ASC Convertible: 1985 Toyota Celica GTS

The 3rd generation (internally called A60) Celica was the final rear-drive chassis to use Toyota's Celica name.  The next generation used a transverse front-drive setup that has become a de facto standard for economy cars, but up through 1985 you could get a Celica from the factory with a longintudinal engine and right wheel drive.  The A60 generation also added rack-and-pinion steering for the first time and ASC (American Specialty Cars) were nice enough to modify a few of the coupe versions into a decent looking drop top. Find this 1985 Toyota Celica GTS offered for $5900 in Anaheim, CA via craigslist. Tip from Mike Jr.

JDM Modified: 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205

This next car comes as a tip from JB1025 who writes Pretty cool looking Celica GT awd be fun to drive and not many around in the States i would guess.  The Celica GT-Four was available in the US market, but it was discontinued by the time the 6th generation Celica was launched in  1993, so this next GT-Four is indeed a unicorn on this side of the Pacific Ocean. Find this 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 offered for $16,500 in Seattle, WA via craigslist.

Cheap Driver: 1995 Toyota Celica

Its been a strange recovery from the 2008 automotive crisis.  First off, the $1000 drive-able cars that used to litter craigslist/autotrader have all but disappeared, and the bottom of the heap Honda/Toyotas cost $4k.  Blame cash for clunkers for a huge number (710,000 by some accounts) reduction in cheap/running/driving cars from the marketplace, followed by slow sales in 2009, 2010, 2011...anyway, cars for $1k are usually total piles of junk in 2019...but you can find an occasional diamond in the rough. Find this 1995 Toyota Celica offered for $1200 in Boulder Creek, CA via craigslist.

Red 5-Speed: 1985 Toyota Celica GTS

The 3rd generation (internally called A60) Celica was the final rear-drive chassis to use Toyota's Celica name.  The next generation used a transverse front-drive setup that has become a de facto standard for economy cars, but up through 1985 you could get a Celica from the factory with a longitudinal engine and right wheel drive...and that is better than a poke in the eye. Find this 1985 Toyota Celica GTS offered for $7,500 in Ft Myers, CO via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Mini Mustang: 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback

The first generation Toyota Celica was built in Japan for world wide consumption from 1970 through 1977 and sold in large quantities as a Japanese downsized antidote to the bloated 'Merican sports coupes of the day.  In 1976 a liftback version was released in North America that resembled a 7/8ths scale Mustang, but regardless the Celica is the classic Japanese pony car to get.  Find this 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback offered for $1800 in Menlo Park, CA via craigslist.

Pro Celebrity Long Beach Grand Prix: 2000 Toyota Celica GTS

The Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach was an annual Pro/Celebrity race in Toyota street cars that was first run in 1977 and finished when Toyota pulled their HQ out of SoCal in 2018. The race has always had lots of carnage and is typically more fun to watch than the Indy/IRL/ChampCar parade of high-powered wing-equipped spec-chassis 'race-cars' held later in the day.  Not sure how the cars were sold/auctioned after the events, but every once in a while one of the cars from that race will show up on ebay for a reasonable price, and I sorta want one. Find this 2000 Toyota Celica GTS here on eBay bidding for $7000 with 2 days to go, located in North Vernon, IN .

Classic 80s Box: 1983 Toyota Celica GTS

Hey, do you remember when Toyota built cool affordable rear-drive sports coupes? Yeah, and do you remember when they weren't obscenely overpriced due to the Fast & Furious crowd having jobs now? Yeah.  Not talking about a Supra. I'm talking about this 1983 Toyota Celica GTS offered for $3,800 in Seattle, WA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Mini Mach: 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback

This next car appears to be a surprisingly well preserved example of a car from the year that Star Wars first splashed on the big screen. It is offered for no reserve, is one family owned..looks remarkably well kept and original(except for repaint).  The only thing it appears to be missing are the "GT" stripes just above the rocker panels after the repaint.  Find this 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback here on eBay bidding for $6,350 with 4 days to go, located in Roseland, VA.

