Exhaust Notes
On the Starting Line, what’s going on… March 5th Think Spring Party… Doug & Carol Leavens March 15th Lunch… Art and Maureen Davis March March 16th AWD… Margaret Watterson March 17th Monthly Mtg and pizza party @ Cascade… Greg Selby 2016 April 5th AWD… Dan Cali April 12th Italian lunch… Gary & Barb Savage April 16th Freeze Your Butt Off Tour… John & Donna Garsteck May 10th–15th Spring Miatas at the Gap… Bill & Rancie Titley June 8th AWD… Dennis Beckman and Maryann Tower June 9th – 12th Zoomin’ the Mountains of East Tennessee…. Bob Maurer June 25th-26th Mansfield Reformatory and Ohio Caverns… Kerklo & Davis June 26th Mid-Ohio Vintage Grand Prix… Bob Maurer & Rich Velardo July 28th–31st Miatas @ the Gap, 20th anniversary… Rich & Lilas Velardo Aug. 12th-13th Chautauqua B&B Tour… Jim & Joyce Simmelink Sept. 22nd–24th Laurel Highlands Tour… Dustman’s & Baker’s Sept. 22nd–25th Miatas in Boone… Phil Daly
Under the Hood… Greg's Gear Grindings Page Hi everyone!!! 1) calendar, president’s report Well, it is March and some exciting things happen this month. March 17, ( St. 2) The Parking Lot (past events) Patricks Day) will be the Northcoast Miata Club meeting and we will have pizza 2 - 5) Start Your Engines (coming for everyone. Also, Spring arrives this year a day early, on March 20th because events), of Leap Year. Every year it is a race to see whether I have my first Miata sighting 6) Sunshine, Rookies & Meeting Minutes or I see my first Robin of Spring. 7-8) The Tail Pipe (officers & The roster of club events is growing nicely. If you are planning an event web- sites) FSOT, Newsletter please let Rich Velardo and Darryl Baker know so it will be posted in the Exhaust News, Historian News Notes and on the website. This lets the members know ahead of time of the 9) Mazda History event. 10) The Garage Club membership dues were due in January. If you have not paid them yet please contact, Ava Singerman, [email protected]. When you see Jason Demoss of Cascade Auto Group be sure to thank him for everything that Cascade does for our club. We are very fortunate to have their support. Think Spring and Miata’s and great roads……………. Looking Down The Road Greg Selby, President
The Parking Lot… past events; Page 2
February AWD February's AWD was hosted at Olesia's Place in North Royalton.Twenty and a "half" members were in attendance.(one of our dear members experienced an "unproductive" discussion with a GPS and as a result cruised by the venue five times. But he finally arrived.! ) Olesia's specializes in Ukrainian cuisine and they didn't disappoint - the cabbage rolls were both huge and delicious. The evening was filled with great food and great friends. What could be better? Thanks to all who attended, hope you all enjoyed the evening! Lo and Mike, Gary and Char
Start Your Engines… coming events;
Think Spring Wine Tasting Party March 5, Saturday 6pm till ? Doug and Carol Leavens Not too late to attend this mid winter Miata party. Please bring a bottle of your favorite wine to share plus an appetizer or dessert. We will have meatballs and mini hot dogs and ham and cheese. If wine isn't your thing come anyway as we will have plenty of pop, tea, coffee and of course good company. RSVP by Feb 27to 440.734.5632 or email. A great time to kick off Zoom Zoom season, can't make it by 6pm? Just come later. Where?: Doug and Carol Leavens 4327 Dogwood Trail North Olmsted, Ohio 440.734.5632 [email protected] Please come and socialize with 40 – 50 of your closest friends. Please do not park on the side of the street with fire hydrants. Our home will leave the lights burning both Red and Green on the front of the garage.
