My first car

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Leet_Newb

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Well I am off to colledge and for graduation my dad bought me a used car for 800 dollars. A 1981 Supra Celica. I am just happy it is a stick although I have a question about it I hope someone would be able to answer. I do not get the car until next weekend and I am curious if a DOHC engine was avalable for the 1981 Supra. I have no idea if anyone would know this but I am extremly curious and am getting mixed results online.
 
I think the 81 Celica used the 5M E engine which is a 2.8L SOHC engine, if your lucky it may have the 5M GE engine which is the DOHC version but dont think that appeared until 82 (MA60)

*Edit* bit late.
 
Celica Supra, actually. MkI Supras shared a body with MkII Celicas, and MkII Supras shared a body with MkIII Celicas. The main difference, in both cases, is that the Supra's had inline sixes vs the Celica's four. Both generations of Celica Supra also got revised styling cues to furthur differentiate them from the less expensive Celicas. On the MkI Supra, this was chiefly limited to the new hatch, glass b-pillars, and new headlights and grill (giving the cars a passing resemblance to the famous 2000GT which they were spiritually decended from). The MkII Supra took it's seperation furthur, having a completely different front end to the Celica, in addition to the other minor tweaks. Mechanically, the MkII's frame was also lengthened by four inches to accomodate it's straight six, and it recieved a limited slip differential and fully independant rear suspention (before these two features were later applied to the top trim level of Celica, the GTS).
In it's fourth generation, the Toyota Celica recieved a new front-drive architecture as the third generation Supra moved to a completly seperate chassis. In spite of this, the two would continue to share a family resemblance untill the seventh generation Celica debuted with no accompanying Surpa. Now the Celica's being canceled, and Toyota isn't cool anymore. :(
 
Another thing I take besides having a 2.8 Liter SOHC is that the 81' also will not have a limited slip, that first appearing in the 82'?
 
Emohawk
Now the Celica's being canceled, and Toyota isn't cool anymore. :(
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Actually, I was thinking about this in the shower the other day. At what point exactly did Toyota stop being cool? They have such an awful reputation now. And I was thinking, when was the last time they built something really cool? I mean, the Supra was built, but the prices were high, and it was limited, and no one bought it anyway. Has Toyota's reputation always been this way? We're talking about a brand that had to create another brand because its image was so poor.
 
There are plenty good new Toyota's come out I wonder how many people will reply back with saying name one lol :D.
 
TVR&Ferrari_Fan
Any photos of your first car.
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When I get it I will take some pictures. From what I hear from my uncle who found the car it is red with two hail dings, a broken antenna and an AC that rattles.
 
No LSD, but you shouldn't need it, the 5M-E isn't exactly a monster (116 hp/145 lb/ft).
Being an '81, it may have the rare sports package:
"A new Sports Performance Package is offered as an option including sport suspension, raised white letter tires, and front and rear spoilers. "
This helps with the MkI's chronic understeer, I'm told.

Uncool stuff Toyota's done (IMO), roughly in reverse chronological order:
-Canceling MR-S and Celica
-Moved any attempt at coolness to Scion, which isn't even being sold in Canada.
-No GT-4 for MkVII Celica
-No forced induction for MkIII MR-2
-No MkV Supra (I'll concede that they needed a break to rethink it)
-Quit WRC
-Too damn many SUVs
 
Emohawk
Uncool stuff Toyota's done (IMO), roughly in reverse chronological order:
-Canceling MR-S and Celica
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Are you kidding? The last Celica with any sort of performance was manufactured in 1991. And the "MR-S", which I'll refer to under its correct name, MR2, was a load of **** and has been for the last ten years. 138 horsepower? Wow.

-Moved any attempt at coolness to Scion, which isn't even being sold in Canada.
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That was more of a response to the fact that they weren't cool.

I've reached a conclusion: Toyota's never been cool.
 
Hey, I had an '80 Supra. It was a hoot to drive. It was plenty torquey and it was more than enough to motivate the little beetle.

Don't worry about "chronic understeer" because you'll never find a twisty road smooth enough to stop the live-axle rear from skittering around all over the place, so understeer won't be an issue.

Mine did have headgasket problems, though, and it's not an easy fix. Odds are it's been done on your car already, but let me say this: KEEP AN EYE ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. If it overheats even a little (there's a red LED near the needle) it will pop the headgasket and likely crack the head. So keep the cooling system in good working order.

I got mine in about 1990 with ~170,000 miles on it and I sold it for $550 in 1995 with ~230,000 on it. I replaced the original engine with a 5MGE out of an '82 after the second time the head cracked on the 5ME. The engine had about 40,000 less miles than the car.

Have fun with it!
 
Well I am looking forward to finally having a car that does not belong to my parents. I also plan to have some fun with it.
My uncle bought it for me and made a mistake. Apperantly it might be an 83, DOHC and LSD hopefully.
 
M5Power
Are you kidding? The last Celica with any sort of performance was manufactured in 1991.
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I take it you are refering to your US market.

What was the last performance Celica sold in the US? Celica GT4?

Toyota is seen alittle cooler in Australia as we alot of Turbo Supra's, Turbo Chasers, Turbo Soarers, Turbo MR2's and Turbo Celicas which are very popular (most imports but we still have alot of them), although latest generation Toyotas are very uncool.
 
The last performance Celica sold in the US was called the Celica All-Trac, which was a turbocharged, all-wheel drive Celica with 200 horsepower that did 0-60 in the mid-sixes and, I understand, is basically the US version of the GT-Four. It actually went until 1993 - my mistake.

Since 1993, no Celica has done 0-60 in under seven seconds, and even Celica GT-S models, which use a peaky 180-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder shared with, among others, the Lotus Elise, is pretty slow - 0-60 in 7.3, but that's if you shift at peak power, around 8000rpm.

