Toyota Celica ST.
Roger sent a number of car photographs over, and included amongst them was this set of Toyota Celica ST car photos. I'd like to feature some more cars of the 1970s on the site, because a) they're knocking on forty years of age now, b) they bring back many memories for me and c) cars of this era, especially the Japanese classics, aren't represented in great numbers on the site as yet.
|
|
This Celica ST was purchased new by Roger in 1972, as he now recalls:
|
|
"I purchased the Celica in Singapore on arrival in 1972, my first ever brand
new car. The Celica at this time in Singapore was considered the 'Must Have' car,
and the locals would go to town fitting wide tyres and go-faster stripes.
This model is the ST First Generation A20/35 series, built 1970-77. It had a twin
downdraught carburettor and 2T-B 1600 cc engine, and the body was a 2 door hardtop."
|
|
"At the time the faster GT model was not available as yet in Singapore if I
remember correctly (I believe they did become available later), so the locals
would work on the ST engine and greatly tune it up, obtaining excellent
performance for the type. Roads then in the early seventies, although good,
were not really long enough for prolonged cruising on this island country."
|
|
"This car was very enjoyable to drive and I had many hours driving around
Singapore and up country into Malaysia. On one occasion up town the car
was parked in the car park of the Shangri-La hotel and had it's windscreen
wipers removed. When I came out it was monsoon rains and I had several
miles to drive back to my home in Changi. Using the old grey matter I cut
up a broken banana leaf and using the thick stem fashioned them into makeshift
wipers, they worked a treat and I arrived home safely. My passenger was a
reporter from the Straits Times and the story found it's way into the paper for a bit
of fun."
|
|
"It was a sad day when I sold the car but I was returning to the UK for a brief
period before returning to Singapore and a new job. After returning I rather
downgraded my transport to a Ford Escort Estate, but compensated this with
running a BMW R69S motorbike, the only one on the island of Singapore."
|
|
The first photo sees the shiny new Toyota parked in the Singapore sunshine. Many Japanese classics sported distinctive wheel trims when new, although these would often be thrown away and replaced by alloy wheels. I wonder how many Celica STs still wear the trims shown below? Photographs like this can be a real boon to anyone wishing to restore a car back to factory-fresh, new condition.
|
| (Please click the thumbnail to view full-size image.) |
|
|
|
Photograph two is a rear view of the Celica.
|
|
|
|
Next, a rear three-quarter view of the car.
|
|
|
|
Two of Roger's photos concentrate on the engine and underbonnet areas, again handy references for anyone restoring a car like this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now, two photographs showing the dashboard layout and interior of the Toyota coupe. Note the eight-track cartridge and player - very 1970s!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally for now, a front three-quarter view of this 1970's Japanese car.
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the pictures!
|
|
As a product of the 1970s myself, I remember being very impressed when the neighbour opposite bought a brand new first-generation Celica, finished in silver. Compared to dad's trusty Volvo, and other cars parked in neighbouring driveways (Minor, Consul, Fiat 126 and 127, Beetle, 105E), the rakish Toyota coupe certainly stood out from the rest with its low-slung, Mustang-esque styling. Its replacement would be a gadget-laden Toyota Crown Super Saloon, again quite an eye-catching machine loaded with ingenious gizmos such as electrically-operated windows, and air-conditioning.
|
|
If anyone has period shots of other '70s cars, Japanese or otherwise, please drop me a line as it'd be interesting to feature them too, thanks.
|
|
Return to Page 14 in the classic & vintage vehicle photo gallery.
|
