JDM For The Muscle Car Freak: This Toyota Celica Packs Lexus V8 Power And Can Move!


JDM For The Muscle Car Freak: This Toyota Celica Packs Lexus V8 Power And Can Move!

The Toyota Celica existed because the Ford Mustang existed. When Toyota saw how successful the Mustang had been, they pulled the same trick: using the Carina sedan (a Japanese model a size up from the Corolla), a two-door hardtop and later, “liftback” coupe was carved out and at first glance, there’s no question where Toyota got their design inspiration from, especially when you look at a Celica Liftback and it’s segmented taillights. We’ve seen that panel incorporated into a Mustang II and it looks like Ford should have designed it instead, it’s that close. In fact, I’d wager that a first-generation Celica is probably the most likely candidate for a muscle-car guy to willingly pick up out of any product that came to the country on a boat from the land of the rising sun. Just a suspicion.

But here’s an issue: what would you do with one? Leaving one stock is an option, but they weren’t exactly powerhouses. You could go the common route and stuff in a V8 from any American manufacturer in, but why not keep it all Toyota? The Lexus brand has a 4.oL mill that, when ripped out from an LS400 and uncorked, becomes one raucous monster, and they take to turbocharging nicely. After that, it’s time to pick a look, and that’s where Mike Gesselle deserves all the credit in the world. His 1977 Celica sits right on Minilites with small, tasteful flares, and outside of the necessary intercooler, looks like a proper musclecar, green paint and all. And it sounds like one, too…click play below and listen to this thing howl!


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9 thoughts on “JDM For The Muscle Car Freak: This Toyota Celica Packs Lexus V8 Power And Can Move!

  1. Chevy Hatin' Mad Geordie

    And so the LS backlash continues.

    With so many Japanese and European V8s available it wouldn’t be long before the more enlightened car builders started using the appropriate motors in the quest for more power. This is a prime example and just needs those flares to be smoothed out and painted in body colour. Now as always there’ll be the usual insults from the LS sniffers…..

  2. jerry z

    Back in the early 80’s owned a ’75 and ’76 model. They were fun cars to drive but lack power. LS power is the only way to go cause the others pretty much suck.

    How is that Geordie?

  3. PJ

    My friend built a Twin turbo powered Lexus 1UZ 72 Celica years ago, had a T56 behind it. Sadly he put it into the wall during a track rental. Fast forward a year, and the car is now a full 25.2 (or 1 or 3 or whatever the cert is for 6.50) tube chassis, big single turbo LS, powerglide, 9″ rear end on big tires.
    The evolution of the car has been incredible from hauling home from a field where it had sat for decades, through paint and body, to engine and trans all built in his garage. The car was a gorgeous shade of Lexus LFA red, and now wears some battle scars. I wish I could share photos on here.

  4. Mike Gesselle

    Car now has a custom billet Intercooler and flares are green and updated to Watanabe wheels.. car goes 11.79 @118 but it’s a strictly street driven toy..

  5. Dave

    What this article doesn’t state, is that Mike build this badass car over the course of a couple years… With a ton of blood sweat and tears.. it’s even better now…

  6. Gary Smrtic

    I sereiously don’t know if I’d look at BangShift nearly as much if it wasn’t for CHMG….

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