The United States has not received a turbocharged Toyota of any kind since 1998 (Supra Turbo).
 
M5Power
The United States has not received a turbocharged Toyota of any kind since 1998 (Supra Turbo).
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This is the last turbocharged Toyota Australia has recieved by factory not import. Very limited numbers were sold.

2001 model Sportivo Corolla turbo (Joint venture between Toyota and Tom’s, note the intercooler)

2554_10mg.jpg
 
That car actually looks pretty cool - what's the power figure and the 0-60 time? (if you have such information available) And what's the step up (in horsepower) over the second-most powerful model?

For the record, our last Japanese turbocharged cars:

Acura: never
Honda: never
Infiniti: never
Isuzu: 1992 Impluse RS Turbo AWD
Lexus: never
Mazda: 2005 Miata MazdaSpeed (currently produced)
Mitsubishi: 2005 Lancer Evolution (currently produced)
Nissan: 1996 300ZX Turbo
Scion: never
Subaru: 2005 Impreza WRX (currently produced), 2005 Legacy GT (currently produced), 2005 Outback XT (currently produced), 2005 Forester XT (currently produced), 2005 Baja Turbo (currently produced)
Suzuki: never
Toyota: 1998 Supra Turbo

Yes, you're correct - there's just seven Japanese turbos currently on sale, and Subaru makes five of them.
 
They were very limited so I cant find much info on them except,

2001 Toyota Corolla Sportivo Turbo

Turbo
1.8l 4 cylinder
115kW @ 5600rpm (149hp)
237Nm @ 3600rpm (174Ft Lbs)


2001 Toyota Corolla Levin

N/A
1.8l 4 cylinder
100Kw's (130hp)
171Nm's (125Ft Lbs)
400m in 16.1

As you can see its hardly worth it, a gain of 19hp and 49Ft Lbs of torque while requiring premium unleaded so the fuel bill goes up. They were given a TRD clutch, brakes and suspension upgrade aswell as the body kit, wheels and other trim upgrades.

Corolla_Sportivo_4.jpg
 
Hmm - can't be that bad, and any power hike is probably welcome for that vehicle. Quarter probably comes around 15.7, too - not bad, anyway. I like it!
 
amp88
No Skylines or Silvias (200SX, 240SX)?
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The US only began receiving Skylines in 2002, badged as Infinitis, sold as both coupes and sedans, and we've never received a GT-R. The only engine ever in one of these Infiniti-badged Skylines (known as the Infinti G35) was Nissan's 3.5-liter V6, with various power outputs. Originally rear-wheel drive was the only available drivetrain, but since 2004, all-wheel drive has been available on sedan models as well.

The US has never received a turbocharged 200SX or 240SX, and the most powerful model we ever got was the 1995-1998 240SX, which put out an astonishing 155 horses, capable of 0 to 60 in around 9.5 seconds.

The US really doesn't do too well considering turbocharged Japanese cars. In the last fifteen years I'd say we've gotten around twenty, more than half Mazdas and Subarus.
 
Here we get literally everything except Mitsi Eclipses (thank god). NZ has the best selection of imports anywhere, getting stuff like GT-R's and Silvia's (SR20 ones, not the crap 240sx's - I've only seen one 240 here.) isn't a problem.
 
Well picked up the car and begain the 400 mile trip back home. 100 miles into it in begain to over heat so stopped it at the first toyota dealership i could find. Fan clutch went out and I am driving back down to pick it up tuesday. Exept for that little part the thing is awsome. Chirped the tires going into third. Sun Roof and power everything.
 
I have to agree that Toyota isn't cool these days but it has been at some point. A car to be cool doesn't need to go 0-60 in under six seconds, have loads of horsepower and a top speed of over 150. Although the European Celica TSport will do 0-60 in 7 seconds! I don't think it's that far off!
But anyway, onto the coolness of Toyota :) My dad had an 1980 Land Cruiser BJ40
EuroLC40blue.gif


and that was pretty cool. It had a Diesel engine with 3000cc and 80hp, torque - would be around 140 n/m . That means 0-60 in.... probably one hour and the top speed was (in the speedo, 'cause I don't remember of it going that fast) 100! Still, it had character and charisma, the un-mistakable sound it made starting up, that HUGE front bumper, and the sort of car that needs to be heavily punished to have any sort of breakdowns!

I really do believe that is a cool car. IMHO of course!

They are idiots to cancel the Celica and MR2. What bothers me is that they have a massive marketing campaign in Europe to appeal to young people, and of course the logical stuff to do is stop producing the only two cars that young people do like :(

They have the technology and more than enough power to design, produce, export and campaign a fast car! So why don't they.....
 
M5Power
Where in Wyoming do you live?
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Casper, I picked the car up at Denver. It is at the Toyota dealership in Cheyenne. Aparently the car has been sitting in some old ladies garage for a few years. I was told a car that has not been driven for a while as a tendency to break a fan clutch.
 
Leet_Newb
Casper, I picked the car up at Denver.
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Do you like living there? I love Laramie, but I hate Cheyenne. I love the Wyoming mountains, but unlike everyone else I hate Jackson and the rest of Teton County. Ick. I guess you're out on the plains in Casper.

daggoth
really do believe that is a cool car. IMHO of course!
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I agree, and I think just about anyone on here would too. :D

They have the technology and more than enough power to design, produce, export and campaign a fast car! So why don't they.....
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Because they make more money selling boring cars. Fast cars rarely make lots of money, they're usually there to add to a brand's public image. Toyota doesn't want to change their public image - they're just fine with 'smart and sensible.'
 

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