5-Speed Classic: 1980 Toyota Celica GT Special Edition

We last featured this exact car when it was offered for....errr...well... $5999...and it is still offered for the same asking price, but that doesn't make it any less appetizing?  It might mean their is some negotiating room in the asking price, or that the car is just being picky about finding the next owner...but it doesn't make it any less interesting to keyboard jockeys like us. Find this 1980 Toyota Celica GT Special Edition offered for $5999 in Oregon City, OR via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

2JZ Swapped: 1984 Toyota Celica GTS

The 3rd generation (internally called A60) Celica was the final rear-drive chassis to use Toyota's Celica name.  The next generation used a transverse front-drive setup that has become a de facto standard for economy cars, but up through 1985 you could get a Celica from the factory with a longintudinal engine and right wheel drive...and today's example comes with a fresh 2JZ swap. Find this 1984 Toyota Celica GTS offered for $6,500 in Gilroy, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Japanese Pony: 1980 Toyota Celica GT

The Toyota Celica first hit US shores in 1971 as the Japanese translation of the Ponycar.  In 1976 Toyota introduced a Fastback version which borrowed styling cues from the late 60s  Ford Mustang.  While the first series Celicas certainly borrowed heavily from US styling cues, some might argue that the second generation Celica's (which were penned in the US and carried the model from 1978-1981) began striking their own pose, before the 1982's headed off in a much more unique and angular look. Find this 1980 Toyota Celica GT offered for $5999 in Oregon City, OR via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Parked 40 Years: 1981 Toyota Celica

Alaska isn't a place known to be nice to cars...particularly Japanese classics that were sold from the factory with paper thin sheet metal and minimalist undercoating..but this next car somehow survived the years due to an early head gasket failure and a good storage space for the past 40 years.  It'll need some TLC before it gets back on the road, but I'm thinking that the mechanical work will be way cheaper than the example that needs a complete de-rustification but runs. Find this 1981 Toyota Celica offered for $1500 in Wasilla, AK via craigslist.  Tip from Zach Z.

Little, Yellow, Different: 1980 Toyota Celica Sunchaser

This next car comes from Matt C who writes: Is it a convertible? Is it a targa? Is it worth $6500 for what may be one of the best examples still on the road? I'm not sure of the answer to any of these, but they'd be fun questions to debate.  Find this 1980 Toyota Celica Sunchaser offered for $6,500 in Cullman, GA via craigslist.

Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity Racer: 1991 Toyota Celica GT

The Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach was an annual Pro/Celebrity race in Toyota street cars that was first run in 1977.  The race has always had lots of carnage and is typically more fun to watch than the Indy/IRL/ChampCar parade of high-powered wing-equipped spec-chassis 'race-cars' held later in the day.  Unfortunately Toyota pulled their support of the race when they moved their USA HQ from Torrance, CA to somewhere in Texas, but the glory of the Pro/Celebrity races lives on in spectacular crashes (like the one where George Lucas is punished for Episodes 1,2,3) s and old used race cars. Find this 1991 Toyota Celica GT Racer here on eBay bidding for $5,500 in Mundelein, IL with 4 days to go.

Nicest Around: 1990 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo ST185

I love it when someone calls some car "the nicest around" because it often is such a stretch from the truth. And I won't give the hyperbolists in the room a free pass with this next car, I'll at the most admit that it looks like a blast to own/drive. Find this 1990 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo ST185 bidding for $6,300 reserve-not-met here on eBay with 3 days to go, located in Palm Harbor, FL. Tip from Dave.

Blue Plated: 1972 Toyota Celia ST

The Toyota Celica first hit US shores in 1971 as the Japanese translation of the Ponycar.  The Celica might not have been powered by fuel thirsty V8s, but the long-hood short-deck styling was perfect for a 7/8th scale Mustang/Camaro/Challenger. This next Celica looks to have survived the years better than most of its factory siblings and is covered in a fabulous shade of lime green.  Find this 1972 Toyota Celia ST offered for $8400 in Cypress, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

GT-Four: 1992 Toyota Celica All-Trac

The fifth generation Toyota Celia was released for the 1990 model year with all new "Super Round" organic styling and further refinement on the rock solid build quality that was beginning to be synonymous with the word Toyota.  It wasn't an exciting car by any yardstick, but the GT-Four version (All-Trac in the US) added some needed power, all-wheel-drive traction, and, most importantly, a prominent hood scoop to the basic version. Find this 1992 Toyota Celica All-Trac offered for $3,500 in Austin, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.