Drift events. Cars and Coffee. LS Fest. Hell, the kid down the street is probably ripping the guts out of a Nissan 180SX or 240SX and is preparing to jam it full of late-model GM V8. And if the reaction many of you have given us over it is any indication, your left eye has started to twitch uncontrollably. Yes, another import that ten years ago nobody seemed to give a rat’s ass about has suddenly become the bane of your automotive existence, and you’ve just about had your fill. “Why couldn’t they have stuck that LS in something useful, like a 1980s GM car that really could’ve used the swap, or better yet, a nearby dumpster?” Well, it’s a combination of an attraction to Japanese looks, light weight and handling prowess and the torque that only an American V8 can truly provide.
But you’re right, there are other engines out there besides the LS series of engines. And, believe me or not, other rear-wheel-drive imports besides the Nissan Silvia/SX line of cars. Take, for example, this 1985 Toyota Celica. The last year before the Celica made the move to front-wheel-drive, 1985 got you a light and nimble two door in both coupe and hatchback forms. If it was an overloaded pig of a car from the factory, that meant that it weighed in near to 2,700 pounds…nice and light, and when fitted with a Ford 5.0 and a T-5 manual trans, that light weight turns what was a sporty and nimble car into a monster. We don’t care about any problems this car has…for the price, we can be bothered to fix them all.
Craigslist Link: 1985 Toyota Celica coupe
Not a bad deal! V8/5spd in a Celica works for me!
So there are people out there with more than half a brain!
It’s just a shame it wasn’t the better looking fastback – but full marks for originality.