Controlled Over-Steer

The Official Newsletter of the Indy Miata Club
Volume 19
Issue 6
June 2009
What’s Inside
Page 2
Articles Needed.
Page 3
Upcoming Events.
Indy Helps Windy.
Page 4
Days of Bliss.
Page 5
Tag Article.
Page 6
Ho-Hum Fun Run.
Page 7
Advertisers.
Page 8
Schedule.
Controlled Over-Steer
…or, Steering with Your Right Foot!
by Tom Lewis, President
I’ve always loved cars. It’s in my blood.
I grew up in a fairly large family, the youngest of eight kids. Some of my earliest memories are of
riding in the very back of the Ford Country Squire station wagon in the rear facing seat with one or
two of my older sisters. It seemed we were always running late to church on Sunday mornings, the
culprit being a particular sister who had an extreme fondness for hair spray to get her hair absolutely
perfect. I can still hear that horn honking in the driveway, my dad getting madder by the minute. Then
we were on our way for the five minute ride to 7:30 AM services, fighting with my sisters the whole
way over who got to look at the funny paper from the Sunday Star newspaper.
One of my favorite times of year as a kid was the early fall. That was when all the new cars were
introduced. And nearly every year, my dad would trade in mom’s County Squire at Jerry Alderman
Ford on a new one. He would also trade his prior year’s Cadillac with a new one from Tutwiler Cadillac when it was down at Illinois and Fall Creek Blvd. (it's now a funeral home). Most times it would
be a Fleetwood, but when the El Dorado was reintroduced as a radical front wheel drive vehicle in
1966, my dad got a really cool looking sky blue El Dorado. To this day, one of my favorite olfactory
scents is that of a new car. It always reminds of that time of year as a kid.
So, how could some Fords and Cadillacs turn me into a car fanatic? Well, they didn’t do it all
by themselves. You see, many years prior to my birth in 1958, my dad had a very long history with
sports cars. But, what I remember most vividly as a six year old is what used to be parked between
the Country Squire and the Cadillac in the garage. A 1962 Porsche 356 Cabriolet. Dark blue with a
tan leather interior. Man, oh man, I can still see that car sitting in the garage. I can still hear that boxer
engine and feel the wind taking my breath away while I sat in what was barely a back seat with my
sister Dee. What I remember most is sometimes on Sunday evenings in the summer, we'd go for a
drive in the Porsche up north Meridian Street to 91st street to get some frozen custard at what used to
be called (I believe) the North Pole.
The ‘62 Porsche 356C was the last of a very long line of my dad’s sports cars in the 50‘s and early
60‘s, which included the very first 1953 Corvette in Indianapolis, T-Birds, several Jaguar XK120’s,
and even a very short lived Chevy Corvair in the early 60’s. I don’t believe he kept that car for more
than a week; it seemed that perhaps he took Ralph Nadar’s advice regarding the car. But, by the time
the ‘62 Porsche 356C exited the scene, a very deep impression had been made on me during those
ever so important formative years.
So, as my dad began to move away from sports cars and into boats, the sporty car torch was picked
up by my only brother Bob (also now a member on IMC with his second Miata, a Classic Red 2005
his first Miata was a ‘99 Classic Red). The first car I remember Bob driving was an early 60’s little
blue Renault Dauphine that he shared with my oldest sister, Pat. I remember that car so well because
it was the first car that I ever slammed the door on my finger. That hurt so bad! For a four or five year
old, having your thumb nail turn black and fall off was a pretty traumatic thing!
After the Pat and Bob’s Dauphine, came Bob’s little red VW Beetle. I can’t remember the year, but
it had to be an early 60’s model. What I remember most about this car was riding and sleeping in the
back seat of my big brother’s VW as he drove me down to Bloomington to spend the weekend with
him at the Phi Gamma Delta house at IU.
