A few weeks after I waved goodbye to my Plymouth Barracuda, its successor was delivered at my front door. Initially, I went to see a 1978 Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC. But in the end, I clearly opted for something completely different.
As a funny aside, it was a Mercedes-Benz that transported the classic Toyota to its new residence; a 2012 Sprinter 319 CDI with a 3.0 V6 turbodiesel. But that’s not important right now.
The moment I laid my eyes on this Celica Supra Mk2 in the seller’s showroom, I already knew it would be mine.
Shortly after it was imported from the US, the car got a major overhaul. That included a new and excellent paint job in its original color, Maroon Metallic.
Another significant part of the whole process, something that many of you must have noticed immediately, was that the Toyota got a Euro-spec rear side. It was sourced from a Belgian donor car.
Restored rims and new BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires all around.
Oh yes, the automatic transmission went out of the window too, the car now has the Celica Supra’s five-speed manual. Working effortlessly and flawlessly, exactly as expected.
Toyota’s 5M-GE inline-six engine in all its glory. DOHC 12v, electronic injection and ignition, 2.8 liter displacement.
It speaks for itself that I only feed it with high-octane, ethanol-free gasoline.
And there it goes, its maiden voyage after delivery. Only time will tell if this classic will also stay in my garage for a decade, like the Plymouth did. Let’s see, by then I’ll be 65 years old. Seems to be a perfect age to step in an old Three Pointed Star.
Related articles:
Curbside Classic: 1985 Toyota Celica Supra MK II – The One I Should Have Bought by Paul Niedermeyer
CC Outtake: 1985 Toyota Celica Supra – Simply Superb by Joseph Dennis
Alleyside Classic: 1983 Toyota Celica Supra – Terra Cotta Warrior Waiting To Be Discovered by Jim Klein
Wow, it’s stunning! As you know, one of my favorites. And right from the era when they were new and we were looking and wishing it could be ours. I wish you much joy with this one, I’m supra-jealous!
That’s an absolute beauty Johannes – congratulations!
My first real civilian job, I had a manager who bought one of these Supra’s in 1985. Very impressive. Very fast, and I must say, a very nice car all around. One of my Navy buddies bought a 1978 Corolla, the Supra was my second encounter with Toyota’s.
Having got to ride in the “muscle cars” in my pre driving youth, I was struck by how well that Supra ran, in comparison. Two different era’s in automobile technology, but still….
Just lovely, Johannes! I’ve always loved the Mk II’s handsome goods and yours looks to be in amazing condition with the love you’ve put in! Enjoy!
Wow, I really liked these back in the day. I have a bit of difficulty rationalizing that the Supra now is a vintage car. I must be getting somewhat vintage myself.
Looks like a great car for a road trip to Italy.
The styling and design of the Supra have aged surprisingly well. Its creased sheet metal and numerous details looking better than ever. Its also nice to see an actual color…not grey, black, silver or white. Congratulations, drive it…if not for yourself, but as an opportunity for others to see the car
A friend had one of these nearly new. Very smooth engine, but the leather smelt too close to pee for me. Later, I learned that was what they used to tan leather with (how’d they figure that out?). It was also all black inside, which I hate.
My car was a 3.3L Mustang in good condition that made about 90HP.
As a teen I detailed a few cars for neighbors. One was a Supra just like this. Occasionally neighbor would hand me the keys and tell me to take it down the road a bit and back with a smile. It was the first fast car I ever drove at that point and made that 80s Mustang look terrible by comparison.
I didn’t even need to drive it hard to see the differences. Here was a car that would stop, turn and go with ease all while making wonderful sounds. The air conditioner didn’t eat gobs of engine power. All the gears were the right ratios. It looked good. The gas mileage was fair.
Just more evidence for my teenage brain that American cars were designed by lazy car companies who couldn’t be bothered to do the engineering necessary to make a good product at that time. And their styling departments were suspect too.
I followed that Mustang with a long run of imports. After the military sent me overseas, my Dad claimed Europe ruined me for cars. Nope, two lukewarm Mustangs in a row and that Supra ruined me for cars.
