 270 on a turn on a nice 2 lane road. My only problem is the speedo says 160 i wana see if it can truely do that i know ill attempt it once and thats it but i allready have plans for disk brakes and if the bodywork is under my budget i might put a roll cage in it. When i have kids im gonna put one in there cars just so i know i did everything i could to prevent them from injery. Ill love to see my daughters reaction to that hehe when i have one anyway.

 

give me a 5 speed on a 1000hp tricycle ill be happy...
i am 16 and i dont thing there ever will be too much power... its contageous

 

Then let me know where you live... im 17 and want to live, so ill glad stay away from the area you live

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~~Looking for car!~~
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

 

 

Quick poll: Who here thinks he's going to make it to 17?

I'll go first, and I'll give him 60/40 he won't if he keeps thinking that way.

 

ill give him another week....

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~~Looking for car!~~
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

 

I have always thought that way. Power is good, the more the better. But, don't forget power is nothing without control. I was 16 once, and so was my friend who flipped his car in front of me and had it land on him. Oh, and he didn't have nearly 1000 hp. That was two weeks after he got his licence, driving only 60mph (but around a very sharp turn)

On a better note, if your looking for the FIRST vehical for a teenager, don't get him/her something fast no matter how responsible they are. Even the most responible drivers in the world probably have wondered "Just how fast can I make this turn". A teenager should be happy with any car they have. (I should know, I just left the teen years two weeks ago )



[This message has been edited by Truckman (edited October 05, 2001).]

 

how's this: get the nova, but also get a 70s civic (for like $200-500). use the civic for daily driver, & save the nova fot the track & shows/events.
you get the best of both: underpower+good milage+safety=civic

***** o' steel chevy power+speak to the hand ability+controlled envirement at track=nova

 

70's Civics are not the safest by a long shot... the Nova can probably take more abuse than even new civics... If you want good mileage and something sporty in the same package... best you could do is probably a Honda CRX HF... 60 Hp 0-60 in 12 sec, top speed of 93 and 50 MPG... in fact thats probably a perfect first car.

 

well I have already decided on what my kids are going to do for their first cars. 13th B-day we go to junk yard and pick one out. bring it home, and THEY rebuild it over the 4(YES 4) year course of getting their license. Mine wil not have untill 17 at the least and I still think that is too young.

I will be there for technical advise and to do the harder things, but they will put THEIR money, THEIR blood, THEIR sweat into THEIR car. They will have undying respect for that car cause THEY did all the work and funded it themselves. And that goes 2 ways as if the car ever breaks down they know what to do to fix it as well.

 

me being a 18 year old who has a 95 3.4 camaro, former cars being a 77 280z with a small block 350 in it, a 89 beretta with NOS(yes you can pimp out a beretta) and a 88 camaro 2.8, i have to say taht yes, it is fun doing 140. yes, its fun to roast the tires till they are gone, and yes, i have never had a ticket. it is all about self control. (and yes, the NOS is going on the 95 in 2 weeks!)

 

Hey guys,

perhaps you should keep the HP down and forget about a highend sports car for awhile.

The truth of the matter is that: the first few years of having a license = thinking that you have enough experience to take on any car in any situation.

My father has an '88 Corvette, he has been drag racing for about 20 years. One day he decides to show off the power of the car and guns the throttle only to lose control and damage the rear end. That was not a fun ride and luckly we didn't hit a tree or pole.

Just keep yourself happy, I have the RS. doesn't have alot of power, doesn't go fast, but it is a great ride.

 

Don't drive like a ***** and you'll be fine.

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-Dan
-1990 3.1L RS
-Mods? no
-Slow? yes
-Currently collecting parts for T5 swap

 

After your first accident, you get the "stupids" out of your head. Then you can have a fast car.

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-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, 700R4, P.A.W. 14x3 open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips, Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248)
Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz


Got Beach?

 

i am not a crazy, (power as in for the track).
i dont speed 1 mph over the speed limit...
never pushed my throttle more than 40%

 

You can get a ticket for 1 MPH over... My speedo reads about 5 MPH fast at speed, and most people drive 10 MPH over the speed limit, at which point you can be automatically bumped up to the next speeding bracket... so I figure 15-20 MPH over (according to my speedo) and I can still talk my way out of a ticket... got out of a 70 in a 55 zone ticket, no problem. I think cops are partial to thirdgens!