After Bob’s VW came the Mustangs! Still remember that 1964 ½ Dark Red Mustang that Bob was
so proud of! Black interior and three on the floor. Later on, My dad would purchase a ‘66 (I think)
Zoom-Zoom to page 2
2 Open Road
Indy Miata
Club Officers
2009
President
Tom Lewis
[email protected]
Vice-President
Eric Drumwright
[email protected]
Treasurer
Steve Crouse
[email protected]
Membership Director
Mike Selvy
[email protected]
Events Coordinator
Greg Waltz
[email protected]
Secretary
Nancy Burrill
[email protected]
Publications
Sara J mcBride
4249 Springwood Ct.
Indpls., IN 46228
[email protected]
The Open Road is published monthly for the members of the Indy Miata Club. The Indy Miata Club
assumes no liability for any information contained
herein, or injury or damage resulting from use of
this information. The ideas, opinions, maintenance
or modification tips expressed are to be used at the
reader’s discretion. Individual contributors and/or
the editors express no approval, authentication, or
endorsement. Thank you.
June 2009
Controlled Over-Steer
...continued from Page 1
Mustang, dark green metallic with a black vinyl top for my mom. What I remember most about that car is that my mom would occasionally (and unintentionally)
squeal the tires from a stop. You see, mom had a bit of a lead foot at times and the
big engine in that little Mustang would light up the bias ply tires up at will. So,
as I recall, Bob bought the “overpowered” Green Mustang from my dad, and dad
went out and replaced the green Mustang with the most beautiful 1967 Acapulco
Blue Mustang convertible with a white rag top. That car was simply stunning.
Unfortunately, that would be the last car my dad would buy for my mom prior to
his untimely passing in the summer of 1968. But I will never forget that Acapulco
Blue Mustang, mostly because in 1971, that beautiful Acapulco Blue Mustang
convertible with a white drop top, was traded in at Jerry Alderman for the most
pathetic 1971 Ford Maverick in the most atrocious “Grabber Green” color. I’ve
previously reminisced about this Maverick as my first car, with it’s anemic 200
cubic inch straight six engine. It went 0 - 60 in the life span of a dragonfly (which,
incidentally, is one day). That car went through several of my siblings before it
was handed down to me in 1974 when I got my driver’s license. By that time, I
think it had been wrecked and repaired 2-3 times, and when I had my first (and
last - knock on wood) accident in October of 1974, I was happily anticipating the
replacement of that car. But, no. Mom decided to go ahead and get it fixed once
more. I’d have to wait until 1976, my senior year in High School, until I would
be able to talk my mom into trading the Maverick in if I contributed what little
money I’d saved up from pumping gas at Carl West Shell at 56th and Emerson
Ave and dipping Ice Cream at Baskin-Robbins in the Devington Shopping Center at 46th and Arlington. That car - my first - would change everything for me.
A 1976 Chocolate Brown VW Rabbit. A four speed. Rubber floor covering. Tan
vinyl bucket seats that actually reclined! And a hand cranked sunroof! That Rabbit
was really what set me on the course that I’m still following today.
We’ll pick up next month with my journey of car ownership.
Articles And Pictures Wanted!
Your Open Road Editor has once again headed north and crossed the border
into Canada where she will hide until mid-September. She is asking all Rally
Masters to e-mail her a write up of their event and post pictures on the club gallery site (http://picasaweb.google.com/IndyMiataClub). This will make the Open
Road much more interesting and will remind Sara of what she's missing!
She did send a picture to help members understand why she doesn't drive her
Miata to the North Woods. It shows the only paved road for 100 miles.
3 Open Road
Indy Club Events For June
What's that old saying? "June is busting out all over"? Well, there are three
events that are busting out on the club schedule, so start making plans now.
First up on June 6th is "Putt to Putnam", hosted by Steve Myers and Herm
Freeland. You’ll see Hendrick County’s only vista as you travel the highest
point in the county, and dance with the Big Walnut over three different types
of bridges. You’ll also visit historic Mansfield Village where you can enjoy a
short break to catch your breath. Then it's onto the back roads from Mansfield
Village as you head to the Putnam Inn in beautiful Greencastle to enjoy a fine
meal to finish the day. Directions to Hummel Park (please follow the directions
to the WEST SIDE of Hummel Park): From I-465 take I-70 West to the Plainfield/State Road 267 exit. Turn right/north on SR267 and move immediately to
the left lane and turn left at the first traffic light on to Hadley Road. Continue
straight on Hadley Rd through the “circle” to the stop sign at 700 East. Turn
right on 700 East and travel approximately 1 mile to the Hummel Park entrance, which will be on your right.