Outstanding car! I share your enthusiasm for this gen Toyota Supra, these were terrific cars then, and have more character than any new Toyota! Thanks for sharing your new wheels with us. If looks terrific! I hope you keep it–we will see if you replace it with a W123 300D Turbo, let us know. Enjoy the Supra!
@Joey21….. couple of things. Comparing your Mustang to this Supra is like comparing a decent college basketball prayer to an NBA all-star.
I presume your Mustang was of 1980-82 vintage. When they came out in 1979, properly optioned, they were among the better “sporty” cars. They were inexpensive cars, though I would not call them cheap–other than the anemic 3.3 six that Ford dropped in the Mustang, like a long turd, sometime around 1980/81. You would have been better off with the base 2.3 four and a four-speed.
On the other hand, in 1982, one thing the Celica Supra was not–it was NOT an inexpensive car by any means. It was rather pricey. It offered a lot, but was not screaming bargain. It was Toyota’s most expensive car–and to it’s credit, Toyota not only lavished a lot of “content” on the car, with a DOHC fuel-injected six, independent rear suspension. phenomenal front seats, but integrated them into what was arguably the BEST Japanese sporty/sports car. And it was priced accordingly–like a Porsche 944.
So, you went from your anemic Falcon six to a Porsche competitor and never looked back…
Perhaps if YOUR car had been a 79 Mustang with a 302, or a 79 with the 2.8 V-6 and 4-speed, you would appreciate the superior refinement of the Toyota, while also appreciating what good cars the Fox-body Mustangs were.
I do agree that the Detroit Three had a bad habit of being lazy, and doing stupid things, because the figured Americans would buy their cars. For example, making the 1979 Mustang WORSE in 1980 by replacing the 302 with the anemic 255, with auto only, and replacing the 2.8 V6 with the horrible 3.3 straight six in 1981, either to get an extra EPA mpg and/or save a few bucks a car. These changes ruined the car. Otherwise, it handled well per car magazines, and the interiors looked pretty good.
In your case, Ford–and by association, the Detroit Three– lost a customer. At least in 1982 Ford put the 302 4-speed back in–about the time the featured Supra came out–but the Ford cost a lot less, and was about as quick:)
I can relate to your experience. As a car stereo installer in high school, occasionally I’d drive customer cars. One day, I drove a customer’s late 70s/early 80s BMW 320i. Slowly. Also 4-cylinder, 4-speed, like our family Ford Fairmont. But the interior quality and tactile feel of the shifter, clutch, steering, blew me away! Of course, the BMW cost double the Fairmont. And unlike the the Fox Mustangs I saw in showrooms or the stereo shop, our base Fairmont interior was…base. I realized all of this, even then, but still…. that BMW 320i left an impression on me, like your Supra did.
Not a fan…..
From a very nicely styled 60s Mopar to an angular Toyota.
My opinion of course, hope you enjoy it.
Very nice. These are better looking than I recall them being in the ’80s.
Congratulations. Always liked these; wish I’d bought one back in the day.
A superb specimen; enjoy!
Thats a nice car, recently I saw two of these in the same place, the driveway at the mates house where I keep my Superminx had his daughter’s pair of Supras rotting temporarily while she waited for lockdown to end and have them moved to her new house one is a tidy saveable car the other a rusty parts car, only one ended up being kept, hopefully it turns out as nice as yours when its finished, Those 5M were an awesome engine the twincam injected head on the old 4M block gave them good power and the bottom ends were well proven.
There’s nothing like picking up a new old car! Congratulations, although letting go of that awesome Barracuda must have been a little tough.
*Sigh* This is making me feel my age. These 80’s sport coupes are gaining in popularity on the collector front for sure. I just today had a client call in to add an ’85 300ZX Turbo to his Hagerty policy. Apparently a replica of his first car, per my conversation with his wife. Maybe I should start shopping for a Conquest like the one I drove in the 80’s. I doubt I’d have as much luck in finding one in good shape though, at least at a price I could afford.