AW Lunch, March 15th Art and Maureen Davis On Tuesday, March 15th at noon, the club will meet for lunch at the Stone Mad Pub located at 1306 W. 65th in Cleveland, Ohio. The phone number is 1-216-281-6500. Email Art and Maureen Davis at [email protected] or call 1-440-734-1178 if you would like to join us. Start Your Engines… coming events; Page 3
AWD, March 16th Margaret Watterson If you have never visited the Happy Dog on Cleveland's West Side now is the time. The Club will be meeting at 6:30 March 16 5801 Detroit Ave, Gordon Square. (Parking across 58th Street) The Dog is noted for it's quarter pound hot dogs both beef and vegetarian with your choice of any or all 50 toppings and 75+ tap beers. Send reservations to [email protected] April AWD, TUESDAY April 5 Dan Cali The Hooley House Sports Pub & Grille 6:30 Dinner @ 7pm Montrose Location 145 Montrose West Ave Copley, Ohio Phone: (234) 466-0060 [email protected]
Italian lunch "with a twist”, April 12 Gary & Barb Savage Please join us for an Italian lunch "with a twist" at Mario Fazios Restaurant in Willoughby Hills on Tuesday, April 12 at noon. Yes, you may order a hamburger if you prefer. All meals are served with garlic toast and and Italian salsa as well as a complimentary cassata taster. The salads are generous and delicious' with no skimping on veggies, the wedding soup is coveted, and main dishes such as eggplant or veal parmesan are available as well as pasta, pizza, and sandwich selections. (See menu selections: mariofazios.com.) Full menu and separate checks will be available. Mario Fazio's is located at 34400 Chardon Road, Willoughby Hills, 44094. (Near the Rt. 91 exit from interstate 90) Phone: 440-585-3883. Love to hear you will join us: [email protected] or 216-731-2914. And....Foster's Ice Cream is just up the road...I'm just saying.
FREEZE YOUR BUTT OFF TOUR" (FYBO), April 16 John & Donna Garsteck Please join us Saturday April 16, 20016. for the 20 th annual "FYBO" tour. This has been a yearly tradition with the club. What is a freeze your butt off tour? We bundle up , put the top down ( unless it's is snowing or raining)' some even turn their heaters on. Traditionally it is cold but last year we enjoyed some warm sunny weather. After a drive on some country roads made for Miatas we will stop for lunch and hopefully ice cream. Details will follow on time and place . Hope you will join us. Contact us at [email protected] or 440-238-9363 and leave a message
Spring Miatas at the Gap May 10th – 15th Bill & Rancie Titley It’s time for the 16th annual spring trip to the Gap. This year it will be from May 8th through the 13th, returning on the 14th. There will be two new side trips, to the Devils Triangle & Oak Ridge. This trip is all about getting to run “The Dragon” at Deal’s Gap, one of the most thrilling roads to drive in the USA. It straddles the rural state line between NC & TN. It’s just you, your Miata and a passenger (optional) along with huge elevation changes and 318 curves in 11 miles. What more could any Miata gear-head ask for? We will be staying at the Highland Manor Inn in Townsend, TN., rates are $69.50 for all days. Call 800-213-9462 (www.highlandmanor.com) for reservations and be sure to mention that you’re with the Miata group. Rancie & I will arrive around noon on Sunday. For more information or if you have questions, please call me at 386-478-1233 until April 14th and then call 740-269-1723 after that date. Zoom! Zoom!
AWD, Wednesday, June 8 Dennis Beckman and Maryann Tower Bourbon Street Barrel Room, 2393 Professor Avenue, Cleveland (Tremont Area). A taste of New Orleans. Drinks 6:30 p.m., Dinner 7 p.m. Limit 24 people. Phone 440.238.0176 or e-mail [email protected]
Zoomin’ the Mountains of East Tennessee, June 9-12 Bob Maurer , Rich Velardo Save the dates so that you will be able to join us for a Zoomin' good time in 2016. Here's the "411" thus far... HOTEL Reservations are being taken for Zoomin' The Mountains Of East Tennessee , June 9-12, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Johnson City, Tn 101 W. Springbrook Dr. JC 37604 CALL 423-282-4611 and Request Reservations for the Tri-Cities Miata Event June 2016. The event schedule will be out toward the end of March. Announcements and schedules can be found at the Tri-Cities web-site; http://www.tri- citiesmiataclub.com/ztmoet Follow the discussion on Miata.net; http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=583622 Start Your Engines… coming events; Page 4
Mansfield Reformatory and Ohio Caverns Tour, June 25th-26th Mike and Lois Kerklo and Gary and Char Davis Please join us for a Miata weekend trip as we travel to the Mansfield Reformatory and Ohio Caverns. Listed on the National and State Historic Places the prison has a unique and varied history.In addition to serving many years as a prison it also has been a location for several movie productions,the most famous being " The Shawshank Redemption." After our tour we will depart to lunch at a nearby location.From there we spend the afternoon motoring over a collection of Miata roads to Marysville where we will be spending the night. Saturday's dinner will be at the Der Dutchman in Plain City just a short drive from the motel.Please be sure to bring an "empty belly" as there is a vast assortment of tempting goodies. Sunday morning after breakfast at the motel, we will caravan to the Ohio Caverns for a one hour walking tour of the underground caves. You will see the largest and most beautiful of all the Ohio caves- featuring exquisite crystal- white stalactite and stalagmite formations. To join us please contact Mike at [email protected] or 330-336-5797. Tour limited to twelve Miatas.
