I'm a little crazy

The GT4 is my only manual car. My daughter got her drivers license this week, and I really want to teach her to drive a manual transmission car. So, what else could I do?

She didn't do too badly her first time out.

Here's a couple pics. Also one from back around 2003. I think she really likes the GT4.
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Incredible pics, they grow so fast ! :-(

 

The GT4 looks good on her. Never sell it and teach her how to heal and toe downshift. Buy her a helmet and take her to the AROSC.ORG performance driving school. The skills she learns there could save her life. I took my daughter to the school and we had a blast.

 

Awesome! I've got similar pics of my boys when they were toddlers in the drivers seat too.. oldest is 13 now.. time flies.

As to the mechanicals in the gearbox... they are stout.. short of clutch dumping at +4k rpm she can't break or hurt anything. I like the feel of the 3x8 gearbox, it's very mechanical and positive in feedback, really helps in letting you know what is going on and for an observant driver it makes for quick learning.

Now the bigger question is... what happens when she wants to borrow the GT4 for date night? ....

I've got 2 boys and my wife is NOT happy about the coming dating yrs...

 

Sensational! +1 on the dating - the boys will be fighting each other for a chance! Although she might intimidate one or two as she expertly double declutches down through the gears from 5th to 1st into a tight hairpin. Love the Prototipo!

 

OT a bit but sports cars are terrible for 'date night' that's why I had a 70's volvo station wagon with black tinted windows ... the sensible smart SAFE vehicle but loads of room for 'date night'. Just say'n

 

What great photos. Thanks for sharing. I have a few similar ones of my son

 

The car looks so much smaller now! Did it shrink? Good for you and even better for her. Looks like she's having fun.

 

One if the coolest things I have ever seen here in 15 years!

 

Nothing else -- you did rightly!

 

I want to see a pic of those seats...they look just like mine
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Awesome! Glad you're getting her started on 3 pedal cars.

Both my daughters drive 'stick'. When I first got my 308, I struggled with being too tentative with the shifter, too slow, too gentle etc. In contrast, my younger daughter jumped in for her first test drive and shifted like it she owned it. She showed me how it was done.

 

That is so cute They do grow up quick! As another member said, give her a chance to go to do some performance driving on a track, all that experience can only be a good thing

(if only my dad had a Ferrari when I was younger )

 

Father of the year.

 

Thanks everyone for the nice comments!!

AROSC is something we want to so. The one next week is out, so maybe the one after that in Feb.

The GT4 seats are different from the GTB/S seats. Here's an older pic of mine (pre prototipo steering wheel)
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Great photos Dom! I let my daughters drive the TR4 and MG but haven't turned over the Dino keys yet. It takes strength to turn that wheel at slow speeds. And yours must be too especially since it looks like your new steering wheel is smaller. And my clutch is a bit heavy for them. Maybe they can drive it. Now I am inspired, Ferrari daughter pics coming up

 

Surely If she learns to heel 'n' toe properly with controlled rev matching then she shouldn't have any need to double de-clutch in a GT4?

 

What a cool Dad!

she looks confident in the recent pics. maybe that comes from being introduced to the car at a young age.

 

That's what double declutching is

 

Boyfriend: "Where did you learn to drive stick"
Daughter: "On my Daddy's Ferrari"
Boyfriend: Asks Dad for permission to marry his daughter.

 

That's just awesome.

 

No, rev matching just means having the revs where they should be when the clutch pedal is released. Double clutching means releasing the clutch pedal between gears and blipping the throttle to speed the up the lower gear to the same speed as the main shaft to avoid grinding gears when there's no synchromesh, or to reduce synchro cone wear on cars with synchromesh.

Dom, all I can say is that you're a brave man.

 

My little girl (well, already 23 years of age, time is quicker than any sportscar..) wouldn't mind driving #19055 either, I'm still in doubt..

She wants to get her racing license, and join her daddy in the Dutch "Squadra Italia" series. She also volunteered to keep the racing muscles of her daddy's Giulia Super warm, since dad bought a Giulietta 116 transaxle racer with Busso 3.2 engine.. And to butter-up her dad, she arranged for a drifting/powerslide-course for the both of them !

Is she a cool kiddie or what !!! If she manages to produce longer/better slides than I, then I guess I'm out of arguments for keeping her out of racing now, or am I..

 

Thank you for explaining it for Me!

I'd just add that with heel 'n' toe gear changing in a car with synchromeshed gearbox, the clutch pedal is (normally), only pushed down and released once, as with a standard gear change, and not twice, as with a double de-clutch gear change (Hence the term "double de-clutch").

If the synchromesh cones are worn and the gear changes are baulking, then you can use the double de-clutch method to extend the life of the gearbox whilst gear changing (including heel 'n' toeing), but a gearbox in good shape with synchromesh should not really require double de-clutching.

Basically though, heel 'n' toeing and double de-clutching are most definitely not the same thing!