The Meet and Greet starts at 10:00 AM, Driver’s Meeting at 10:20 AM and
departure is scheduled for 10:30 AM. This area has some very Miata friendly
roads and lots of scenery, so head over to the events page at the club web site
and register for this event.
Next up is Jack Cruse's "Midweek Cruse", a tradition he started last year
of a cruise during the week. It's scheduled for Tuesday, June 16 and is open to
anyone who is retired, has the day off, or feels too good to go to work. This
year's event will start at the Greenwood Target parking lot on SR135, just south
of Smith Valley Road. We'll gather at 10:00AM with jump-off at 10:30AM.
Our route will take us south meandering on and off SR 135 on some very
interesting and scenic roads. We'll pass through Nashville with a stop there
for lunch/sites on your own. Afterwards, we'll head down through Story and
further south on SR135 and its great curvy roads. Then we will turn around and
redo that section of great road going north! The route will end in Story, with
everyone free to refresh at the Story Inn or head on home from there by mid
afternoon. So, sign up, call in well and do the "Midweek Cruse"!
Join Steve and Barbara Cole on Saturday June 20th for a fun time back
down memory lane as we host our their rally. Any of us who love fast cars,
classic rock-n-roll music, a cold frosted mug of root beer and some pretty girls
(no honey, I wasn't talking about those girls, I was talking about you) should
have a great time on the "Sock Hop and Shine Run.
Plans are to start with everyone gathering at the Meijer store parking lot in
Greenwood at 12:00 PM. The Meijer store is at the corner of State Road 135
and Main Street in Greenwood. We will have a drivers' meeting at about 12:25
PM with the first car leaving at about 12:35. We are planning a route that will
take us though Johnson, Monroe and Brown counties on a drive that will take
about 3 to 4 hours. We will end up back at Greenwood at the famous Suds
Drive-in. Note: all times given for the Sock Hop & Shine are tentative at this
time. Check the event page on the club web site to register and for further updates as June 20th gets closer.
Peeking into July, Larry and Sabrena Smith are hosting " Shall We Gather
at the River?" an overnight adventure to southern Indiana which will include
twisty roads, bridges of all types, German food and maybe a casino or two!
More information is, you guessed it, at the club web site. That web address, in
case you don't know, is: http://indymiata.org.
So, check the tire pressure, fill the tank and bust out of Indy for a lot of Indy
Miata Club fun! See you thee!
June 2009
Indy Helps Windy!
by Dave Besterman
On our way back home from the
Leavenworth Trip this past April, Roz and I
had the misfortune to come upon a roadblock
on State Route 43 at Hendricksville, located
south of Spencer, Indiana. An extended detour
deprived us of the joy of driving this very
Miata friendly highway. Later on, I realized
that the following weekend we were joining
Chris Dunn and Judy Ringlein-Dunn from the
Windy City Miata Club who were hosting the
Buzz Bomb 2 journey through south-central
Indiana. A quick e-mail message and reply
from Judy confirmed their plans to drive over
State Route 43.
A thorough study of the DeLorme Indiana
Atlas and Google Maps produced an alternate
route over South Garrison Chapel Road. With
the Buzz Bomb 2 trip a mere three days off
however we needed to confirm the condition
of the road at this the last minute. After some
quick thinking I got in touch with Dennis
and Hazel Moore, fellow members of the
Indy Miata Club who live in nearby Bedford,
Indiana. Dennis was more than happy to test
drive the alternate route on Wednesday, two
days ahead of time and confirmed that this
road was a good one to use. Even better yet,
on Thursday the day before the start of the
tour Judy finally got word from INDOT that
SR 43 would be open for traffic on Saturday,
May 2 after all, thus obviating the need for
a detour.
