Vehicle Description
Thoroughly authentic, absolutely distinctive, and very fun to drive
make this 1980 Toyota Celica one of the best ways to join the
rapidly growing field of Japanese classics.
If you know about Radwood, then this car will get you excited. It
is a highly preserved example of 1980s fun. In fact, not only is
the Silver metallic paint factory correct, but it also shows the
right signs of being the factory application! The Celica was
designed to be sporty, economical, and youthfully attractive...
basically, Japan's Mustang. So you have clean and simple lines that
impress you with the details, like how the door line steps down a
little to give the glasshouse a low-slung touch. And the way the
trunk tapers off and has a subtle low indention is a nice touch of
European flair. And you can see everything so well because this
coupe has been especially well-respected, right down to little
things like the Toyota mud flaps. It's unknown if the odometer
represents the full mileage, and there are some dings and fade from
use, but overall, most of us wish we still looked this good after
40+ years.
The black interior looks great against the silver exterior, and the
full package keeps the time capsule feeling going. It's wonderfully
detailed with textured inserts in the seats, clean door panels,
good carpeting, a working horn, and the classic AM/FM stereo there
for a display. Plus, little things like the working courtesy lights
in the doors are the kind of features that impresses survivor fans.
But this Celica is more than just about showing off standing still.
High-back front bucket seats and plenty of wood applique trim make
this feel both sporty and premium. The grippy steering wheel, crisp
stick shift, and a full instrument panel with a tach as prominent
as the speedo is part of the enthusiast-driven package that really
made us start falling in love with Japanese sports cars.
When you lift the hood, the 20R label on the head makes many Toyota
enthusiasts very happy. The R-series motor is where Toyota earned
its nearly bulletproof reputation. Plus, as you look at all the
original components and decals, this makes for a great
attention-grabbing engine bay. But a car like this was made to be
driven, and the clean style also shows proper maintenance. The
overhead cam motor fires up nicely, and you take full control over
this peppy powerplant thanks to the five-speed manual transmission.
The sports-inspired independent front suspension, trailing arm rear
with Panhard bar, telepathic-like manual steering, power brakes,
and front disc brakes all come together to create an outstanding
driving experience.
This is an impressively preserved way to enjoy a significant
classic that's gaining more prominence every day. Don't let this
one slip away, call today!