Mid-Ohio Vintage Grand Prix, June 24-26, 2016 Bob Maurer & Rich Velardo With the slogan, “Some people collect art, we race it,” the Vintage Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio featuring Sportcar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) is a perfect curtain raiser for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course’s 2016 racing season. SVRA is one of the fastest growing segments of auto racing in North America. Cars from 11 SVRA racing groups bearing iconic names like Lola, Ferrari, Mustang, Triumph Spitfire, Trans-Ams and Aston Martin will bring their special brand of excitement and exhilaration to Mid-Ohio for a weekend rich in motorsports – past, present and future. Two popular, traditional aspects of the SVRA weekend return in 2016. The British Car Showdown includes British classics and various nostalgic forms of British automotive innovation. The 18th annual British Car Showdown guarantees something of interest for everyone. Classics of all makes and models and colors, shapes and sizes will be on display throughout the day for the Concours d'Elegance with the beautiful cars participating in this show as they take a trip around the track at lunch. Northcoast Miata Club Caravan to Mid-Ohio Vintage Grand Prix; Our caravan starts at 8:00 AM Sunday June 26 at the McDonalds at I-71 and SR 224, 6074 Speedway Dr., Seville OH 44237 (Note that this is a new starting point from previous years) CONTACTS: Rich Velardo [email protected] Bob Maurer [email protected]
Miatas @ the Gap, July 28 – 31 - 20th anniversary Rich & Lilas Velardo This is “THE” Miatas @ the Gap tour. This event happens each year on the last weekend of July, and this is the “Official” weekend for Miatas @ Deals Gap. At this event you’ll see every year, color and special edition Miata that was ever made, as well as more custom Miatas than you could imagine. This is a rolling Miata car show where there are hundreds of Miatas in attendance. Miatas gather here from all over the USA with some from Canada as well, if you like Miatas, you’ll be happy this weekend. HQ for this event is at the Fontana resort, we’re staying at Fontana but Robbinsville has many available rooms as well. You’ll find that many tours are planned and as always with this event, you’re free to do whatever you want, whenever you want to do it. Rich will be running the Gap each morning and probably evenings, these are the most traffic free times to enjoy The Tail of The Dragon. During the day we’ll tour to wherever we decide we’d like to go. Rich & Lilas normally visit the artisans in the area and have a lunch in the old schoolhouse/art gallery in Stecoah. Other side trips could include a trip to Tellico Plains over the Cherohalla Skyway, visit the Joyce Kilmer Park and run the hill-climb road or just hang out at the Fontana resort to check out the Miatas or enjoy what the resort has to offer. Once we find out who’s going, we’ll plan our itinerary together. To learn more about this 20th anniversary event, go here & sign up for the forum; http://www.gapmiatas.com Contact Rich & Lilas Velardo for more information. [email protected] or 330-725-0429
Chautauqua B&B Trip - August 12 -13. Jim &Joyce Simmelink A few spots may be left for the Chatauqua B&B trip, please call Jim & Joyce Simmelink at 440 485 0490 for details on booking a B&B. Start Your Engines… coming events; Page 5