Chris and Judy Dunn from the Windy City
Miata Club extend a great big “Thank You” to
Dennis and Hazel for helping them out. That
Saturday while the WCMC tour group was
having lunch in Bedford, Dennis and Hazel
stopped by and met 50 new Miata friends.
If the names Chris Dunn and Judy RingleinDunn sounds familiar to some readers, yes,
this is the same couple who had an unfortunate
encounter with a True Red NC Miata from
Gateway Club in St Louis during last years
MMG drive to the Indianapolis Racetrack.
Chris and Judy are happy to report that their
95 Black Newt MX-5 has been completely
repaired and is back on the road.
June 2009
Open Road 5
Days Of Bliss Was Sunny, Rainy And Fun!
On May 16th, Joan and Ken Rabbers led us on a tour of roundabouts, curvy roads and a little rain through Hamilton, Boone
and Madison counties. Fourteen cars with the appropriate number of drivers and navigators met in the parking lot in front of
the Starbucks at 126th and Meridian.
In the spirit of giving, Joan and Ken invited representatives from the local
Food Bank to join us at our meeting point at Starbucks. Participants were
encouraged to bring non perishable food items to be given as a donation. It was
not a requirement, rather a request so that we can help others who are in need.
Members responded well and filled the trunk of the representative's car.
President Tom Lewis presented Ken with a $25 fuel card as a thank you for
signing up early to host an event.
After a short driver's meeting, cars headed into the wilds of Hamilton county
and its famous roundabouts. Some cars added to the adventure by doing full
circles in the roundabouts. Thee were ten roundabouts in less than seven miles!
Much fun!
We continued on through some nice neighborhoods with chatter on the radios
about the cost of living ("Is that posted price for the lot or yearly taxes?") and
then followed Little Eagle Creek into Eagletown and headed north from there.
We went through Deming, crossed Morse Reservoir and then made a stop to
refresh ourselves and zero the odometers.
We got back out on the roads and continued in a northeasterly direction,
dancing around Cicero, through Strawtown, heading into Edgewood and then
Anderson. One driver thought Tom was joking when he announced "Welcome
to Anderson!" on the radio. Had we really driven that far?
Back onto Strawtown Road and the decision was made to stop and put tops
up as the lead car reported that rain was on the way. The final 15 miles or so
were driven in the rain, but the roads were still good!
As cars arrived at Mudsocks, the rain let up, and most members went inside Riley and Steve Jacobson add their donation.
to enjoy a good meal after a good drive.
Thanks to Joan and Ken for the time and effort they put in on this fun rally.
More pictures of this event can be seen in the Indy Miata Club gallery at
http://picasaweb.google.com/IndyMiataClub.
Rally Masters Joan and Ken confer at our midway rest stop.
Miatas head into one of the many roundabouts they encountered.
June 2009
Open Road 5
Tag! You're It!
Three Miatas, Many Roads We’ve Traveled
by Gary and Kathy Collings
We were reminded of our first car when we met Sam Biel, who is 16 and the proud owner of a 1999 Silver Miata with custom red upholstered seats and only 39,000 miles. He bought his first car this winter and proudly noted that he learned to drive a
straight stick this past January in snow. He also joined the Indy Miata Club after finding a club magnet in the trunk.
We acquired our first sports car after we were
married and a couple of years older than Sam.
Our very first car in 1964 was a mixed blessing
-- a year old 1963 Triumph TR3B roadster! It was
red with a white top, side curtains, tonneau cover,
and racing stripes. For newlyweds it provided a
love-hate relationship that would serve as an early
“road test” for our marriage. We loved it the day
we brought it home but our parents thought it to be
a somewhat homely design and none too practical
for a struggling college student and an under-employed spouse. Unfortunately, we could not afford
the continual cost of upkeep and traded it for a new
1968 VW bug before leaving Colorado after a year
of graduate study.
