Tell me about... Early Toyota Celica's

[arthurbrown]

I'm getting the horn for one of these early celica's, big style....

My fave shape of them is this sort:


But I suspect this isn't the 'fast' version

So can someone enlighten me as to the different models, what was made when, how to decipher the model codes, and perhaps most importantly - are they any good and what can be dome to make them better?

As ever, illustrations will make the thread more sexy!

[Russell]

how about these?

[arthurbrown]

That's a TA21 sort isn't it?
Mildly less horny for those... at the mo anyway.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

hang on those are the same as what you posted pog!!! Make your mind up!!!

These are my favourite kind of Celica:



'AEROPLANE WHEEL CHOCK' LOOK.

[Mike D]

gorgeous machines, i've often been tempted to rid myself of all my tat and buy one like this:


a fine choice

other than that i'm no help whatsoever

[Russell]

look at the scoops on the side pog!

[arthurbrown]

I think this 'TA21' and 'TA23' are very subtly different... it's the TA23 (I think) that is winking at me.

There's 2 on eBay at the mo.... click to win

[504gld]

This was at Moffat show.

[Mike D]

OOF!

Go on bo11ox, those wedge shaped celicas are the don

[Russell]

1977 2000 ST Liftback RA28


ooops a corolla sneaked in!

[Russell]

'77 2000 ST Liftback interior



and a...

1980 1600 ST Coupe ( TA 40 )

[arthurbrown]

impish said:

and a...

1980 1600 ST Coupe ( TA 40 )

Now see this is where I get confused..... because I'm pretty damn sure that my Carina was a TA40....

[Russell]

Bloody sneaky corollas!

[Snoozin]

arthurbrown said:

impish said:

and a...

1980 1600 ST Coupe ( TA 40 )

Now see this is where I get confused..... because I'm pretty damn sure that my Carina was a TA40....

Carina could well have been.... they both used the "A" chassis code Along with Supra's, then when the FWD chassis began to be used for Celica's/Carina's/Corona's in the mid 80's, they switched to a "T" chassis code. The Carina was pitched as a sports sedan, compared to the Corona/Cressida etc. and as such shared the Celica underpinnings.

Therea are AA60 Carina's, and Celica's for example as well.

I adore the early Celica's, ever since well..... ever I can remember wanting one, and as usual for a 'yota, they're a reliable, solid car. OHV T-series engines aren't performance beasts, BUT it gives you a great base for a relatyivley simple engine swap to the 3T-GTE 1800cc DOHC twinspark turbo motor! That said, they'd respond very well to even a 4AGE, as they're a light car too.

For me, the ultimate would be a TA22 GT, running a 4AGE smallport bottom end with a blacktop 4AGE 20V head, ITB's and a serious set of cams

[spottedlaurel]

I don't remember the codes properly, but the 'MkI' Celicas split into early 'flatlight' models, which have fuel filler between flat rear lights, then from '72 or so there's the version which is most commonly seen which was also available as a 2dr GT with a twin-cam engine. This still has the 'pointy' nose. For the last couple of years or so there's the version with slightly squarer front end shared with 3dr ST and GT liftbacks. They all look good, and have always been regarded as a 'classic' even when relatively new (C&S did a small piece on them in '82).

You should have got to Billing the other week, there were several on display.

[celicaV8]

Now see this is where I get confused..... because I'm pretty damn sure that my Carina was a TA40....

Yep the Carina was a TA40 as is my Celica.
What defines it as a Carina or Celica is the next letter after the TA40 bit.
A Carina would be TA40-A
A Celica would be TA40-B


This might help:Toyota ID codes

[charlie]

I've seen the light, and it comes from the land of the rising sun as usual. Get one from JDM land!



And weren't there some beauties here:

retrorides.proboards29.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1153076899&page=3

Charlie

[stuyizz]

This is the first generation coupe (note the sloped front indicators)

But it's a late first gen' as it has the fillercap on the N/S/R quarter, really early ones have the filler between the rear lights behind a flip down panel.



This one is the later facelift with the square front indicators

And this is the sweetest series 3?



I'll quite happily have any of those

[spottedlaurel]

Now I never ralised they did a flatlight model without the rear filler, but then it seems there are some equally weird variations on the Carinas of the time too which correspond with this.

Looks like you lose the natty bonnet vent mouldings on the later one.

[captainsideburns]

series 2 (yes I like them!!and have one)