Laurel Highlands Tour: Frank Lloyd Wright Homes, Ohiopyle State Park and Fort Necessity September 22 to 24 Wayne and Connie Dustman & Dave and Karen Baker This three day tour is from Thursday to Saturday, September 22 to 24. You will be able to experience a variety of activities. Friday is focused on touring the Frank Lloyd Wright homes of Fallingwater and Kentucky Knob. Thursday afternoon and Saturday will offer the options of visiting Laurel Caverns, Fort Necessity, or Ohiopyle State Park. There are several wineries in the area you may want to explore. The hotel room is $125/night, that includes taxes. It is a Hampton Inn so breakfasts are included. The FLW tour tickets are about $25/person, per home. For persons who have signed up for this tour, details will follow via email. At present there is no one on the waiting list. This area is a beautiful part of southwestern Pennsylvania, and we are planning to use scenic/fun driving routes as we travel through it. For questions please contact: Wayne and Connie Dustman 440.286.4324 or Dave and Karen Baker 330.725.2026
Miatas in Boone, September 22 – 25 Phil Daly 2016 Lodging Options As an event focused around the Boone, NC area we are able to take advantage of some great deals from local motels. Information for the 2016 year is below. Recommended Options Highland Hills will offer a 10% discount for a three consecutive night stay during the event weekend (September 22 – 25). You need to mention you are with the Miatas in Boone group. They offer a variety of lodging options (motel rooms, cabins, etc). Book by calling 828-264-2277 or 800-948-5276. Their website is www.highlandhillscabins.com. Super 8 is offering rates of $55 on weeknights (Sun-Thur) and $79 for weekends (Fri-Sat). Rates do not include tax. Mention Miatas in Boone when making your reservation. Book by calling 828-264-4133 or 800-823-6159. Other Options Boone, NC is a vibrant community home to many great restaurants, attractions, and a downtown area surrounding Appalachian State University. Check out some of the local hotel options or visit us on Facebook to get recommendations from those who have stayed locally in previous years.
LOOKING FOR GOOD CURVES 2 -- OCTOBER 8 & 9, 2016 Bob Maurer Pretty autumn colors will be just a blur on this somewhat spirited two-day tour on twisting roads. The tour will be limited to 15 cars and we will be driving in two small groups rather than trying to keep a long parade together at brisk speeds. We will start near Canton on Saturday morning, ending at Salt Fork Lodge mid-afternoon with time to enjoy all that this beautiful state park has to offer, head back on Sunday, ending somewhere near Kent for dinner. (More details later.) A block of 12 rooms has been reserved at Salt Fork Lodge for Oct. 8 at a rate of $109 for a double queen room. (More details on how to make your reservations at this special rate will be available later.) Sign up sheet will be available at our monthly meetings. Bob Maurer; 330-316-8697 [email protected]
Oil Creek Railroad Fall Foliage Tour October 15th, Jared & Tiffany Fonner and Scott & Mary Miller If you enjoy autumn’s fall colors and historic destinations explored with your Miata, than this tour might be one you’ll want to join us for. On Saturday, October 15th, we will drive to Cambridge Springs, PA for lunch at the historic Riverside Inn. Built in the late 1880’s, at the height of the mineral spring health craze in the US, it operated as a health resort or vacationers, heading to the nearby springs, that gave the town of Cambridge Springs it’s name. By 1903, there were more than 40 hotels, spring houses and rooming houses welcoming visitors. Eight trains per day brought guests from New York to Chicago, as Cambridge Springs was the halfway point between them. In 1904, Cambridge Springs even hosted the world chess championship, held at the Rider Hotel. [email protected] Read the full article at http://northcoast-miata.com/2015/12/3300 Start Your Engines… coming events; Page 6
Sunshine News… Marilyn Nenadal [email protected] A reminder: Please, contact me either through e-mail or by phone, if either you or a fellow member needs the Club’s support offered by a card or a showing of caring and support.
Rookies (new members)… Current Membership count; 152 (Includes those who have not paid for 2016 yet)
Jack Heimovics & Nancy Pound '07 Copper Red.
