74 Dodge Dart Swinger. What’s it worth?
If you want to "protect him well" you're better off buying a 10 or 15 year old used car. Pretty much anything you get would be far safer than anything from the 70's. The engineering has come so far in crash protection it's not even funny. Even a small car, like a Civic, Corolla, Subaru etc, would be MUCH safer.
No A-body is a "solid tank". Nothing from the era is. Take a look at this '68 Charger, and then take a look at the damage to the van it hit. The van has minor damage, the driver only had minor injuries and refused an ambulance. Windshield isn't even cracked. The Charger is completely annihilated. The whole car is wrapped into a "U"- and everyone in it died.
Rest of the info on that crash
2 dead in crash on Dodge Park Blvd in Gresham
Every crash is different and obviously not all the info is available on that one. But the bottom line is, safety and protection aren't good reasons to buy one of these cars. Yes, I use mine as a daily driver. But, I've also been driving a decently long time and am aware of the safety risks I'm taking by driving a classic. I know my Duster will fold up like a tin can in an accident, just like that Charger did. There are absolutely some "pro's" to buying an A-body and letting your kid help out to get it sorted as a driver, but safety is absolutely not one of them. Honestly, I don't think one of these cars is a good choice for a new, inexperienced driver. That's just my opinion.
I'm not saying it can't be done, or that it's not nice to see another generation learn to appreciate these cars (because that's awesome), but there are definitely some risks involved that shouldn't be overlooked.
If you want to "protect him well" you're better off buying a 10 or 15 year old used car. Pretty much anything you get would be far safer than anything from the 70's. The engineering has come so far in crash protection it's not even funny. Even a small car, like a Civic, Corolla, Subaru etc, would be MUCH safer.
No A-body is a "solid tank". Nothing from the era is. Take a look at this '68 Charger, and then take a look at the damage to the van it hit. The van has minor damage, the driver only had minor injuries and refused an ambulance. Windshield isn't even cracked. The Charger is completely annihilated. The whole car is wrapped into a "U"- and everyone in it died.
Rest of the info on that crash
2 dead in crash on Dodge Park Blvd in Gresham
Every crash is different and obviously not all the info is available on that one. But the bottom line is, safety and protection aren't good reasons to buy one of these cars. Yes, I use mine as a daily driver. But, I've also been driving a decently long time and am aware of the safety risks I'm taking by driving a classic. I know my Duster will fold up like a tin can in an accident, just like that Charger did. There are absolutely some "pro's" to buying an A-body and letting your kid help out to get it sorted as a driver, but safety is absolutely not one of them. Honestly, I don't think one of these cars is a good choice for a new, inexperienced driver. That's just my opinion.
I'm not saying it can't be done, or that it's not nice to see another generation learn to appreciate these cars (because that's awesome), but there are definitely some risks involved that shouldn't be overlooked.