Wow. A really nice example of a great car. I approve of the choice. I think it’s an L-type , and beautiful.
I’ve owned P type 84 Supra for about 14 years. These cars have a wonderful, precise handling and feel, well balanced, everything feels light and responsive. Toyota obviously worked hard at getting the tactile driving dynamics right.
Of course this quality feel doesn’t translate well in specifications. The best way to appreciate these cars is in the driver’s seat. It’s not the power or the features or the spec sheet, it’s the sophisticated engineering. This car is definitely better than the sum total of the parts.
Congratulations!
Toyota hit it out of the park with this generation Supra.
Styling of BMW’s years-later 8-series coupe appeared to have been heavily inspired by it.
Hey, neato, it’s a time capsule!
Looks like the US-spec front side marker light/reflectors were swapped for Japanese-spec items with inbuilt turn signal repeaters, and the US-spec rear side marker light/reflectors were deleted and the rest-of-world black inserts installed instead.
Probably my favourite Japanese car. I’m not asking you to tell – but the mind boggles as to how much the total cost was.
I borrowed a (earlier cab) Sprinter exactly like that once – I was buying a Belgian registered Marathon Beetle (1000 quid) from a student on a cobbled street in Stirling (Scotland) old town.
Dragged the exhaust right along the cobbles as I drove it on, but no real harm done. I’d be scared to load that Supra!
It was a project that got a bit out of hand…from the seller’s point of view. My luck.
Paint job, restored rims, new tires, rear side swap, transmission swap, full engine service, brake system replacement. Plus some smaller things…Mind you, the starting point was a car that was already in a very good condition.
Still, substantially cheaper than the Benz, I’ll give you that.
I’ll echo others here in congratulating you on a great purchase.
This generation of Supra falls into the Coulda-Shoulda-Woulda category for me. Back in the 1980s, a friend of my parents, named Laura, bought a black ’84 Supra… she was a careful driver, and always kept her Supra garaged and well-maintained. I don’t think I ever saw her car dirty.
About 10 years later, Laura bought a new car (a 6th generation Celica) in 1994 or ’95. I was in my 20s at the time, and since Laura knew that I always had admired her Supra, she asked if I’d like to buy it. I should have — but for some indefensible reason I didn’t want to give up the money-pit Saab 900 I owned at the time. So I politely declined.
Oh well, that one got away – but I’m glad you’ve found this one. I look forward to updates!
That looks a great example, and I predict you’re going to enjoy it. A lot.
A surprise to see a manual gearbox on there, especially given the US origins of this example.
An American guy (worked for McDonnell Douglas/Boeing) I knew it the UK had a series of these in the 1980s as his “company car”. He was driving all over the UK and wouldn’t have a word said against them. He did pheromonal mileages and was disappointed when the last one had to be replaced. Kept his Corvette in LA, if I recall correctly.
They swapped the gearbox.
Thanks all! I’ll take good care of it. And I’ll drive it, a trailer queen it ain’t. As you can see, it wasn’t even brought on a trailer.
Lovely! I had a ’83 Celica (non-Supra, 4-banger), unfortunately it rusted away but remains one of my favorites to this day.
Well congratulations from a fellow MA61 owner and fan. What a beautiful colour, and it looks like it’s in great shape. When I read the title I was like “What? That’s a europe-spec, what’s this guy on!”
I’ve had mine (JDM Celica XX) for 10 years now, and juuuuuust thinking about perhaps moving it on now. The kids are getting bigger, and it’s not so easy to fit the family in now.
If it’s at all your thing there are plenty of options if you want to tickle-up the performance any further.
Great to see, and all the best getting her out and about. Enjoy!
It’s gorgeous. I love everything about it Congratulations, Johannes!!
What a lovely car!
Congratulations, a beautiful car! Toyota really got the styling details right on the Supra, specifically the nose which looks perfect compared to the awkward snout of the 4 cylinder Celica’s. Overall, the profile is strikingly similar to your Barracuda.
Thanks guys!!
Twins across the pond. Same interior, 5 speed and BFG tires…