Meeting Minutes… February 18th, 2016, Cascade Mazda Page 6
The meeting was called to order by club president, Greg Selby, at 7:00 PM. Forty- one attended including:, Dave & Karen Baker, Dennis Beckman, Denny Blacklock, Brian Bouchard, Gary Davis, Phil Daly, Wayne & Connie Dustman, Paul Eschenaur, Jared & Tiffany Fonner, John & Donna Garsteck, Bob Gauss, Bob Haseley, Jack Heimovics & Nancy Pound, Dan & Joanne Incorvatti, Mike & Lois Kerklo, Steve & Ellen Laitinen, Jim Lambert, Doug & Carol Leavens, Bob Maurer, Scott Miller, Jim & Marilyn Nenadal, Ron Otte, Bob Palmer & Ava Singerman, Gary & Barb Savage, Greg & Judy Selby, Jim & Joyce Simmelink, Rich Velardo, Ron & Gayle Zipay. The minutes as published in the newsletter were approved. REPORTS: President: Greg Selby – John Embree has agreed to serve as Secretary for 2016. The 2016 NMC tee shirt is available for purchase. This year’s color is California blue and 25th anniversary pens are available. Midwest Miata, Columbus, OH., is interested in holding a swap meet this year in NE Ohio. They are looking for help in finding a location and setting up the event. Buckeye Miata is planning a “Cruise Hocking Hills” event based in Logan, OH on May 20th – 22nd. Vice-President: Gary Davis – no report Treasurer: Bob Stefancic – absent Latest financial report is listed in the Members Only Section of the Website. Secretary: John Embree /Sub- Jim Lambert Please register your attendance on the sign in sheet located on the front table. Membership: Ava Singerman- 2016 annual dues of $36 are due Membership is presently at 148. ... 89 members paid (60%) 4 cancellations Competition: Mike DePietro – 2016 schedule is not complete at this time. More details in the spring Historian: Phil Daley – no report Newsletter: Rich Velardo – no report Webmaster: Daryl and Rachel Baker – absent Merchandise: Mike DePietro – absent Sunshine: Marilyn Nenadal – Please notify me if you know of any concerns of the membership OLD BUSINESS: Tours and events since our last meeting were reviewed by their hosts or participants. NEW BUSINESS/ACTIVITIES: Pizza Party for the March meeting Hosts highlighted the upcoming events, which include: Around the World Dinners and Lunches, FYBO Tour, Wine Party, Mansfield Reformatory Tour, Miatas at Boone, NC, Zoomin’ the Mountains of East Tennessee, Falling Water and Chataqua. Sign-ups are available on the window ledge or by contacting the host. For details, visit the website or the newsletter. MONKEY BUSINESS: 50/50 Raffle: $77 collected; $39 went to the club; $38 shared by 2 members. Meeting adjourned at 7:35 PM
The Tail Pipe… Page 7
Favorite Links New Links… Club Links… Northcoast Miata Club; http://www.northcoast-miata.com MX-5 Miata.net; http://www.miata.net Sales Links… Mazda USA; http://www.mazdausamedia.com Cascade Auto Group; http://www.cascadeautogroup.com Backstreet Performance (club member Rich Johnson’s shop) http://www.backstreetper.com The Tire Rack; http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp Moss Motors; http://www.mossmiata.com Flyin’ Miata; http://www.flyinmiata.com Goodwin Racing; http://www.good-win-racing.com Bring a Trailer, classic cars (that can be driven, not show queens) for sale. www.bringatrailer.com Trip Links… Deal’s Gap; Miatas at the Gap XVII; http://www.gapmiatas.com Fontana Village, NC; http://www.fontanavillage.com Highland Manor, Townsend, TN; http://www.highlandmanor.com Competition Links… Northern Ohio Racing Association; http://www.noraracing.net NE Ohio region SCCA; http://www.neohio-scca.org NASA Racing; http://www.nasaproracing.com Anatomy of Autocross (video); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cDsmBexSd8 Mid-Ohio Race Track; http://www.midohio.com Helpful Links… Tire Size Calculator; http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html Find out how to fix your Miata, go to Mike’s Place; https://www.youtube.com/user/MikesPlaceBiz/videos Just for Fun Links… Autoblog, automotive news and test drives. www.autoblog.com Jalopnik; http://jalopnik.com Jay Leno’s Garage; http://www.jaylenosgarage.com The Truth About Cars; http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com Junkyard Treasures; http://autoweek.com/car-life/junkyard-treasures Mazda Zoom-Zoom Magazine; zoomzoommag.com
