Here’s a neat threesome of old-school Toyotas, uploaded to the CC Cohort by Jerome Solberg. Clearly, someone likes their old-school Japanese cars in this Berkeley neighborhood. All RWD models from the late 1970s, early 1980s, that styling wise cover Toyota’s transition from Brougham to boxy Origami. Let’s go from oldest to least old.
Here is the oldest, a fifth-generation Corona, which alongside the Cressida (Mark II in Japan), were peak Toyota Brougham to me. The Mercedes-like front grille makes this one a 1977-1978 (I think) model, and the surviving bright trim on this one speaks to the styling flourishings of the era.
The interior of this old Corona is rather furry upfront. I see a column mounted shifter and what looks like a period-correct radio (An item that never survives in my cars. Sorry, traditionalists!).
That rear seat feels so California-vibes.
Here’s the sixth-generation model on the driveway, and whoever the owner is, likes their Coronas in late 1970s brownish hues. Styling wise, the six-gen is a rather evolutionary take on the previous model’s lines. The four headlight setup and rubbery bumpers make this one a late model, perhaps 1982-1983?
At first glance, ambiance is a lot like our first subject. A per the badge, a Luxury Edition model, which feels very Broughamy, though with a dashboard that’s already in the 1980s.
Cleaner rear seats on this one. And feels rather spacious for a compact.
And I guess the Celica is the weekend car? The lone-wolf cruiser?
Clearly, the third-generation 1981-1985 models carried an altogether different design language, one that the company would keep through a good deal of the 1980s.
Full-on 1980s vibes in this view. And in this one, the radio is getting my kind of treatment: Ok, time to upgrade the sound system. I’ll take this out and replace it… later….
One last look at the Luxury Edition. Hopefully, this trio will still be there next time I visit California so that I can pay them a personal visit.
Pretty cool, I like the first one if not the color so much .
FWIW, factory radios work well once you upgrade the factory speakers, if you need to upset the entire neighborhood, just wire in an amplifier, no need to trash the now unobtanium radio and hacksaw the dash making it F.U.G.L.Y. .
-Nate
”factory radios work well ” And the bonus is that you have simple and wonderful physical round buttons for separate bass and treble control. Impossible to find today, whether as OEM or even as aftermarket DIN
Love the Celica, always forgot they made a notchback with a trunk. This gen you almost always see the hatch. Did they make a notch back Supra as well for this gen? I know the Supra was six cylinder, wheel flares, and all the options but otherwise the same car.
As for Toyota sedans, for some reason the 70s/80’s models just leave me cold. At least the ones we had here in the US are painfully boring. The wagon and hatch versions had a bit more verve and style. Even if maybe its just the novelty factor influencing that opinion
No notch Supra (and no convertible either). And not all Supras got the flares either, especially the earlier models of this generation. They did however all get independent rear suspension as opposed to the Celica of this generation.
I guess with a lot of work and a frame extension a Sulica notch can be made. I owned (and really miss) a 1983 celica GT Supra Package Notch (no gts in USA till 84 ) that had Supra style flare and IRS. Great handling little car. Had to give up when we started having kids. Car seats are real PIA’s in notch back coupes!
The 82-83 Corona last registered in 2009. Failed 8 smog test between 2009-2012 so not legal for the road now. The 77 failed it’s last smog test in September 2023 and no update since. The Celica had a fail/tamper in 2021, passed by referee in 2022, and again in September 2023, but shows no update for September 2025. Smog tests are every 2 years here in California.
I do love me some RWD 1980s Toyotas but not really any of the particular configurations on offer here. Still nice to see them all lined up, and I’m liking today’s (mostly) 80’s theme whether on purpose or just coincidence!
The wheels on the Celica are I believe from an early 1980s Cressida, btw. Stock on a narrowbody GT would have been either steelies (or was that ST only?) or more likely a sort of blocky four-spoke alloy if I’m remembering correctly.
Like that “Celica”. One still actively, registered here in the nighborhood. Occupies an old garage with no door. See it rolling on occasion.
This was the last Celica that, in my mind, was really “a hit”. Those mid-1970’s “luxury” Toyota’s were really the thing that began to kill Oldsmobile, slowly but surely. The Cressida, then the Camry, and that was all she wrote.
Thanks for posting these pictures! I drove by these on the way to an errand, that I was already late for, but I had to stop and take a few, I wish they were better.
I found a couple of other photos I will post here.
Here is another photo