The Toyota USA Museum: Panoramas

"TylerLinner" (tylerlinner1) 01/08/2016 at 06:05 • Filed to: TOYOTA MUSEUM, PHOTOSPHERE, TOYOTA

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I’ve had this place in my scopes for a few years and after one false start, finally got the chance to visit. It’s more eccentric than you’d think. From FJ40’s and 2000GT’s to Indy cars, they’ve got you covered.

This wonderland is hidden in an unmarked office park in Torrance, California. To get in, you need to contact them in advance to make sure they’re not in the middle of a corporate gathering or even a birthday party.

Walking in past a humble desk, you’re greeted with a red 2000GT, a 1961 Land Cruiser,

a Stout 1900 pickup sporting its characteristic turn signal ‘ears’,

and an extremely rare left hand drive ‘59 Toyopet Crown which was traded in to a dealer in 1970.

Walking through double doors, you’re greeted with the mother lode. Nearly any US-market Toyota you can imagine is here, along with some JDM models for good measure.

Two Avalons, a brown Cressida and a mint green shovelnose Corona start off the set, opposite a line of pickups.

To view this photosphere, download !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for Windows, Mac or Linux

Careful viewers will notice a strange black and maroon vehicle past the Corona... what is it?

It is a 1996 Toyota Classic. For the 60th anniversary of their seminal production car the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , Toyota produced 100 examples of this Hilux-based replica. Whether you like the execution or not, this is a great example of the height of Japanese retro-boom cars of the 1990s. Other odd spawn of the boom include the Nissan Figaro and BE-1 and a host of Mitsuoka body kits such as the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and Nissan March-based !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

To cleanse the palette we walk behind the line of pickups to find a shrine of trucks and vans. It starts to look like a family reunion with five hiluxes of four generations and more Land Cruisers than you know what to do with!

To view this photosphere, download !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for Windows, Mac or Linux

A nice, honest truck interior. A bench seat, three pedals, a steering wheel and a stick. What else do you need?

This was my favorite area of the museum- I have a serious weak spot for those turn signal pods and 70’s paint colors. Turning around, though, made me want to take a road trip with their lineup of old vans.

Front engine, mid-engine, front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and even a cute-as-possible blue RAV4. What more could you want?

You want a tiny RAV4 for your kid too? Well, they have one.

Makes you wonder how many still exist.

Moving on, I found a row of convertibles, including a 2-door RAV4 and the nicest stick shift Paseo in existence.

Why save a Paseo? Who knows. I’m just glad someone did; check out those 90’s-tastic seats.

Then again, who in 1983 would have thought the 4WD Tercel SR-5 would be cool? This one even has rad ski graphics.

Winter-ready

Looking down the line, I spotted a touge fighter and a couple autocross candidates among their more pedestrian brothers.

Starlet, NUMMI Corolla, E70, AE86, FX16 and AE92.

Early Corollas and Celicas abound.

How much would you pay for an MR2 in this condition?

How about a pair of Supras right off the showroom floor?

Behind the Corollas, though, sat some really neat stuff. It seems that after racing them, Toyota parks some of their cars here.

To view this photosphere, download !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for Windows, Mac or Linux

Which flavor would you prefer?

Next to the race cars, tucked away in a corner, were these. Not one, but two of Toyota’s most valuable sports car.

Plus an M-family engine for those of you whose veins fire on all six cylinders.

After all that excitement it was time for a break, so I meandered along the wall of luxury cars.

Another little alcove houses a few more gems, including these once-top secret styling models. I noticed the snout of a Soarer/SC300. What do you think the others became?

A few display boards show us some very interesting styling sketches from multiple eras. I spy a couple blue Celicas on the lower right.

Another 4x4 Hilux sports an attractive graphics package

While an inexplicable S50 Crown heads off a row of sedans... and another FX16!

And I suppose I have postponed it long enough...

But you knew it was coming.

Last but not least, it’s a Prius. But not just any Prius- this one hit 130mph on the Bonneville salt flats in 2004.

And that’s the Toyota USA Automobile Museum! It’s not a large place but if you have any interest in Toyotas you owe yourself a visit. Contact them !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to schedule an appointment.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 06:46

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These lights look so out of place.....and yet awesome!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 06:52

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I’ve always been a fan of this design element! Some of the later Crown models have “over-the-headlight” parking lights (I think that’s what they are?) shaped in as well! A bit less “sticky-outy” than this though! ;)

Justin > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 06:52

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Needs more SW20. I saw two in the background.

TylerLinner > Justin 01/08/2016 at 07:20

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I’ll see if I can get you some photos when I get home. The white one behind the Prius was kind of cool.

TylerLinner > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/08/2016 at 07:22

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Far as I can tell, the domestic market versions didn’t have them- something about US lighting regulations. I think we got the better looking trucks!

TylerLinner > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/08/2016 at 07:24

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They seem to have been fascinated by the pod lights (turn signals in both cases, I think). I like the quirky results!

The funny part is that they integrated the lights on the Stout, but somehow thought they’d be better as an afterthought on the Hilux. Strange.

jkm7680 > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 08:03

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So, are all those cars brand new?

TylerLinner > jkm7680 01/08/2016 at 08:17

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Most are. Some where bought back.

OPPOsaurus WRX > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 08:20

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dibs on the truck

OPPOsaurus WRX > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 08:22

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this guys for sale, for some reason it comes up on my search but says Seattle

http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/535037…

TylerLinner > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/08/2016 at 09:39

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Similar vehicle, yes. But not the same.

Amoore100 > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 10:37

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This became ugly.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TylerLinner 01/08/2016 at 18:17

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I do think I prefer the domestic truck WITHOUT them, as it’s much cleaner looking, but I don’t mind them with either! :)

I miss usable, light-duty bare pickups...

TylerLinner > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/11/2016 at 07:37

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I get ya. I guess they replaced fender mirrors with fender lights.

As far as light pickups, I’m with you. Something to hope for...