The Toyota Celica lineage begun on October 30th of 1970 when TA22 was unveiled at the 17th Tokyo Motor Show. Its Coke-bottle shaped body of hardtop pilarless 2+2 coupe configuration established it as Japan’s first pony car. In comparison to its American competitors from Ford, Dodge and Pontiac, the Celica TA22 was a lighter agile performer of shorter wheelbase and narrower width without affecting the comfort of 6ft passengers. Available trims were the economy ET equipped with a 1. 4lt engine of 86 bhp output and a 4-speed manual gearbox, the luxury LT with a 1. 6 lt OHV engine of 100 bhp and a choice of 4-5 speed manual or 3 speed auto, the sport ST with a dual carburetted version of the 1. 6lt OHV engine of 105 bhp and same gearbox options and the performance-oriented GT trim featuring a dual carburetted DOHC 1. 6 lt engine of 115 bhp output coupled strictly to a 5 speed gearbox. This Twin Cam engine benefited from a Yamaha-developed cross flow cylinder head with special camshafts, center sparking plugs, a water jacketed alloy intake manifold for quicker warm up, a 5-bearing crankshaft for smoother operation, auto thermic plated pistons for protection at extreme temperatures and dual Solex 40PHH carburettors with idle limiter and double floats to ensure efficiency upon hard cornering, acceleration and braking. This engine coded 2T-G was consequently tested extensively at the racetrack in Japan with the GT Celicas finishing 1-2-3 at 1971 All Star Race at Fuji Speedway and internationally with talented John Markey and Win Percy achieving several class wins at BTCC. In 1972, the Celica was slightly revised with fuel tank moved to safer location behind the rear seats with its fuel cap fitted at the C pilar and the tailights received clearer separate lenses for brakes and turning lights. In early 1973, the GT's engine received further race-derived improvements including larger 44. 5 mm intake and 38. 5 mm exhaust valves and raised camshaft lobe height to 46. 37 with lift to 10. 27. In 1974 the body received a rather bolder touch by flattening the wheel arch lips, segmenting the rear quarter vents and squaring off its slantnose before being replaced a year later by its successor coded TA23.
The Celica TA22 offered was produced early in 1973 in GT trim to feature the 1. 6 lt DOHC Twin Cam engine with big valve and raised camshaft factory improvements delvering 115 bhp and 143 Nm to the rear wheels via a 5 speed manual gearbox. Moreover its body displays the early thin lipped wheel arches, grated rear quarter vents, clear rear tailights and safe fuel tank location with C-pilar gas cap. Always in Europe, the TA22 was restored decades later in Germany back to its factory authentic condition before becoming part of a private collection. Offered fully certified and serviced, this museum piece celebrates the beginnings of Celica's half century lineage, a cornerstone in Japan's automotive history.
Specifications
Year: 1973
Make: Toyota
Type: TA22
Model: Celica
Trim: GT
Market: Europe
Configuration: Left hand drive
Body type, seats: Hardtop coupe, 2+2
Chassis number: TA22 126631
Engine number: 2T 8194403
Engine code: 2T-G Twin Cam
Engine type: 1588 cc, alloy, 4-cylinder in line, DOHC, crossflow cylinder head, dual sidedraft Mikuni Solex PHH 40 carburetted, 9. 8 to 1 compression ratio, 115 bhp at 6400rpm and 142 Nm at 5200 rpm output
Transmission type, code: 5-speed manual, W50
Rear differential ratio: 4. 100 to 1
Exterior color, code: White, 007
Interior color, trim: Black, vinyl with cloth inserts
Mileage: 92024 km
Registrations:
- current: Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile (FIA), Greece, issued 2017
- former: German oldtimer permit (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil)
Certificates:
- Certificate of Authenticity, Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile (FIA), Greece, issued 2017
- Technical Report, Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile (FIA), Greece, issued 2017
- MoT (TUV) Inspection Report, Remseck, Germany, issued 2015
