The earliest Toyota Celica remains one of the more collectible Japanese cars you can buy right now. For years, this slow-but-charming sports coupe has been a favorite among collectors of vintage Asian cars but the appeal has grown more broadly as of late, with several significant auction sales being recorded at levels not previously thought possible. This Celica is a low-mileage survivor with some outstanding mechanical needs, and is listed here on eBay with bids to $3,250 and no reserve.
The Celica has had a few different personalities over the years, and this first run was focused more offering a true coupe-style body in the lineup versus making a truly impressive sports model. It was a byproduct of the era, which is why you see things like louvers on the back glass. Many of us likely recall how the earliest iteration of the Celica was considered a “Japanese Mustang” in terms of how closely it mirrored the Mustang II of the same era both in styling and overall presence.
This Celica is equipped with an automatic transmission, which may not be the enthusiast’s choice but it certainly helped keep this Celica from ever being modified or “hooned” like so many three-pedal cars tend to be. The seats are in excellent condition and the same goes for the fragile plastics and console pieces. The seller claims the 59,000 miles on the clock are original, and the overall condition of the cockpit seems to validate this statement.
The 20R four-cylinder engine was agricultural at best, but it did the job and kept many of these Celicas running long after their weak sheetmetal succumbed to rust. This is what I mean about the multiple personalities of the Celica: this is not a sporting car, but the later Celica All-Trac with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive would make you wonder if the later car shared any DNA with the older one. This is an ideal starting point for anyone searching for an early Celica, with the exception of the auto ‘box possibly prompting potential buyers to hold out for one with three pedals.
The paradox of a small sporty car with an automatic transmission. The car isn’t much fun to drive but the automatic is probably the reason the car still exists
Another design that was ruined by government-mandated bumpers.
It’s a shame the exterior isn’t as nice as the interior.
All these naysayers and debbie downers.Too bad they do not see a car with a bit of tlc could be the most looked at car a show since not many are around or road worthy these days!
Their loss but I would love it!
The perfect car for local chores. I’d love this gem time capsule, but the driveway and garages are full!!
My best friend and I both had mid 70s Celicas, and he found a great deal on one with an automatic. Turns out all Celicas came rhe factory with mounts for a clutch pedal, so we went to a scrap yard and bought a 4 speed for it, along with everything he needed to install it. Easy-peasy, good car became great car. He kept that car for 15 years, cost of ownership per mile was damn near negligible.
as in mostly ALL Japanese machines, these are rust magnets-i use to sell these back when.very nice new, as the miles piled up,serious issues would arrive
We owned a 1972 Toyota and yes, it rusted quickly and eventually, badly enough that we couldn’t use it anymore.
I had an identical one as this, mine was a 1977 with over 300k miles on it when I gave it to charity. Still passed emissions, burned very little oil and still shifted perfectly! Whoever buys this car can expect to drive it at least another 200k+ miles. No joke. The only things I did were oil changes and tuneups. The Japanese built WAY better cars than we did – still do. But I love American cars! I am an American! I just don’t want to have to have to fix it all the time. Pretty simple. Nice article!
In the 70s? Even if some American cars were bad in the 70s, all the Japanese cars rotted out. You must have lived in California because you couldn’t drive them anywhere near that far anywhere else in the country.
I know it’s shocking – but if you had an American car in the 70s and you actually took care of it, it would last. Maybe not a Vega or a Pinto, but many others could. I know a guy who has a 77 Pontiac Catalina with a 301. He put 400,000 miles on it and never had the engine or transmission rebuilt. He kept up with all of the maintenance he was supposed to do. I know him personally and he’s owned the car since new. A 77 Catalina isn’t a car that was known for that. So it isn’t like everything we made back then was so inferior.
PS – brakes and tires too. My 1977 Celica was unbelievably reliable! Tempted to buy this one! Good luck!
Our first born Son was born in a first generation Celica right in front of a gas station in the middle of a good old Alaskan winter storm. Aside from the mess, that little car did us quite well. Took a bit to clean the front passenger seat through!😳
Corona in a party frock. With the worst 5MPH bumpers this side of Frod’s offerings.
Add at least a 1 in front of the 59k that engine compartment is way to oily and dirty for the stated miles
Agree. Not mentioned is a blemish on driver’s seat, probably more. But loved these back in the day.
These were super reliable but rusted quickly. They easily outlasted the American small cars of the day (think Vega etc.) and they attracted Americans who were fed up with lousy cars from the Big 3. This is where the Japanese really made inroads in the American automobile market place. The Japanese knew how to take inexpensive materials and make them last a long time. Hard to find an example like this one. Worth all the money.
I never owned one of these, but this is a nice body style I always liked.
Speaking of low power output, what in the mid 70s didn’t have low power output? The Mustang II was reduced to a four cylinder economy car and even the mighty Corvette only put out 180 hp. I read somewhere that the 20R was a hemi. Anyway the first gen . Celica to me had Camaro inspired lines and the second gen was undeniably a miniature mustang styled after the 67 mustang. I really liked the first gen.