[rrossjr]

I was following this auction on BAT. Not Opel, but very much a contemporary of our GTs/Mantas/Asconas/Kadetts
I was always a fan of these cars, which clearly borrowed heavily from the styling of the Mach 1 Mustangs. Anyway, this Celica was in pristine conditions and brought in an astounding price. It makes question why a Manta or GT in comparable condition doesn't do as well in a similar auction.

 

[Autoholic]

I like the original Celica GT Liftback. Ditch the US bumpers for the JDM ones and it looks really good. They are pretty rare in the US now. I think the Celica has better name recognition in the US. It would be nice to see GTs sell for the same value.

 

[LynnB]

That is an insane price for a decent looking car. US spec bumpers make it painful for me to look at.
This car is not a performance car. I think 0-60 was around 11 seconds.
I realize Opels are not speed cars either... but they don't bring this kind of money.
I would rather have an Opel GT, or even a Manta provided it still has chrome bumpers. Not a fan of the picnic table bumpers on any car.

 

[Young Gt Lover]

The 2000s celicas are one of my favorite cars all the celicas looked good!

 

[rrossjr]

I agree about the US bumpers. Still, this car was remarkably well preserved. My first Celica was a 1979 (2nd gen) liftback. It had basically the same drivetrain as this one (2.2L 20R inline 4 with a 5 speed manual transmission) The gen 1 cars are much nicer looking, in my opinion.

 

[Timbo]

In the day, my friend had a 74 GT and I had my 73 Manta. With the 5-spd he had me on top end and the bigger motor let him beat me off the line. So it was a better car, better materials and interior. We had an 85 GTS that my daughter drove. With the independent rear suspension, that car handled. The wheels on the car sold came from the 80's GTS. I hated to sell that car but had no place to keep it. I put a for sale sign with $400 under that and took it out on I-270 around Columbus and drove 80-90 MPH around the area. The car was sold a couple of hours later.

 

[ungermm]

So, the buyer states this ..."Hello! I am the buyer and I am just thrilled. This is my back story. My husband had one of these. But we had a couple of kids and I probably made him sell it more than I should have. He was never mad or angry but just sad. I got an inheritance and I was determined to buy that car for him to pay him back for all that he has given to our family for the 35 years. He doesn’t know I have purchased it and it will be given to him as a surprise gift. If you knew this man, he’s worth every penny."

She also says that she will keep the purchase a secret to her husband until she can enter the car in a local car show. When she and her husband come upon it, she will then reveal the truth ... maybe not all of it. He might be furious if he found out how much she spent on it.

 

[rrossjr]

So, the buyer states this ..."Hello! I am the buyer and I am just thrilled. This is my back story. My husband had one of these. But we had a couple of kids and I probably made him sell it more than I should have. He was never mad or angry but just sad. I got an inheritance and I was determined to buy that car for him to pay him back for all that he has given to our family for the 35 years. He doesn’t know I have purchased it and it will be given to him as a surprise gift. If you knew this man, he’s worth every penny."

She also says that she will keep the purchase a secret to her husband until she can enter the car in a local car show. When she and her husband come upon it, she will then reveal the truth ... maybe not all of it. He might be furious if he found out how much she spent on it.

Great story. She picked a really nice car to surprise him with!

 

[Timbo]

I'm sure the seller loves the story and was happy to make her dream come true.

 

[RallyBob]

A friend of mine had imported a rust-free JDM 1975 Celica 2000 GT about 20 years back. I had a chance to buy it for a very fair price. Just no room to store it.

For those not in the know, it was RHD, small bumpers, 18RG engine (145 hp), 5-speed, limited slip axle, 4-wheel disc brakes. Pretty sweet ride.

 

[rrossjr]

A friend of mine had imported a rust-free JDM 1975 Celica 2000 GT about 20 years back. I had a chance to buy it for a very fair price. Just no room to store it.

For those not in the know, it was RHD, small bumpers, 18RG engine (145 hp), 5-speed, limited slip axle, 4-wheel disc brakes. Pretty sweet ride.

Holy grail stuff for celli-heads!

 

[RallyBob]

Holy grail stuff for celli-heads!

I actually had a spare 18RG engine I got rid of in 2016 for cheap. I was contemplating an EFI / turbo upgrade for my 1972 Corolla wagon, but I’m already spread too thin with cars so I purged all my Toyota stuff.

 

[rrossjr]

Wow! What might have been...

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/toyota-18r-g-twin-cam

I actually had a spare 18RG engine I got rid of in 2016 for cheap. I was contemplating an EFI / turbo upgrade for my 1972 Corolla wagon, but I’m already spread too thin with cars so I purged all my Toyota stuff.
View attachment 434396

 

[WTB Signal Blue Manta]

When I was born my parents had a 72 Celica ST. I don’t remember the car as they traded it in on a Pinto wagon when I was about 20 months old, but I had fun with it in the meantime and it molded my preference in cars. Just to the right of the Celica in this picture is my grandmother’s blue 74 Manta

 

[rrossjr]

When I was born my parents had a 72 Celica ST. I don’t remember the car as they traded it in on a Pinto wagon when I was about 20 months old, but I had fun with it in the meantime and it molded my preference in cars. Just to the right of the Celica in this picture is my grandmother’s blue 74 Manta

View attachment 434404

A float shifting prodigy.

 

[ejota]

She also says that she will keep the purchase a secret to her husband until she can enter the car in a local car show. When she and her husband come upon it, she will then reveal the truth ... maybe not all of it. He might be furious if he found out how much she spent on it.

For $62,000 her husband may have picked a different car! Great story, though.

 

[Timbo]

This picture was taken back around 74. My friends Celica is in the bottom of the frame and that is my Manta. Those cars were like two dogs playing driving around without a care in the world with one always trying to get where ever first.

 

[rrossjr]

Nice pic. I'm digging that ford wagon next to your manta also. I forgot what a barge those full sized wagons were.

This picture was taken back around 74. My friends Celica is in the bottom of the frame and that is my Manta. Those cars were like two dogs playing driving around without a care in the world with one always trying to get where ever first. View attachment 434409

 

[Timbo]

Those big cars. You did have to avoid them. A year or so after this picture, I was living back at this same complex only in the front lower one. One night the apartment manager showed up to yell at me for parking the Manta on the front lawn. Not knowing what he was talking about, we went outside to find the Manta on the front lawn. E-brake on, car in gear, locked. I looked at the back of the car and the bumper was dented in. I look around and there is a big Pontiac with a huge chrome bumper. About this time, the police show up. So we walk over to the Pontiac and find blue paint on it and the profile of the bumper fits the dents on my car perfectly The owner lived in the apartment above us and noise from both directions had been an issue. It turns out the guy worked at Dunkin Donuts. The officer knew him well. I turns out the paint spec was just too small to prove anything and by the way get your car off the lawn.

 

[JudokaJohn]

Wow! $62K! that's crazy money for that. I am glad the lady got her car, but I think the other bidder was just pushing up the price.
Those were nice cars back in the day. Easy to work on, too.