The Celica was once Toyota’s Mustang, and today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe GTS did follow the lead of Ford’s pony into boxy ‘80s styling. Let’s see if this surviver can box you into voting for paying its asking.
While neither a turbo nor a T-top, last Friday’s 1994 Nissan 300ZX convertible still pulled in a healthy 82-percent Nice Price win. It also engendered a very robust discussion on the pros and cons of those T-tops and just who had the leakiest.
We’re going to stay in the classic Asian aisle today with a decade older and far more Toyota-ier coupe—one that features what should be a tight as a drum sunroof.
This 1984 Celica is a GTS which was once the top-o-the-heap model. It’s also, like its primordial predecessor a notchback. This one was a far less successful styling endeavor than in previous editions, and is much better looking in hatchback form. Still, some people just like having a boot.
The factory flares give the car some flair and sort of make up for that furrowed-brow boot. Those falres were shared with both the hatch and the Celica’s platform mate, the Celica Supra. The six cylinder Supra also shared the GTS’s eight-spoke alloy wheels. Here’s a little brain twister for you: what other, non-Toyota car also wore these wheels out its factory gate?
While you’re pondering that, we’ll have a look at the interior on this 139,000 mile Celica. The grey mouse fur has held up remarkably well in here. Car and Driver once anointed these seats the most comfortable in all of auto-dom, and they look like they might still be. These ones seem to have retained their sphygmomanometer bulb lumbar inflaters so you should be able to still be able to get your Goldilocks on when planting your butt in one.
There’s a factory head unit in the dash, and that’s almost half all graphic equalizer. I can still remember when cars came with those. I’d usually just push all the levers to max and crank up the volume. I blew out lots of speakers in my day, and today enjoy a constant and calming ringing wherever I go as a result.
On the outside, the paint appears to be in really nice shape, and aside from what seems to be a big-ass dent in the car’s big ass, it all seems to be straight. Watch out for that rubber back bumper when loaded groceries however, as it looks to be ready to ruin every pair of khakis and wedding gown you own. Learn to lift with your back, not with your legs.
Speaking of lifting, the SOHC 22R-E four puts out a modest 105-bhp and 137 lb-ft of torque at a very languid 2,800 rpm. With so few ponies with which to work, you’ll be glad to learn that the car is a five speed stick. That means it’ll at least be entertaining while navigating the slow lanes of the world.
The engine bay is appreciably tidy and those of you who freak out over such things will take solace in the fact that there are no rogue red wires anywhere to be seen. It’s claimed to run fine, and not to leak or smoke. I’m sure that’s more than people will say about any of us when we get to be as old as this Celica is in car years.
On the downside, the sideview mirrors are somehow disconnected from their wiggle waggle switches and hence require Mister Miyagi crane position to use. Even with that flaw you’re probably not going to find another GTS of this generation in this nice or shape anytime soon, and the seller seems to know that. He’s asking $4,200, which is in that half-way point between what-the-hell and lemme-think-about-it. Sure there are a LOT of other cars that could be had for that kind of scratch, but will any of them last for ever? This Celica, being an ‘80s Toyota, very possibly might.
Regardless, you’ll still need to vote on that $4,200 price for this GTS, after all you took a blood oath when you first clicked on this morning’s link—it’s in the fine print.
With that duty in mind, what’s your take on this old Celica and that $4,200 price tag? Does that seem like a deal to find out what Oh What a Feeling really means? Or, is this notch just not worth that much?
You decide!
Maine Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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