Celica with a rare 152E engine

At the “SWAP & MEET in Myoko” event, which was held for the first time, we spotted a Toyota “Celica” with screw-on wide fenders. We talked to the owner, Mr. Kazuo Yoshikawa, and found that it was a special spec Celica equipped with the rare 152E engine.

We found a Celica with an extraordinary aura

At this event, where many of the participating cars are in relatively elegant original condition, this Celica with screw-fastened wide fenders exudes an extraordinary aura that is different from that of a normal car. With 205/50 tires on the front and 225/45 tires on the rear, the Celica was powerful enough to give an impression of its hidden power. We then asked the owner to tell us about it. This Celica is not just a Celica, is it?

“On the entry list is a 1976 Celica 2000GT, but with a 152E engine instead of the 18R-G.”

The owner, Mr. Kazuo Yoshikawa, told us.

The DOHC engines that were widely installed in Toyota’s sports grade cars in the 1970s and 1980s and were popular with many fans were the 1.6L 2T-G and 2L 18R-G engines. Of course, both engines were installed in the first-generation Celica, but what exactly is the unfamiliar 152E engine installed in this particular car?

The special 152E engine in the Toyota Twin Cam family

“At that time, TRD developed a special engine with a 4-valve head based on the 3K, 2T-G, and 18R-G type engines exclusively for motorsports, and introduced it in races and rallies. This 152E engine is a 4-valve version of the 18R-G engine.”

Mr. Yoshikawa says that his first encounter with the Toyota Twin Cam was when he acquired a Toyota “Carina GT” with a 2T-G engine from 1978 to 1979. He had always loved motorsports and raced himself, and it was about eight years ago that he heard from a friend that he could get his hands on a 152E engine.

“I wanted to get the engine by itself anyway, because it’s something special in the Toyota Twin Cam family.”

Six years in the making and circuit running

“The head area, crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, etc. are all different. About two years after we got the engine, we got a Celica to put it in, and it took us about six years to finish the car. That’s why the car was just recently finished.”

The 152E model installed in Mr. Yoshikawa’s Celica was originally a dry sump carburetor, but was now a wet sump carburetor with a large diameter Solex 50mm. The transmission was also replaced with a 6-speed manual transmission for the Toyota Altezza.

The exterior of the Celica itself is made of FRP for weight reduction, with the hood, trunk, and fenders made of FRP. Only the left and right doors are made of carbon for strength in case of emergency, and the interior is equipped with a roll bar. It was no wonder that the car exuded an extraordinary aura just by standing in the hall.

“I switch to slick tires when I go out on the circuit,” said Mr. Yoshikawa smiling.

This special Celica and its owner, both of whom convey the spirit of the Toyota works teams of yesteryear, are more “the real thing” than meets the eye.