Club Officers & Committee Members; President………….... Greg Selby ……………... [email protected] Vice President ….… Gary Davis ……………... [email protected] Treasurer …………….Bob Stefancic…………… [email protected] Secretary …………… John Embree………….… [email protected] Historian ……………..Phil Daly……………...... [email protected] Membership ……… Ava Singerman ……...... [email protected] Sunshine………..….. Marilyn Nenadal………. [email protected] Competition ………. Mike DePietro…………… [email protected] Merchandise ………Mike & Linda DePietro… [email protected] Newsletter ………… Rich Velardo…..…………. [email protected] Web Master ………. Daryl Baker………………… [email protected] Sundaes ……………...Barb Savage…..………….. [email protected]
The Tail Pipe… Page 8
For Sale: Luggage Rack, non-permanent adjustable stainless steel rack from Moss Motors, fits1990-2014 Miata, very nice condition, plus rain-proof luggage with straps which is a perfect fit for the rack. A $275 value, asking $175. Bob Maurer 330-316-8697 [email protected] Bob Maurer 330-316-8697 For Sale: Pioneer HD Radio, Model DEH-X8500BH – With surround that fits 2006-2008 Miata (will fit other year Miatas with the correct dash surround), Bluetooth, HD, MP3, all cables and mike for Bluetooth. Essentially plug and play for ’06-‘08. Price $200 Also, For Sale: Car ramps - like new $20 Dave Baker 330-760-6196 [email protected]
I am selling my OEM 2004 Miata Wheels (16x7) at the end of March. They are all In Very Good shape, straight, with some minor curb rash. I am asking $250 for all 4. This picture is from 2010, and I cannot get Current Pics right now. All 4 have NEW Wheel Hubs (9- 2015). Contact me at (330) 458-9010 or [email protected] Thanks for looking, Brian Bouchard.
For Sale: 2012 MX -5 Copper Red Touring, soft top, 6 speed manual transmission, 8714 miles, black cloth interior. Suspension Package, Sport Tuned Suspension, Limited Slip Differential, Bilstein Shocks Asking $18,000 Contact Marcello @ [email protected] 330 495 6297
Custom wood or black plastic shift knobs with or without the shift pattern on top. I usually have several in stock but if not I can have one ready in a week or less. $40 each for plain ones, $45 each for knobs with the shift pattern on top. I have various woods, walnut, maple or pecan work very well. All knobs have a threaded steel insert for weight & strong threads. Rich Velardo [email protected] Also see my Etsy site, look under “Long Dog Wood Studio”
Northcoast Miata Club Speed Shop Dan Cali, proprietor Official Northcoast Miata Club license plate frames - $10.00 Long Sleeve Tee Shirts - $10 Short Sleeve Tee Shirts - $7 Baseball Hats - $5 Club 25th anniversary logo Pens – 2 pens for $1 See Dan at any of the club meetings or contact him @; [email protected]
Newsletter News Rich Velardo Please submit your articles in Calibri font no later than the 25th of each month. E-mail to either the club newsletter editor e-mail [email protected] or my personal e-mail [email protected] If you do not get a confirmation e-mail back from me, I didn’t get your message! Historian News Phil Daly Pictures can be found at SmugMug: http://nc-m.smugmug.com
See the Cascade Auto Group for all of your Miata needs. Audi, Mazda, Subaru & Porsche sales and service. 4149 State Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 330-929-1861
Our ads do work and we do sell items from here, including to non-members who access old newsletter issues and read the FSOT section. A set of wheels that had been listed in here recently sold to a non-member who read the ad and responded to it. Mazda History... Page 9
SOME REMARKS ABOUT MARQUES By Bob Maurer From the point of view of someone who is a Miata nut, all roads can lead to a Miata. Here is a winding road that took me, if not to a Miata, at least to Mazda. Recently, while enjoying Richard Strauss’s Also Sprock Zarathustra (1896) (which btw you might recognize as the opening fanfare of the 1968 2001: A Space Odyssey and Elvis’s live show openings 1971-1977). I needed to refresh my memory on the origin and meaning of the piece’s interesting title, which roughly translated means Thus Spoke Zarathustra. So let’s zoom quickly down the road from Richard Strauss (1864-1949) to Mazda with a short side trip to Zarathustra, while avoiding any stops near the book of the same name that inspired our composer and the piece’s title. The name Mazda is said to have been adopted by the company because the founder’s name, Jujiro Matsuda, was similar to the name of an ancient “uncreated spirit” of light, wisdom and truth, named Ahura Mazda who was the center of worship for Zoroastrianism, which was named for the religion’s founder