Toyota 1600 GT5

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Make those dreams a reality...! The Toyota 1600GT5, which captured the hearts of young people at the time as a sibling of the Toyota 2000GT, is now in the possession of a collector in excellent condition with 19,782km on the clock...! The early model RT55-11568, which is in amazing condition and generously uses extremely rare and expensive dead stock parts (!), is fully original - restored - and in perfect condition just after passing the regular vehicle inspection, overwhelming viewers...!

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In an air-conditioned garage with shutters, a solar red Toyota 1600GT5 sits quietly, without any sign of its more than half a century of age....

This fully original car, which retains its original appearance, is an exquisite example that will astound anyone from any angle who looks at it, having been restored using an abundance of valuable dead stock parts....

This is a car that has been perfected with so much time and passion.... "If you can truly cherish it...I would like to give it to you..." I have approached this manuscript hoping to sincerely express the feelings of such a veteran owner....

 

 Only 2,222 units were made during a production period of just one year and two months, and it is said that only 150 units remain, making this ultra-rare Toyota 1600GT. What is the story behind its creation?

 

 The 1960s was a time of rapid economic growth in Japan, but it was also a time of great change in motorization.

With the boom in personal cars, where the dream of owning a car for every family was on the rise, the trend towards sportier mass-market cars gradually expanded, and people's eyes lit up at the appearance of new designs such as pillarless hardtops. The motorsports world also saw a movement that broke away from the dawn of the era.

One notable evolution was the opening of Japan's first internationally certified racing course, the Suzuka Circuit, in September 1962. Then, in January 1966, the Fuji Speedway, an internationally certified racing course following Suzuka, opened. It was a time when motorsports changed dramatically into a dynamic, participatory era, carrying the dreams of young people at the time.

"If our car performs well on the circuit, it will be a very effective form of advertising..."

This was the natural expectation of each manufacturer, and they thoroughly disassembled and studied European sports cars, from the engine to the transmission, chassis structure and even the suspension... They benchmarked every single detail and made a huge effort to catch up with the world's standards at all costs, giving birth to a number of eccentric, purely domestic sports cars that have been passed down to this day as "famous cars in automotive history"...

It was also an era that greatly motivated manufacturers' developers to produce cars that could be used worldwide, and to prove this, each company competed to develop "cars that would win races" with the aim of winning on internationally certified courses...

Toyota's flagship mass-market car, the Corona, also underwent a sporty model change to reflect the times...

In September 1964, the third-generation Toyota Corona was fully remodeled into the RT40 (sedan) and RT50 (hardtop) models, aiming to create a high-performance, high-quality car that could be used in overseas markets. The Corona adopted a unique nose design called the "Arrow Line," with a slant front side like an arrow, as its name suggests... Toyota's dramatic advertising skills at the time were amazing... Soon after the announcement, they carried out a "100,000 km continuous high-speed driving public test," which involved driving 100,000 km round trip on the Meishin Expressway, which had just opened, in 58 days...! The great success of this test caused an explosive buzz as the media reported it at once, and the announcement test drives around the country were a huge success, with over 200,000 people flocking to them, and in January of the following year, it surpassed the sales of the Nissan Bluebird for the first time, bringing Toyota the feat of being number one in domestic sales...! In this way, the third-generation Corona became a huge hit that served as the backbone of the company and greatly supported its management for a long time.

"The pillarless coupe style, which was all the rage at the time, was sporty, stylish and incredibly cool!"

As veteran enthusiasts who knew the time have said... the Corona's arrow lines were further emphasized by the B-pillarless two-door hardtop design, which was used for the first time in a domestically produced car...

Its unprecedented, flowing styling was enough to capture the hearts of young people at the time who had never seen anything like it before... in fact, even when you look at it today, more than half a century later, it is a wonderful design full of a sense of openness, with a presence that stirs the heart...

"Win the race with the early third-generation Corona hardtop body that has captured the hearts of young people!"

