This Celica GT is a survivor car that has spent its life in New Mexico. It still wears its original paint and is ready for the new owner to drive and enjoy immediately. If you have a love of these great little Toyotas, then you will find the Celica listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Annapolis, Maryland, and is being sold with a clear title.
While it isn’t perfect, this Celica is in pretty impressive condition for a 43-year-old car that is said to be wearing all of its original paint. There are a few minor marks and dings on the body, and there is a crack in the windshield. As for rust, there simply doesn’t appear to be any to worry about. I’ve always loved these Celicas, and the only thing that I might change if it were mine would be the wheels. I don’t think that they do anything for the appearance of the car.
Under the hood are the 4-cylinder 20R engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. The Celica is also fitted with factory air conditioning. The owner claims that the car has only covered a genuine 51,000 miles, but doesn’t mention whether he holds any documentation to verify this. Regardless of the mileage, this engine and transmission package is pretty tough. The 20R is a notoriously long-lived engine, while I have seen these 5-speed transmissions bolted-up behind other makes of cars with 6-cylinder and lower capacity V8 engines, and be 100% reliable.
Japanese cars from the 1970s, especially those that have spent their lives in hotter climates, are notorious for the major deterioration of their interior plastic trim. That fate hasn’t befallen the Celica. The shifter boot isn’t original, and the chrome coating is peeling off the trim on the doors, but that seems to be about it. The rest of the interior is original (apart from that air freshener) and is in really good condition. It looks like this is a Celica that has been cared for by a pretty devoted owner.
The Toyota Celica GT remains a firm favorite among fans of Japanese cars, and this one is in really solid condition. If the mileage claim can be verified, then it does make it something a bit special. They continue to attract a lot of interest when they come onto the market. This one is no different, with 12 separate bidders already pushing the price to $4,009, and the reserve hasn’t been met. Regardless of what it finally sells for, the new owner will be getting themselves a nice little car.
The last local (NM) guy bought it for $2K. It changed hands probably 3 times in last half a year. from what I can remember, there were issues with it including some transmission/title problems (i am not 100% sure about this, heard through grape vine, but do your due diligence)
here’s link to old add
https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/for/d/toyota-celica-gt/6741903190.html
The Crown Royal bag as a shift boot is a nice touch
Shift boots is not original?????? I was certain my 1973 had exactly the same one. Loved these when new. Someone will have a blast.
Can’t help but giggle every time I spot a Celica of this generation. It’s even the same color as the bad guy’s 72 Celica being crushed under a concrete slab crusher in one of the Norwegian crime-comedy ‘Olsen gang’ movies.
No, it does not get crushed IRL – but that I actually didn’t find out until recently.
These were comfortable and reliable cars in their day…Always liked them…
The Crown Royal bag shifter boot made me laugh.
Had a 74 Celica GT in the same color combo. LOVED that car until a broken front spindle ended our journey together. Car was 1-0 vs Chevy Vegas stoplight racing. Truth be told the guy missed 1-2 shift but I had him out of the hole;-)
How bout a cosworth vega?
I wonder when these celicas went to electronic ignition.
My friend’s ’80 scirroco still had pts & condenser! Ridiculous.
These are great cars. Someone buy it & drive it for years.
I had one of these in college I paid $300 for it. It was my flower delivery vehicle in my part-time job. Funny, I turned down a ’64 GTO with 400 4 spd for $900 because I was concerned about poor fuel economy. Yes, I really am that stupid.
I’m pretty sure the coupe’s were all ST’s. This is pre 77 as I can tell by the dash. As for manual trannys they were not that dependable as I went through three of them within 10 years on my 77celica GT liftback. And there is no way it has 55k original miles or original seats. That odo only went to 99k so this has rolled over at least once. I do wish I still had kept mine. I was a great little car.
Like….always have the early ones……..
Adam, I sure agree with you about the plastic in these Japanese cars. I had a 75 Rx4 back in 2001 when I lived in Oregon. It had been outside it’s whole life and the plastic and dash etc were still all very good.
I moved to Phoenix in 2002. By 2003 the entire interior was trash! I couldn’t believe my eyes as every plastic interior component failed right in front of me! Even the turnsignal switch crumbled inside the steering column!
Back in the 70’s my “way cool cousin” had a yellow celica GT, with a moon roof. He was 6’5″ and had to use the sunroof as “extra head room” we would cruise sunset blvd with his head popping out of the roof! Chicks loved his car and his extra height. He waz a popular guy back then. I was just extra pain the a$$ baggage…..