Oldest issue of GRM?

I've been reading some older issues someone gave me at a get-together this summer. One I'm reading now (2008 I think) has an article about the magazine's beginnings, and a comparison of the first cover car (old Datsun Z) to an old RX-7.

I believe it was 1982 or so, and called Auto-X. Anyone here still have those issues? Who has the oldest magazine? Who's been here the longest? (Not counting staff, obviously you guys came with the dirt and rocks...)

In reply to Jerry: Got 'em all, back to the first issue in 1984. It is really impressive how far the magazine has come! Tim and Margie had the dream, and found the right people to make it happen.

i've got them dating back to the late '80's, and subscribed right about the time of the name change.

Somewhere is an issue drawn on the back of a napkin while Tim and Margie were on a date. I hope it's under glass in a vault somewhere.

First Issue

It's funny to see Danny listed as a "New Reader", as he's even older and been in the sport longer than I have.

It's a shame they haven't yet scanned the second issue, as I have an article in that one. It was mostly a shameless plug for the car I was driving at the time.

Here's an interesting piece of trivia: The Rabbit pictured on this page of the first issue was co-driven by Randy and Linda Pobst (actually before they were married) to the E Stock and ESL national championships in 1985.

My collection goes back to January 1987. I had seen a few earlier copies that someone brought to our car club meeting in London, Ontario and found it at the local magazine emporium, along with a bunch of British publications. It's become an addiction.

I think the oldest one that was gifted to me has been 2003 so far.

I still have my first issue of Auto-X from around 1986. It has a red Mugen Civic Si on the cover.

In reply to jstein77: And, later, my wonderful wife bought me that very Rabbit for Christmas in 1986. I used it to win a Solo I national title in 1987, then turned it into a legal IT race car and sold it to someone who was going to road race it in the Midwest. It's probably crushed into an 1800 pound cube by now.

More trivia: The backside pictured in the ad above is Tim's, and the slogan on the shirt reads "Autocrossers have the best times."

Margie

The oldest one I have is from this month. We donate all our old magazines to the organization that sends them off to the troops.

But I've been a subscriber for 8 or so years.

I have almost all of the ones I have bought. I started reading around '98 or '99 but didn't subscribe until around '03 IIRC.

My oldest one is sept. 2003 with an article about turbo dodges in it. I found it in a Shelby charger I bought out of a junkyard in '06. That's what introduced me to the magazine. I bought it on newsstands occasionally at first but I've been subscribing since '09.

In reply to z31maniac: Hey, Z31, can you provide a link or any more info on that organization sending mags to the troops? Sounds like a good program. I archive GRM and Classic Motorsports, but I get a bunch of other publications that I would gladly donate.

Danny Shields wrote: In reply to z31maniac: Hey, Z31, can you provide a link or any more info on that organization sending mags to the troops? Sounds like a good program. I archive GRM and Classic Motorsports, but I get a bunch of other publications that I would gladly donate.

Most definitely, my wife is the one who takes care of dropping off our donations (thanks to our schedule), so once she gets home from work I'll find out and report back.

Talk about value! Today's year of grm is 66% of the original 1984 price adjusted for inflation!

Now if we just had a cross-reference of every MR2 article I'd know which back issues I need...

I've got January 1990, but there are gaps in my library (though it still takes up most of a 2 by 4 cell Ikea Expedit).

I go all the way back to February 89. But I cheated and bought a bunch of back issues from a board member last year. After all, I was only 11 when that issue was on the stand.

Oh, it looks like my wife has a client who takes them straight to the National Guard.

I also think you can inquire with the Blue Star Mothers about donations for the troops. Keep in mind, the women who serve receive many less donations than the men who serve and the Blue Star Mothers will take hair products, books, etc.

logdog wrote: I go all the way back to February 89. But I cheated and bought a bunch of back issues from a board member last year. After all, I was only 11 when that issue was on the stand.

I have that one too!

I came on board around issue # 3 in 1984. There's an old issue lying around here somewhere from either late '84 or early '85. I don't have very many issues (a couple years worth, tops) because my domestic situation (read: SWMBO) frowns on what she calls "hoarding behavior." I did donate the stacks of old GRMs I had from the time before I had a domestic situation.

Doesn't matter, though. Enjoyed the hell out of each and every one of them, stole a lot of great ideas, and compromised with my spouse on the number of issues on hand at any one time. The upside is far greater than the downside.

Looking forward to more mirth and general wackiness. Will be interesting to see what the next generation does with the magazine.

Wait... I thought this was Auto XXX magazine.

You're thinking of AutoBuff...