Toyota's next strategy after leading the Corona to become a huge hit was to create the "Toyota Prototype RTX," a racing Corona prototype model based on the Corona hardtop and tuned for racing, to coincide with the 4th Fuji Clubman Race, held in March 1966 to commemorate the completion of Fuji Speedway...

The prototype RTX immediately achieved a fantastic result in its first race!

Not only did it have the excellent aerodynamics and well-balanced maneuverability of its new design, but it also had a lightweight body and a high-power engine. After thoroughly benchmarking European cars from the 1960s, it was found to have the same suspension system as British cars of the time, with double wishbones and coil springs in the front and rigid and semi-elliptical leaf springs. In its first race, it beat rivals such as the Prince Skyline, the Isuzu Bellett GT, and the Nissan Bluebird SSS, and achieved the feat of taking first and second place in its first race. It also won the 12-hour endurance race held at Suzuka Circuit in July of the following year, taking first and second place again. In 1968, it beat its rival Nissan Skyline GTB, which had been the undisputed champion until then, and took the circuit by storm! The sight of a compact, lightweight car beating a large-displacement car excited the young people of the time!

Then in August 1967...

The Toyota RTX prototype model, which had continued to make great strides and fascinated young people at the time, was released as the RT55 "Toyota 1600GT" as a homologation model for racing, with only 2,222 units produced...

These fascinating specs are quite impressive even when you imagine them today!

It was positioned as the "junior version" (sister car) of the "Toyota 2000GT", which was announced in May of the same year and stunned the Japanese at the time with its extraordinary high performance. The 9R engine, which was also derived from the Toyota 2000GT's 3M 2.0L engine, is a 1587cc 4-cylinder 8-valve engine that was also tuned by Yamaha Motors and converted to a DOHC version of the Corona 1600S's 4R... It is equipped with twin Mikuni Solex carburetors, producing a maximum output of 110ps/6200rpm and 14.0kgm/5000rpm...

The body color is the same as the 2000GT, and the color names are based on the space theme. You can choose from four colors: Bellatrix Yellow, Pegasus White, Solar Red, and Thunder Silver Metallic.

In addition, there are front seats, various meters including a speedometer marked up to 200km, uniquely shaped wiper arms, fender mirrors, armrests, and the icing on the cake for the GT5 is the 5-speed transmission, which was very rare at the time and was released with the same components as the 2000GT, giving it a special feel! It even came with an LSD as standard, and it was a special car that allowed young people to enjoy the legacy born on the circuit as it was, making it a car that excited young people.

And then... in the 1969 JAF Grand Prix Special Touring Car Race, which became known as the "1600GT Legend," Toyota Motor Sales works racer Harukuni Takahashi drove a Toyota 1600GT and made a fierce attack from start to finish in the debut race of the Skyline 2000GT-R (KPGC10), which had an overwhelming advantage in terms of engine displacement... and although the car took the checkered flag in first place, a block on the straight just before the race was ruled as road interference, and it came in second place, creating a legend that was more than enough to excite young people with its small-displacement 1.6L car beating a large-displacement 2.0L car...

Toyota never wanted to continue selling this "Toyota 1600GT", and ended production in September 1968, just one year and two months later...

Many of the 2,222 units produced at the time were used in races due to their sports car nature, and are hardly extant... Ironically, reflecting the current state of affairs, they were used to restore the Toyota 2000GT, which became expensive because it was so rare, so some say there are only about 150 units left in Japan, and even fewer are fully original units that retain their original appearance...

Nevertheless, for enthusiasts of a generation who lived in the midst of the high economic growth period and had a particularly strong attachment to cars, and for those who know its value, it is a truly "special car", and will remain not only in people's memories but also in automotive history...

 

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"I would like to give it to someone who will truly cherish it..." The early model serial number RT55-11568 is an exquisite example with a mileage of 19,782 km and a beautiful reproduction of the original Solar Red color...! This fully original example has been restored using a generous amount of dead stock parts and is in amazing condition, having just passed the regular vehicle inspection...!

