The first generation Carina GT with the 2T-G engine
In 2024, we checked out a vehicle of interest at the Kanazawa Classic Car Meeting held at the Japan Automobile Museum in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture on Sunday, July 28. This time we will introduce the owner of the “Hardtop 1600GT,” a hot model of Toyota’s first-generation “Carina. He originally loved Celicas?
A hot model Carina we met at the Kanazawa Classic Car Meeting
We found one of the cars we were interested in at the Kanazawa Classic Car Meeting. It was a hardtop of Toyota’s first-generation “Carina. From the black stripe stickers with the GT emblem and DOHC letters on the front grille and rear quarter, it looks like a hot model Carina GT. We immediately spoke with the owner, Mr. Nakamura.
Mr. Nakamura, who used to drive a Daihatsu “Mira Turbo”, has loved “Celicas” since he was young. One day, he heard that a friend of his was selling his Carina GT, a hardtop 1600GT equipped with a 2T-G, and he decided to take over the Carina GT, which shares many parts with its sibling, the Celica. Incidentally, Mr. Nakamura’s father had this Carina GT in real-time when he was young, and it was one of his dream cars.
The Carina body is equipped with the same 2T-G as the Celica GT
The Carina was introduced in 1970 as a sporty sedan that shared the chassis with the Celica. The 1600GT equipped with a 2T-G 1.6L engine was added to such a Carina in 1971. The Carina GT became a popular model because it was a hot version based on the Carina, a sedan, rather than a sports car like the Celica. Later, when a hardtop model was added to the lineup, the GT model was also available as a hardtop, and a 2000GT was also added exclusively for the hardtop model.
Mr. Nakamura received a 1975 hardtop 1600GT in good condition with the exterior repainted in the same color, but the interior was left original.
Suspension and engine are shared with the Celica
The AE86 struts can be used for the suspension, so Nakamura swapped in AE86 coilovers and brakes. In addition, Hayashi Racing wheels have been installed to give the car an enjoyable style. Since the suspension and engine are shared with other Celicas of the same generation, there is not much trouble finding parts for them.
“The exterior parts are almost completely wiped out. I’m always nervous about what I will do if I hit it. Incidentally, the tail lamps were for hard tops only, and at the time the back lamps were often cut off and used in other cars, so when I found used cars, many of them had the back lamps cut off (laughs). But I love the diagonal rear styling, so I’m going to do my best to keep it!”
translated by DeepL