This Vintage 1980 Toyota Celica Supra Is Rare, Beautiful, And Potentially Quite Cheap

So you want a Toyota Supra but don’t want to be another Fast and Furious wannabe with a ridiculously boosted A80? There’s always the A70 with its straight 1980s lines, and hey, you can still get some impressive turbo power. The A70’s star is rising, so now’s your time to get one.

Or you could step back a bit further with the A60, back when Supra was a Celica sub-model. They’re getting hard to find, and with no turbo option in North America, they were more about show than go. Still, I’m totally in love with that squat, fender-flared style and four-spoke wheels.

But no, we’re going back to the beginning for this week’s classified find. Yes, I’m talking about the A40 Celica Supra, complete with late 1970s styling, four open headlights up front, and a 2.6-litre inline-six under the bonnet. This particular car is selling in St. Louis Missouri, and with four days to go in the auction at time of writing it’s only bid to a reserve-not-met price of $2800. Oh, the want is strong with this one.

Judging by the photos and description, this car appears to be a real keeper. It’s offered by a company called MotoeXotica (their choice for spelling, not mine) and I’ll give them credit - this auction is well done with solid vehicle descriptions void of hyperbole, a full catalog of photos, and a welcome absence of self-praise that you usually find with dealerships on eBay. Everyone who reads Car Throttle knows how nit-picky I get on presentations, and this one makes me want to sell my Mustang and catch a one-way flight to St. Louis.

I should point out that I love the car too. I mean come on - 61,000 original miles, five-speed manual, window louvers, and that awesome velour 1970s porno red interior. It looks great in the photos inside and out, with just a suggestion of some paint wear and stone chips on the signature front end.

Under the bonnet is a 4M-E inline-six engine, which made a great noise despite producing just 110bhp back in the day. Underneath is a fully independent suspension system with disc brakes at all corners, and with the five-speed manual you know it would be fun-to-drive.

This car also appears to have the convenience package, which includes power windows, locks and cruise control. Check out the vintage 1980s stereo with a separate cassette deck and the manual sunroof. And I’m not usually a fan of silver, but the two-tone silver/grey scheme with the red interior is perfect on this car.

I have absolutely no idea what these sell for. I see them so rarely that I don’t even have a ballpark idea to start from. Seeing as it’s only at $2800 with four days left in the auction suggests to me that in might not get much past $6000 or $7000, and I think that would be a steal for a classic Japanese sports car of this age and condition. So yeah, any CTzens out there interested in buying a nifty 1995 Ford Mustang GT? It’s got fresh 3:73 gears and refinished wheels. And if you happen to live in the vicinity of St. Louis, Missouri, I’ll even deliver it to you…