1989 MIATA SAND SCULPTURE
When the Miata hit the streets in 1989, it was love at first sight for me. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right to get one. I had recently purchased my first brand new car, a red 1987 Acura Integra, and was less than half way towards paying off a five-year loan.
My enthusiasm for the Miata phenomenon inspired me to recruit a team of friends to enter the Long Beach, CA annual Sea Festival sand sculpture contest. Within a four hour time limit, we constructed a life-sized sand sculpture of a Miata helmed by a big sunglass-clad cat giving a cool thumbs-up gesture to passersby.
The rear license plate read "MEOWTA" and for judging purposes, the sculpture was titled "The Cat's Meowta." It was a hit with the crowd and the judges and we won a first place trophy! Here's what it looked like:
