Is there a car that is so durable you can afford to take a chance on buying one that is otherwise destined for the scrap heap if you don’t save it? The Toyota Celica may be such a car, because like its pickup truck counterparts, the engine residing in the engine bay is the deeply durable 20R four-cylinder. This Celica has ended up here on eBay as a no reserve listing with the seller that hawks recent donation vehicles, and it even has the preferred 5-speed manual gearbox. The auction ends soon and bidding sits at just over $500.
This second-generation model is known as the A40/A50 platform. The earlier models in this generation came with the round headlights you see here; the facelift model were often seen in liftbacks form with square headlights. This Celica is a true coupe body, and like most imported vehicles from the era, it came with thick rubber bumpers. The turbine-style wheels were a common sight in the 1970s and they look sharp on this otherwise weathered Celica. As a California car, it has survived incredibly well despite clearly not living a life of luxury. Most of these have long since rotted away in the snow and rust belts.
The interior of a vehicle is where you truly feel the junkyard roots. It’s hard to ignore the fact that this car is quite rough inside; it represents a combination of neglect and sun-inflicted damage. The dash is heavily cracked and the driver’s seat is absolutely trashed. In some ways, it may be a good sign that the driver’s seat is so weathered – perhaps it was still be driven until somewhat recently. The fact that it has a manual gearbox is a big win here, as many Celicas (and Supras) from this era were equipped with the optional automatic. The carpets, however, are likely past the point of reasonable return.
The 20R has always been a tractor-like implement. In this model year, it made around 95 horsepower and 122 lb.-ft. of torque, so it was pretty humble despite the sporty exterior. The seller mentions that the Celica does not run, and it may even need a full engine replacement; this is standard language when the donation yard doesn’t want to bother testing a car beyond dropping a battery in. The Celica is still a sought-after commodity in many circles, so I’m confident the next owner will attempt to get it running as opposed to simply parting it out. Do you think it should be saved?
Yes if on east coast , I would buy it. Not liking missing radiator cap. But not many without rust. Worth the price, probably under 1000 bucks.
Agreed. For a grand I’d buy it to do a father-daughter project. My youngest daughter, like many of her generation, likes vintage Japanese iron.
Wrong coast though.
Happy to see this beauty will find a new home. Hope it goes to an enthusiast that will keep it on the road. Many times wandering in junkyards I have stopped in front of seeming gems of vehicles and asked, sometimes aloud, “what are YOU doing here?”
If you had bid $909, you would own it.
Auction ended,,, sold $908. I had a coupe like this only in the 1981 vintage. (Rectangular headlamps) At the time I was a Toyota parts manager and had an excellent relationship with the gal at the parts depot. She ordered me a set of European Supra sway bars, I installed a set of Bilstein shocks and struts and 15″ Cressida wheels and low profile tires. It handeled unbelievable in the mountains. Ours had every option except the automatic transmission. 3rd gear, 4th gear, or 5th gear it didn’t matter. Top end was 115 .mph on a long straight. I drove from Susanville CA to Altuas CA in just under an hour. (about 110 miles) 5 miles into Oregon was stopped by the state police. Luckily, at that point I was only driving about 68 in a 55MPH zone. These cars are hard on exhaust manifolds, catalytic converters and AAP diaphrams. (Auxiliary Accelerator Pumps) The reasons for the manifold and converter issues are most probably because of the leaking AAP. Cheap, and easy to replace but can cause a too rich fuel .mixture. I really liked the body style and loved the way it handled. I would buy another.