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Ugly Car Love


andyk_79

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So I have a big soft spot for Ra40 Celia's, to the point that with how cheap they still are I would buy one if I thought my marriage would survive a second automotive toy.

 

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/enfield/cars-vans-utes/1979-toyota-ra40-celica/1103111281

 

It stems from buying one as uni student because I couldn't afford a Z and thought the fastback Celia was not a bad substitute..... The little time I had it before rego ran out and I discovered the severe rust in it (I paid 400 for it!) I enjoyed driving it.

 

Thing is even when they have nice wheels on them and lowered etc I realise the Ra40 still looks awkward and ugly. But I still really love them despite knowing full well it looks like a hat full of a**holes.

 

Anyone else afflicted with ugly car love? I know there are some (cough) Volvo appreciators on the forum......

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Well Toyota did get it right with the Celica before the 40, but as usual lost the plot. I've always loved the RA28's.

 

Dont take much to turn this into a real looking Jap Muscle car with it's Mustang design que's.

 

 

post-100910-0-99641300-1454574452_thumb.jpg

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Well Toyota did get it right with the Celica before the 40, but as usual lost the plot. I've always loved the RA28's.

 

Dont take much to turn this into a real looking Jap Muscle car with it's Mustang design que's.

Agree the RA28 is good looking car and with a little work can look amazing.

 

 

To me the low point of RWD Celica's is the RA60 :o

post-102365-0-37166300-1454582216_thumb.jpg

Edited by PB260Z
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The notchback version was ever so slightly 'nicer' than the lift back but I could never bring myself to like them. At least the RA60 paved way for the Mark 1 Supra which is a nice looking car.

 

Then again I love the C110 240K Coupe's and other odd ball cars like the Mazda Luce R130 coupe.

 

If we are talking early Toyota Celica's the TA22 is the best in my opinion.

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By the way a blue Notchback Coupe has been sitting here for months.

https://goo.gl/maps/UMjTGB7Jc422

 

I'm not sure if it's still there, but when I would drive to the Tafe Course I'd see it all the time. Some minor panel damage from memory..

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The notchback version was ever so slightly 'nicer' than the lift back but I could never bring myself to like them. At least the RA60 paved way for the Mark 1 Supra which is a nice looking car.

 

 

I think you will find the first Supra was based off the RA40. Known as the Celica XX in Japan, but Celica Supra everywhere else.

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/1979_Toyota_Celica_XX_2000G.jpg

 

The Mk2 Celica Supra was based on the RA60, and probably the one you are thinking of as the first Supra.

 

Speaking of Ugly cars, the R35 post-100065-0-91310100-1454595649.gif

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Ra40 isn't a bad car, in stock form lots of body roll. But if you can get one with the 18rg in them, they like to move along. Explains Neil Bates going back to using one for rally Australia.

 

Toyota lost the plot when they started making their sports cars FWD, hence the new 86 being a big seller vs The dropped Celica line.

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My mum and aunt both drove 70s Corona's at 1 stage because the family business bought them as sales rep cars.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/westbrook/cars-vans-utes/81-toyota-corona-swap/1104483886

 

Amazing what a set of wheels and lowering can do for a car's profile. I'd prefer the earlier 70s version (RT104) with the round lights and the rounded dashboard cluster.

 

$_20.JPG

$_20.JPG

 

My mum's car was white with brown vinyl interior. Like this.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69949808@N00/6867018713/

 

When the backend stepped out due to worn tyres on the way to school 1 day, my mum yelled out "shit!", which for my mum was quite rare (to swear) so I'll always remember that car and incident. Funny.

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My Grandad had an RT104 Corona wagon in the late 70's.

He ran up a couple hundred thousand K's delivering Pizza boxes all over Perth.

 

That car was a great work horse.

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I love this thing.. Not sure why though. I think it is the steel wheels with the black flares and odd ball square shape.

 

Gold parts hauler.

In my eyes you just won this thread!

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OK,

 

This will get a lot of hairdresser jokes, but this was a great car to drive back in the day, when I was taking care of Ford Australia's account, I had a new one for a few days and couldn't complain.

 

20 years on to be exact, it wouldn't look out of place against contemporary sized and powered cars in 2016.

 

Probably considered ugly back in the day.

post-100910-0-75019300-1455964459_thumb.jpg

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I love this thing.. Not sure why though. I think it is the steel wheels with the black flares and odd ball square shape.

Gold parts hauler.

One hell of a tough van the Delta. Didn't sell very well as they cost a fortune compared to other vans, but with a full truck chassis and running car they went for ever and could tow an amazing weight. With all that storage for parts would make a tow pig, so long as you aint in a hurry. Non turbo meant very slow on hills when loaded.
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No I don't love or even like these cars.

But do love the enthusiasm of the marketing team.

 

Camira SUPERCAR ??

 

The car was a joke from the start. the engines were built in Port Melbourne as the new "Star Fire" family of engines, and exported oversea's.

 

Holden had an advertisement back then with a cargo ship leaving Melbourne and the dialogue "Holden, exporting $1,000,000 each week"

 

Problem was that they were probably importing as much in Camira panels which were being stamped OS because the Camira was a global platform and project between multiple GM locations each building different components for the car and exporting to one and other.

 

A Holden engineer I met while studying actually told me that as they came off the production line, they used a pole like gauge to check front to rear axle centers as a QC measure, that will tell you a lot about the build quality.

Edited by Sirpent
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