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The owner of this Toyota 1600GT, who has been of great help to me for some time, is a man who enjoys identifying the current condition of famous cars from all over the world, past and present, and when he finds the perfect car, he takes great care over the course of several years, working closely with his personal mechanic to restore it to its finest condition...

We had seen this superb 1600GT5 in the garage several times before, and the owner had expressed a desire to sell it if a suitable buyer came along, and contacted us again, saying, "It has passed its periodic vehicle inspection, so please come and interview us soon...", which led to this article...

In the scorching heat of early August, we interviewed the car in a cool garage with air conditioning and even a circulator specifically for the 1600GT...

When the owner asked us, "Will I be able to take good photos in the garage...?", we were able to feel his deep affection for the 1600GT that he had lovingly crafted...

It was about six years ago that the owner came across this extremely rare 1600GT...

"You won't find it no matter how hard you look... you just have to wait for it to happen..." is the golden rule for encountering the finest classic cars... While searching for a Skyline 2000GTB from memories of his youth, he happened to come across this 1600GT5, which had been kept in a garage and remained in perfect condition, in a friend's garage... He decided to keep it on the spot, and so began his honeymoon with the 1600GT5, which also remains vividly in his memories of his youth...

When the owner got it six years ago, the car was in perfect condition with a fully stock exterior and interior, but it was somehow lacking in appeal... And that's when the owner's excitement began...

Firstly, the car was completely painted in the original color based on the Solar Red color sample, and the front and rear window moldings and side moldings that were removed during that process were then polished again... In addition, the left and right triangular window frames (including the inner glass frame guide and lock button), left and right door outer handles (including buttons), left and right door inner handles, left and right regulator handles, trunk emblem, front and rear bumpers, and side window sashes were all re-plated to restore their original shine as if they were a new car...!

And... by exchanging information with members of the nationwide "1600GT Club," he was able to purchase and collect extremely valuable parts... and he has generously used "dead stock parts from the time..." to complete the car, including auxiliary equipment such as the brake booster and oil reservoir in the engine bay, as well as left and right fender mirrors, cloisonné badges, front grille, rear license plate light, air outlets on the front fenders, and also very valuable wheel caps...

The nationwide "16000GT Owners Club," which has owners as members, exchanges information about valuable parts like those mentioned above, and also produces parts for the Toyota 1600GT that are no longer sold by Toyota and supplies them to club members. If a part is needed, the club raises funds and commissions a specialist company to produce it using parts that members have in stock. The specialized parts that have been made so far are diverse, including chain tensioners, bushes, front windows, rear windows, rubber parts for triangular windows, and more...

Also, new owners will be introduced to the club, so please consider doing so...

For reference, see the "Toyota 1600GT Owners Club" YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1UKTyVv3PhoYe_O7V2Hdng

 

In the six years since you got it, what problems have your dedicated mechanic dealt with and how have you solved them?

 

・ Difficult to shift into 1st gear...

Overhauled clutch master (replaced inner kit - replaced reservoir tank - overhauled release cylinder - replaced operating kit) and replaced brake master using dead stock parts (complete replacement procedure including air bleeding).

Engine oil leak from drain filter cover... created drain filter cover gasket (created and replaced - oil pan tightened) to solve the problem.

・ Oil leak from the rear of the engine crank seal...

Transmission oil leak was fixed by tightening each part.

・ After replacing the brake booster with dead stock, the brake oil was consumed a little faster...

Checked for brake oil leaks - brake master - front left and right calipers - rear wheel cylinder - all were checked

and no particular problem was found.

・ Carburetor air intake noise:

Tighten the carburetor mounting bolts, adjust the carburetor balance, adjust the ignition timing, and replace the spark plugs.

・ Abnormal noise from exhaust pipe...

Tightening exhaust bracket bolts - Muffler removal and installation welding repair

These details can be confirmed by checking the repair details that the owner keeps on hand...

