A virtually one-owner Celica Liftback
A closer look reveals a Toyota Celica Liftback with various customizations. The owner, Mr. Kobayashi, inherited this car from his brother, and has maintained the original paint job, making it a virtually one-owner vehicle that retains its original appearance. We asked him about the reason for its excellent condition.
This liftback was inherited from his brother
Old cars gather at Okutama Lake in Tokyo early on the third Sunday of every month. We focus on one of the cars we encountered at a parking lot in Okutama. This time, we introduce a Toyota “Celica Liftback” dressed up with parts from back in the day.
This Celica Liftback, with a racing jacket attached to the headlights, was the car that gave off a striking aura at the event. The owner, Mr. Kobayashi, inherited the car after his brother bought it and drove it for a year, and has been driving it for 46 years. In other words, it is practically a one-owner car.
“It was registered for the first year in September 1977, and I know from the VIN that it was very late in production.”
Because the Celica liftback was discontinued in 1977 and became the second generation in August of the same year, the September registration is the timing for the new model to have already appeared on store shelves. As the VIN reveals, it seems to be a very late-model unit. Incidentally, in the last two years, the body size of the liftback was slightly enlarged to comply with emission regulations, and the design around the dash was also changed. In addition, models such as the 2000GT are equipped with shock-absorbing bumpers of the same design as those used in North American specifications, and their appearance has also changed significantly.
Remained in excellent condition
The Celica of the time adopted a full-choice system, following the American Ford Mustang. The exterior trim, interior, engine, and other parts could be selected by the owner. However, the GT grade, such as the 1600GT equipped with the 2T-G type and the LB2000GT, the highest grade equipped with the twin-cab 18R-G type 2L DOHC that Mr. Kobayashi drives, were treated differently and were given special treatment, with separate catalogs prepared for them.
This car has been driven carefully by the brothers, and especially since Mr. Kobayashi took over the car, he has tried to keep it out of the rain as much as possible, so the original paint has been maintained except for the doors and some other parts, and is in fairly good condition. The interior has also been kept original without any reupholstering.
Dressing up with items from the period
Mr. Kobayashi never keeps such a liftback in his garage, but rather rides and enjoys it thoroughly. One of the ways he does this is by dressing it up and customizing it with accessories from back in the day.
Taking a look at the front, a Trans Am kit front spoiler from back in the day is installed, and a clear type racing jacket is attached to the headlight area. Incidentally, this jacket interferes with the hood when it is opened, so it is designed to fall forward together with the hood. The rear spoiler is for the Hakosuka GT-R, which was often used in those days.
In addition, there are many other nostalgic items such as a retrofitted power window kit, vintage Pioneer audio equipment, and a National CRT portable TV. In any case, it is one to keep an eye out for if you see one at an event.
