Sharka

[★ revlimiter ★]

In April of 2000, I had no interest in Miatas. Or getting a new car at all. I was happy with what I was driving. I was about to get married. A new car was far from my mind.


And then I drove a Miata for the first time.


One test drive was all it took. I was hooked. I was impressed. I was moved. It was so simple. So small. So light. It fit me perfectly. It was not the fastest thing I’d ever driven by a long shot, but it was FUN. One test drive.


On July 14th, 2000, I bought Sharka. A 97 popular equipment package with 51,000 miles on the clock. He was the first Miata I test drove while looking for one to buy (though not the car in the story above.) I drove Sharka, then went to Maui and got married in May. A month passed with a few other test drives. The salesman at the first dealership called me in July saying they still had the car. I went in, made an offer, and drove out with my beloved roadster.


I had no clue what the next 10 years would bring.




Sharka in 2000, months after I bought him.



The interior. I bought the Voodoo shift knob BEFORE buying Sharka. I bought the rollbar a few weeks after.



Miatas were once in B-Stock.



I put the stripes on in 2002. This was the first stripe photo.



My first set of gauges.



I got the hardtop in 2004. It was emerald green. I had it painted when I got an autocross-related dent fixed that winter.



The ill-fated coldside supercharger. The thing was horrible. I nearly sold Sharka that year. (2005)



2006 - back killing cones with a 99 engine and Link ECU.







2007-8 - I started taking time off cars and Miatas to learn how to take a photo. It was my all-consuming hobby for a good 2 years. Sharka was often my subject.



$1.94. I could not believe the price, so I stopped for a snap. Not the best picture. And it's only significant because of what happened the very next morning.



This was the next morning.