As a result of the owner's six years of hard work, the car is an early '67 Toyota 1600GT5 with the serial number RT55-11568 that has been completed to the point that anyone who sees it unanimously says, "I've never seen anything like this before..." At this point, there are no problems whatsoever, and on the day of the interview, the engine started easily and responded well to a few blips, giving it a great engine feel, but the owner's personal mechanic suggested, "Maybe the next step is to overhaul the carburetor..." and we were told that this would cost around 40,000-50,000 yen...

The owner also wants to keep even the same dead stock parts in top condition for a long time... and keeps several on hand just in case...

The original parts that were removed and the dead stock parts that he has in stock amount to about three cardboard boxes, and he would be happy to sell these to you at an additional price if you are interested... Please check the details when you visit the actual car...

 

 

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1967 Toyota 1600 GT5 Post-interview notes...

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The Toyota 1600GT was halted in production after just one year and two months...

It makes sense that it was this car that became the ancestor of the entire series, including Toyota's coupes and hardtop models that followed...

Also, it seems that the fact that there was a time when people were crazy about such a hot car gave many people the energy to get through turbulent times...

Having finally found such a wonderful car, and having cared for it with so much love, it would be a disservice to the car to no longer be able to be driven and to just leave it in the garage to indulge in the desire to own it.

As a result of the "changes in life stages" that everyone experiences in life, the owner gradually spent more and more days just looking at it in the garage, and now, with a heavy heart, he has decided to let it go.

Well, to be precise, he is at the stage of making that decision, and I think that it will be only when the next sincere owner comes along that he will think, "This is the one..."

Make the dream of those days a reality! The Toyota 1600GT5, a sibling of the Toyota 2000GT that captured the hearts of young people at the time, is now in the possession of a collector in excellent condition with only 19,782km on the clock! The early model RT55-11568 is in amazing condition, using extremely rare and expensive dead stock parts (!) without hesitation, and is fully restored and in perfect condition, just after passing the regular vehicle inspection, which will overwhelm anyone who sees it!

This was truly a wonderful car, one that you won't find no matter how hard you look...you'll just have to wait to come across it...

 

Please come to Saitama Prefecture for a truly moving experience!

It has just received its renewed vehicle inspection in July of 2024...This extremely rare and exquisite "67 Toyota 1600 GT5" is currently located in Saitama Prefecture.

Since this is a private sale, there is no consumption tax or other fees.

When purchasing this vehicle, the buyer will be responsible for monthly automobile tax payments (annual ¥45,400) and recycling deposit payments (¥0 if not deposited).

The buyer will also be responsible for arranging land transportation, but the author's corporate business also provides classic car transportation services using company-owned vehicles. Please feel free to contact us if you have any requests.

 

[When making an inquiry...]

The vehicles on this page are listed on the car private sales information site "Ensu no Mori."

Ensu no Mori is not a car dealership, but an advertising agency, and the vehicles listed are privately owned, and those that have been interviewed at the request of the owners are listed as FOR SALE.

 

We conduct detailed interviews with the current owner, including past maintenance records and repair history, and interview them about whether or not there has been any accidents. If there has been a major accident history, or if the current owner has only had the car for a short time and the details are unknown, we will decline to interview them, and we are making efforts to provide as much peace of mind as possible to our customers.

 

The contents of this article were written based on an interview with the owner conducted on August 2, 2024, under a clear, scorching hot sun, from 11:00 a.m. in a fully air-conditioned garage over a period of approximately three hours. Due to the limited time available, the condition of the vehicle may not be described 100% accurately. Please also note that the contents of this article have not been verified and comments on the condition, etc. are solely based on the weather conditions at the time of the interview and the author's subjective opinion.

 

If you have any questions about the vehicles listed or would like to inspect the vehicle, please contact us at the bottom of this page. Since this is a transaction between individuals, in order to prevent people from looking around, inspections of the vehicle will only be available to customers who are considering purchasing the vehicle.

 

We would appreciate your consideration.