Toyota Celica

The pre-1978′s Celicas would be ashamed of what came just after them.  In the 70′s, these were mean-looking mini-pony cars which received an array of RWD powertrains and transmission options, with more exotic swaps waiting just past the horizon.

Performance

From the factory, this little car was a spirited daily driver.  Small, carburetted four-cylinders putted along meaningfully, with a whole array of transmission options.  Many Toyota motors fit in these with no/minimal fabrication, from the undying 22re to the newer V6 platform.

A surprisingly responsive live rear axle holds the rear together with a trustworthy open differential.  The LSD AE86 differential is nearly a bolt-in affair, requiring a small amount of well-documented work to make fit properly.

Maintenance

This is a rock-steady reliable car.  All carburettors outfitted on early Celicas were extremely easy to tune, and the low-compression engines will run without issue as long as they are fed a steady diet of oil and coolant.  Because it is so lightweight, the torquey 4-cylinder engine produces plenty of power to get it moving while keeping gas mileage very reasonable.  I averaged 35mpg while I owned mine, and that was with an automatic transmission.

As with most ’70s era cars, watch the charging/electrical systems carefully and if you plan to make any reliability modifications, add modern blade-style fuses and relays for the major circuits (headlights, starter motor, radio).

Having already owned a 1976 RA29 I can say without any hesitation that these are about as easy as cars get to maintain.

There is also a superb community backing older celicas, generally clustered around the classic-celica boards and the 1stgencelica boards.  You’re likely to meet some great people if you spend time there, especially if you attend a meet in your area.