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Just got in the mail today (thanks Makoto-san) a wonderful copy of the ER magazine, Vol 3/97 - was printed in limited quantities (not that rare, but no easy to find).
Buut as I thumbed through the pages - pages that reflect an earlier time when the afterarket industry for the Eunos in Japan was just 7 years old, there are really some nice parts that really made a huge impact on me waaay back when I first bought my 1991 Miata. Back in 1995 when I bought my 91, I used to gaze at the pages of these magazines and just dream. Back then, the idea of $300 KG Works TSI's just freaked me out to no end...now, it is not even a decision. Price at somepoint only becomes a smaller bump in the road to JDM happiness....a kind of ZEN for a roadster freak llike myself and these pages speak ZEN.
Anyway, this particcular issue is a moot point. There is hardly anything in here that I suspect is even around anymore. Tuners come and go in Japan - and some stay the course through tough economic times and fickle budgets from the 18-25 year old Japanese males that still live with their parents and yet dump loads of cash into this little car.
Case in point (if you have this issue, follow along):
1) Page 130 - YoursSports ad - I wish these guys stayed the course with Miata. They made a killer hood that was very Darth Vade like, made a great front end that used some robudt PIAA projector lamps, and made those very hard to find Eunos Lotus like emblems and keychains. A feast for the eyes - great products.
2) Page 118 - Gulf "For Roadster Only 5w-40, 3.7 litre" oil in the square cans. I love this. Why the US does not have such a great niche market oil unit for Roadsters is beyond me. With the Miata as the #1 selling sports car in the world (units), you would think this would have more life than just in Japan. At one point (when I was at Rspeed), Joe and I were trying to figure out how to ship in the oil in these containers....but simply could not do so.
3) Page 86-87 - my absolute all time FAVORITE Roadster that started my path down the darkside of retro goodness. This is a pitcrew induced Miata, painted in dark BRG green, pitcrew front end bonded to fenders, Talbots on the fenders, aluminum door panels, carbs, 14x8 Watanabes with some serious offset, flares, you name it - and with a dual pair of VAN stickers to match on the rockers. I believe there is a shot of the rear end in a thread in the body section (low profile bumper and Zoom tail lamps.
4) One of the weirdest articles I have yet to see in any Roadster mag from japan - although I cannot read Kanji, etc...this one is named "Roadster Travelogue Izu." and this chap is reviewing mineral bath/spas with his Roadster - weird, but yet interesting.
5) Finally, a multi-page spread on Bright Logic with their two flagship cars (at the time) that spoke engine mods to no end. You need to see it to believe it.
anwyay - just a small insight into a mag that if you come across it, pick it up, pop a pint of Guinness, and have a fun thumb-through. It is really a nice trip back in time.
Buut as I thumbed through the pages - pages that reflect an earlier time when the afterarket industry for the Eunos in Japan was just 7 years old, there are really some nice parts that really made a huge impact on me waaay back when I first bought my 1991 Miata. Back in 1995 when I bought my 91, I used to gaze at the pages of these magazines and just dream. Back then, the idea of $300 KG Works TSI's just freaked me out to no end...now, it is not even a decision. Price at somepoint only becomes a smaller bump in the road to JDM happiness....a kind of ZEN for a roadster freak llike myself and these pages speak ZEN.
Anyway, this particcular issue is a moot point. There is hardly anything in here that I suspect is even around anymore. Tuners come and go in Japan - and some stay the course through tough economic times and fickle budgets from the 18-25 year old Japanese males that still live with their parents and yet dump loads of cash into this little car.
Case in point (if you have this issue, follow along):
1) Page 130 - YoursSports ad - I wish these guys stayed the course with Miata. They made a killer hood that was very Darth Vade like, made a great front end that used some robudt PIAA projector lamps, and made those very hard to find Eunos Lotus like emblems and keychains. A feast for the eyes - great products.
2) Page 118 - Gulf "For Roadster Only 5w-40, 3.7 litre" oil in the square cans. I love this. Why the US does not have such a great niche market oil unit for Roadsters is beyond me. With the Miata as the #1 selling sports car in the world (units), you would think this would have more life than just in Japan. At one point (when I was at Rspeed), Joe and I were trying to figure out how to ship in the oil in these containers....but simply could not do so.
3) Page 86-87 - my absolute all time FAVORITE Roadster that started my path down the darkside of retro goodness. This is a pitcrew induced Miata, painted in dark BRG green, pitcrew front end bonded to fenders, Talbots on the fenders, aluminum door panels, carbs, 14x8 Watanabes with some serious offset, flares, you name it - and with a dual pair of VAN stickers to match on the rockers. I believe there is a shot of the rear end in a thread in the body section (low profile bumper and Zoom tail lamps.
4) One of the weirdest articles I have yet to see in any Roadster mag from japan - although I cannot read Kanji, etc...this one is named "Roadster Travelogue Izu." and this chap is reviewing mineral bath/spas with his Roadster - weird, but yet interesting.
5) Finally, a multi-page spread on Bright Logic with their two flagship cars (at the time) that spoke engine mods to no end. You need to see it to believe it.
anwyay - just a small insight into a mag that if you come across it, pick it up, pop a pint of Guinness, and have a fun thumb-through. It is really a nice trip back in time.
)