Twenty-seven long years and several makes and
models later, after the old dog died and our second
son was (almost) out of college, we acquired a new
1995 Merlot Mica M-edition! Our two sons were
in college in the 1990s when Kathy was driving a Mazda. The auto salesman acquired a 2000 Mahogany Mica special ediat the dealership knew that we coveted the ownership of a Miata. Each Spring tion. Before we sold the Merlot, we switched
the salesman would call Gary to try to entice him to come to the showroom to the BBS rims for nostalgic reasons as the
view the new models. Gary would resist each year’s invitation by telling him only modification on the Mahogany besides
that one son had graduated but the other one was a freshman -- call in four years the mount plate for a CB antenna. We sold
-- call in three years...
the 2000 in December 2006 to the Hurley’s
After our annual telephone call in the Spring of 1995, at the end of our second and purchased their one-owner 1991 (80,000
son’s sophomore year, we decided to go to the dealership lot early on a Saturday miles with hardtop), which we drove to Maine
morning just to check out the inventory before the salesman arrived. With no in June 2007. We had ordered a 2007 copper
intention to buy for a couple of more years due to college tuition, we confidently red with retractable hardtop in December 2006
embarked on what we thought was to be a window shopping journey.
and it finally arrived July 5, 2007.
Well, lo and behold, as we pulled into the lot on April 15, 1995, the first car
On August 27, 2007 Jeff Anderson (Deswe saw was this gorgeous Merlot blocking our path. Kathy’s immediate words tin, FL) installed a splitter that converted the
were something to the effect, “I think we are in deep do-do!” We impatiently radio antenna set-up for use with a CB radio,
waited until the salesman arrived at 9:00 AM and drove the Merlot home around which is the only add-on to date. On our long
noon. The most difficult part of the transaction was having that “father-son week-end tours, CB radios are a welcomed
talk.” No, not the sex talk, which his mother had handled years earlier, but the communication link. Our “handle” is Indy
one wishing him good luck on meeting tuition payments for his final two years Gator. If pressed for the name of the car, Gar
of college!
y will divulge it to be Rhinogator, so-termed
The salesman had a worn copy of the Indy Miata Club membership form after the meanest animal in the world. Someunder his desk blotter, which Gary mailed the next day. The first rally that month time, perhaps, when we are in a pub, he might
was something called a “Fussin and Cussin”, which Kathy could not attend so be enticed with a drink offer to tell the joke
Gary set out by himself. Upon arrival, he was welcomed and queried by the behind the name.
Bobs (Wiley and McCoy) about his lack of a navigator. As Gary naively left the
Although the Miata is garaged for several
parking lot with his set of instructions, questions, and directions, he overheard months each winter, we count it as a slow
them chuckle something like “we will probably never see him again.”
summer if we do not log at least 10,000 miles
We drove the Merlot for six years accumulating over 60,000 miles of fun annually. (We had 5,000 miles on the new 2007
and fellowship throughout Indiana and the USA. In the summer of 2001, we in two months.)
June 2009
Ho-Hum Run All That and More
A gloomy day didn't stop members from showing up for the Ho-Hum Fun Run
that ended up at the Brownsburg Motorsports Celebration held at Bill Estes Ford.
The club had been invited by returning member Scott Black (owner of the $1.00
Miata, now know as "Dollar Bill") to join the Celebration and Sara J volunteered
to put together a drive before the event. New members JoLee and Bryce Curry
and CJ Carter joined us for their first event with IMC.
What's in a name? Well, in the case of the Ho-Hum Fun Run, it describes that
event perfectly! Sections of boredom with sections of fun. Rally Master Sara J
mcBride had her rally all planned out when she realized she'd planned a four hour
run when she only had two hours to fit it into! Time to whack it down to size!
The run headed south taking the long way to Martinsville, then northwest to
Monrovia, north to Avon, over to Cartersburg and then up to Brownsburg. The
ho-hum portions were the very straight roads that connected the curvy roads. Sara
J admitted that she used more state highways for this event hat she had in all her
other events combined, but sometimes you need to get somewhere fast! She also
had one section where she relied on Google Maps and didn't proof on her final
run through. Oops, the road didn't go where she thought it did! Mike Selvy took
the lead and got the group back on the route. Thanks Mike!
