This 1977 Toyota Celica With An S2000 Engine Is A True Work Of Art

An incredible Toyota Celica powered by the high-revving engine of a Honda S2000 has hit eBay and is looking for a new home.

This is a 1977 Celica but it is unlike any other as it has been completely restored and comprehensively modified. While speaking with famed automotive photographer Larry Chen about the car back in mid-2020, the owner revealed that he purchased it sight unseen in 2010 and discovered that it had heaps of rust. It was already running the S2000 engine at the time and was ultimately stripped bare to repair all of the rusted sections.

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With the car’s underpinnings repaired, everything was put back together and a set of flared arches were installed. The car was also resprayed in Midnight Purple III, a color made famous by the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R.

Various other upgrades have been made. For example, it features electronically-controlled airbag suspension with Bilstein shocks, aftermarket sway bars, new polyurethane bushings, and a set of custom-made 16-inch BBS RS wheels with a Black Solar Rain finish.

The S2000’s 2.2-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder has also been modified and includes a Neo Chrome valve cover, 48 mm independent throttle bodies, and engine mounts, oil cap, coil pack cover, and a radiator cap with a Neo Chrome finish. The car sports the same six-speed manual as an S2000 but pairs it with a limited-slip differential from a Toyota AE86.

Very little of the car’s interior is shared with a standard Celica. Among the highlights are door panels, a headliner, center console, and dashboard trimmed in suede. There are also a set of Bridge Stadia Venus II seats, purple carbon fiber accents, and a new three-spoke steering wheel.