So, who is this guy who just can't seem to leave cars alone? That would be me.
I've always been interested in mechanical things. Like every little boy, I was fascinated by dinosaurs, then space, then cars...and I got stuck on cars. When I was young, I'd devour car magazines. I discovered fundamental mechanical principles using my Lego Technic. Eventually, I started working on bicycles by disassembling and rebuilding one - right down to the bearings in the rear freewheel.
In the late 80's, I was starting to notice that cars were adding power but also adding weight at the same time. I started to wonder why car makers didn't just make cars lighter instead. Mazda read my mind and introduced a new lightweight roadster called the Miata. A few years later, I managed to buy a Miata as my first car and started to tinker with it. That turned out pretty well in the long run.
It wasn't just about working on cars, though. I ran my first autocross in 1993, moved on to driving on the track in 2001 and now run a trackday organization and rack up a couple of dozen days at speed every year. I've also spent a fair bit of time off-road, working as a trail leader for the National Land Rover rally in Moab.
And of course, I'm not just a Miata nut. I'm a car nut. Thus the interesting cars in the garage. I'm also blessed with a wife who not only understands this, but who also enjoys driving and who is my rally navigator.
My involvement with the Miata community eventually led to a job offer from Flyin' Miata, and I moved from my native Canada to Colorado in order to play with Miatas full time in 2001. I'm still there. I'm pretty lucky - I'm one of those rare people who, given financial freedom to do anything, would probably continue doing exactly what I do every day.
Enough about me. The stories of the cars are a lot more interesting. Go check them out for yourself. |