Zoroaster in or around the 4th Century BCE. Zoroaster was also known as Zarathustra in the German language. End of road trip to Mazda. We’re there. The company name of Mazda did not come into being for some ten years after Matsuda’s company had opened for business in Hiroshima, Japan in 1920 or 1921. Probably the first use of the Mazda name was in 1931 when the company changed from manufacturing machine tools to vehicles, beginning with 3-wheel trucks known as Mazda-Go autorickshaws. Not kidding. They were basically a 3-wheel motorcycle. Although every vehicle it made since about 1931 or 1934 carried the name Mazda, the company did not formally adopt the name until 1984! Some of its vehicles were also marketed under the Autozan marque and the Amati marque, especially in Japan and Australia. The brief history of Mazda’s emblems goes something like this:
A 1934-1936 stylized Mazda; Between 1936-1962, there was a representation of the mountains of Hiroshima in the stylized shape of three Ms for Mazda Motor
Manufacturing with long extensions representing wings of agility and speed.
Between 1962-1975, a simple stylized m Between 1975-1991, a new stylized mazda name that continues today in various settings, but no longer as their official emblem on cars.
Autozam, with its logo representing the mountains of Hiroshima, was the name given to the company’s smaller cars in the early 1990s which were later rebadged as Suzukis.
About 1991 the Amati logo was introduced. In 1991 this was a short-lived corporate symbol of a sun and a flame representing heart-felt passion. Sometimes referred to as the cylon logo, it was redesigned a year later to avoid too close of a similarity with Renault’s logo.
In 1992 the eternal flame logo was a restyling the cylon logo and was used from 1992 to 1997. (the “eternal flame” was laughingly referred to as the “toilet seat” logo, ed.)
In 1997 the present-day logo was born, the stylized winged M indicating that Mazda is stretching its wings for the future.
PS: One last thing about Mazda marques. I was not able to find any information about the various Miata logos that we see around, but if you are wondering where the name Miata came from, I understand that it was derived from the word ‘reward’ in the Old High German
language of the 7th to 9th centuries. Go figure.
The Garage, “it’s all fun! Page 10
This is the second installment of the maintenance articles that were published by Mazda on its competition web-site. While written for Miata racecars, the information is appropriate for our Miatas as well.
MIATA COOLING MAINTENANCE GUIDE
The cooling system of any race car is vital to your engine's performance and longevity. A few simple maintenance items can keep it performing like it should.
- See more at: http://mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayRacerStoryView?source=FEATUREDPRODUCT&uniqueId=696 7&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1#sthash.tbaJBFPo.dpuf
The cooling system of any race car is vital to its engine's performance and longevity. Running at the hotter range of your engine's safe temperature zone has been known to decrease horsepower. Excessive temperature may cause the cylinder head gasket to fail or, in the worst-case scenario, catastrophic engine failure. Some of these failures are caused by low-cost and easily replaced cooling system components. Always keep a spare belt, thermostat and cooling system pressure cap in your tool box. Tips: • During the race season, use de-mineralized water with a cooling system additive (Water Wetter or similar; note that most racing sanctioning bodies do not allow ethylene glycol-based coolants). • For long periods of storage without use - more than 60 days - or if car is stored where temperature is below freezing, make sure to drain your cooling system and replace with a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze. • Inspect hoses for deterioration or seepage /leaks. • Inspect drive belts for proper tension and replace any belt showing excessive wear. • Inspect water pump for leakage/bearing play when replacing or inspecting the timing belt. Unless you are planning to completely rebuild your engine, there are a few minor repairs to consider before taking your car on track. - See more at: http://mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayRacerStoryView?source=FEATUREDPRODUCT&uniqueId=696 7&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1#sthash.tbaJBFPo.dpuf