At the Celebration, we parked at the main entrance of the dealership and we
gained a new member! Inside, there was a Saleen Mustang, a John Force Funny
car dragster and several other racing cars on display, while outside Scott was
running the RC car races.
Above: IMC members get ready to start the Ho-Hum Fun Run.
Below left: Mike Selvy sells a club T-shirt to new member JC Carter.
Below right: JoLee and Bryce Curry joined the club the day of the rally!
Open Road 6
Tag... continued from page 6
Over the years, we have attended six
national meets including Cleveland, Atlanta,
Poconos, Daytona, and Ottawa as well as the
Midwest Gatherings in Cincinnati, and the
St. Louis Gathering. We attended the tenth
anniversary event at Dallas in 1999 and are
disappointed that we cannot attend the 2009
event. Some of our memorable long week-end
Miata getaways to date include: Deals Gap,
Field of Dreams, Door County in Wisconsin,
Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Memphis and
Graceland, and LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
We were pleased to serve as co-hosts of the
2008 Midwest Miata Gathering sponsored by
the Indy Miata Club. Gary served as president
of the Indy Miata Club during 1999. Along
with membership in the Indy Club, we are
also members of five other clubs (Windy City,
Lake Effect, Lake Dunes, Greater Cincinnati,
Blue Grass) as well as the area British Car
Club. From the activities of these various
clubs, we have attended numerous mingles,
rallies, and overnight tours. We have journeyed the roads less traveled, viewed scenery
beyond description, and made untold numbers
of new acquaintances and friends along the
way. Our favorite vacation to date, however,
was a seven days Caribbean cruise with nine
other Miata couples on the Voyager of the
Seas (Royal Caribbean).
In December 2009, we will celebrate
our 46th wedding anniversary. We have four
children, Graig and Krista and their children,
Camden and Cylar. Dayne and Lori were
married the following weekend after our
MMG 2008 event in Indianapolis. We collect
oak antique furniture, lace linens, depression
glass, flashlights, license plates, matchbooks,
commemorative stamp kits, state quarters and
1976 coins… all of which collect dust! Kathy
is a real estate broker, corporate trainer and
former manager with the F. C. Tucker Company. Gary has been a teacher and school district administrator and is currently a manager
of an educational leadership project affiliated
with Indiana State University.
P.S. We tag Norm and Susie Arbuckle to
write the next tag article.
June 2009
Open Road 7
Hubler Mazda South
Official Sponsor of the
Indy Miata Club
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Underneath the skin of a Miata MX-5 is precision,
balance and more fun than any other car would think
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man and machine. It's a big part of the top-down,
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2009 MX-5 Miata, now in its 20th year.
This legendary soft or hardtop convertible roadster
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Don't forget to visit the club web site for up to date information and more! http://indymiata.org
2009 IMC Scheduled Events
June 6 - Putt to Putnam
June 16 - Midweek "Cruse"
June 27 - Sock Hop & Shine
August 29 - Red Bull GP Mingle
July 11 - Shall We Gather at the River?
July 25 - Brickyard 400 Mingle
October 24 - BYO BBQ Fun Run
August 1 - A Deja Vu Cruz
September 26 - Eastern Back Roads Run
November ? - Hidden Drives
Other Events Across the US
June 12 -14 - Miatas at Eureka Springs
Sponsored by the NWA Miata Club
July 12 - Miata Day at the Museum of Transportation - Brookline, MA
For details see: http://www.massmiata.net/Calendar/Event.php?ID=342
July 18-19 - Zoom-Fest ‘09 -Braselton, GA
http://forum.miata.net/vb/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=416&day=2009-7-19&c=1
July 23-26 - Miatas At The Gap XIII
Unofficial Gathering of Miatas at Deals Gap, NC
September 11 - Midwest Miata Gathering X
More info at: http://cincimiata.com/news.asp