It’s rare to see different bits and pieces come together so beautifully in a single restomod. That might just be the case here though as this 1977 Toyota Celica features a Honda engine and an iconic paint from a Nissan.
Classic Toyota Celicas like this one are beginning to gain a little more popularity in recent years. Their classic shape and small proportions lend well to eclectic collectors. Their relatively low cost also makes them good candidates for restomod creations.
In the case of this car, the previous owner seems to have towed the line between too far and just right. When this Celica left the factory as a brand new car it had a four-cylinder engine and rear wheel drive. Today, it still has a four-cylinder and rear-wheel drive but the engine comes from a Honda S2000.
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Known for its incredible power-to-displacement ratio, the S2000 engine under the hood isn’t just a stock mill dropped in for propulsion’s sake. It’s a customized beauty with 48mm Jenvey throttle bodies, a J’s Racing header, and a Koyo aluminum radiator to keep things cool. Even the valve cover features rainbow titanium flourishes.
Then there’s the paint which is Nissan’s famous Midnight Purple III, a color-shifting mix of purple, orange, and more. It’s a bit brighter and more colorful than versions I and II. It’s not just the exterior and the engine that make this car so special though. The creator went to great lengths to improve the interior too.
Inside the cabin are Bride Stradia Venus II Maziora Edition bucket seats with Takata harnesses and a lot of suede on the dash, door cards, and rear seats. The driver gets full access to a shift knob, steering wheel, and pedals all from NRG, along with a stock Honda S2000 digital gauge cluster.
This car is so clean and well-finished that it was on display at the Petersen Museum in 2018 and 2019. Now, it’s available to the highest bidder over on BringATrailer.
