Visit of the Toyota Museum, Nagoya, Japan (Part 1)

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy) 01/31/2015 at 08:45 • Filed to: None

36

95

On Friday I finally got to do something I had been wanting to do for a long time: to visit the Toyota Museum, located on the edge of Toyota (the city), near Nagoya, the 3rd biggest city in Japan.

So get ready for a two-part massive photodump! And don't expect some kind of chronological order in the pictures, portraying a full history of automobile... I was pretty much running at everything that came to my sight like a 7 year old after a Ford Econoline handing out free candies.

Messerschmidtt KR200 from 1955 welcoming you in the entrance. 191cc of awesome cuteness. I'll need one someday.

1936 Toyota AA. This is the first "mass produced" Toyota car, which is why it held a special place in main entrance next the KR200.

Benz Paten Motorwagen from 1886. Supposedly the first gasoline-powered car. This one is a replica though, nonetheless fascinating to watch! And watchout, top speed of 15kmh!

Alfa Romeo 1300GT Junior. That paint was really, really good looking!

I don't think this one needs presentation. Gorgeous!

Ferrari 512BB... I had never seen one in person before, it's a lot wider and overall bigger than I thought.

1961 Lotus Elite. Something I could see myself live with as a daily driver... Really.

1961 Jaguar XK150. Classy, very classy.

1962 Ford Thunderbird. 5m21 long and it was not the longest of the museum.

De Dion-Bouton, some sort of trike from 1898. It's french and it developped an astonishing 1.75hp!! The whole thing itself is based off of a bicycle.

More stuff built on my home land, this time in 1901 by Panhard, the famous french car builder. Panhard et Levassor B2, 1901.

American stuff this time. No SBC here, but a 4hp Oldsmobile Curved Dash from 1902. Painted diff (well it's not a diff, but we'll just say it's one...), a proof that hot-roders did not invent anything :)

Talking about hot-rods, this is probably something lots of people will recognize at first sight: 1917 Ford Model T Chassis. I'd love to learn to drive one of those really.

Luxury, confort, speed. Jay Leno is probably hidden somewhere in this picture with a checkbook, waiting for the owner to stop by: 1909 Stanley Steamer E2

You want to be cooler than the coolest of all hispsters?? Buy a 1902 Baker Electric and laugh at Prius owners who try to save the world! And you know what's best? It could reach 40km/h and cover 80km on a single charge! In 1902!!!!

I don't think this needs presentation. Morgan Aero. Notice the multiple pans under the car, because whether it's in your garage on in a museum, it will keep on marking its territory.

MG-TC, sports car, circa 1945.

Datsun Fairlady SP310 from 1963. I think this one was sold in the US right?

The Austin-Healey Sprite, the happiest car of the entire museum. This is probably the face you will have driving all those 43hp of pure happiness.

Replica of the car that did the high speed endurance trial test of 1966. The original car drove for 78 hours straight at an average speed of 206kmh. Take that C4 Zr-1! It unfortunatly ended up being destroyed in a crash soon after, crash in which it took fire and burned to the ground.

The classic, the one, my love. A car I will own sooner than later, the Fairlady 240Z. This specific S30 is a Z-T with a few extra options.

MR2 Prototype! Fascinating to look at! Really funny to watch that nothing really fits together and gaps are pretty massive in many places. It really feels hand made and it's awesome!

This NA Miata had 83821km on the clock! And it was beautiful! Really perfect! Had I been given the opportunity, I would have bought it on the spot. Splendid.

Replica of a Prototype for the VW Bug.

"Les Français parlent aux français!" Citroen Traction Avant. The iconic WW2 french car used by both germans and french at the time. After the war it became the "car of the bad guy" in multiple french movies, most likely thanks the "Gang des Tractions Avant" a group of french gangsters who attacked a crap load of banks and post offices while driving those cars.

1936 Fiat Topolino 500. 13hp for 507kg. It doesn't really get much cooler than that. You may want to pick up some speed before a hill though.

Bugatti Type 35B from 1926 along with the kid version of the same car. Certainly the most famous Bugatti in its most famous color. Keep in mind this car was producing 130hp and was 200kg lighter than a Miata... In 1926!

1913 Peugeot Bébé. Ask anyone to draw a really old car, they will probably be drawing a Peugeot Bébé.

You know the Alfa Romeo 4C, you know the Alfa Romeo 8C and you eagerly wait for the 6C that fits in between... Wait no more, here it is! 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport, designed by Zagato at that!

That is all for today, the rest tomorrow, same time, same place, with more 2000GT, more modern cars and more japanese classics!!

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 09:48

2

Holy. Crap. I was in Japan last summer and planned on taking the bullet train to Nagoya to see this place. I decided against it and now I regret it SO MUCH.

Flavien Vidal > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 01/31/2015 at 10:01

1

bah, you're not far, you can still come back :)

The museum changes cars regular too, they have 3 times more cars in storage.

the7thearlofgrey > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 15:09

1

it's a 1963

Kevin Barrett > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 15:20

4

This is a Lotus Elite.

This is a Lotus Elise.

detailer4u > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 15:24

0

I like a lot of what I see. never would expect such a variety. I would love to visit.

Young Skywalker > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 15:34

0

They also have an exquisite art gallery. When I visited in 2001, they were showing French Impressionism. Another note, that was my awakening that the IS300 wasn't a Lexus.

Kevin Barrett > Kevin Barrett 01/31/2015 at 15:38

2

As for daily driving the Lotus Elite, remember that there is no AC, and the windows don't roll down, though they can be removed and stowed behind the seats if needed.

DavidHH > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 15:43

2

See if you can find examples of the Toyota Corona and Corolla.

The Toyota Corona was a horrible piece of $hit [we had one] and the last major export car designed in Japan. The Toyota Corolla with the 2TC engine [the other engine was bad] was the best car Toyota ever made, ever will make and was designed in America, and copied half the engine of a Chrysler Hemi. The 2TC was such a good engine, I put one in my 73 VW Westfaila and could get almost 30 mgg at 80 mph. I don't know why Japan can engineer cars, but can't design them and I have Japanese family. Now if their cars are not designed in California or Michigan, they are designed in Europe. The last half attempt at a Japanese model was the Toyota LE Van, which was horrible...

TractorPillow > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 15:47

0

Very cool, but it's a Lotus Elite, not Elise :)

Sky Higa > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:04

1

Speaking of Toyota Museums, the one in Los Angeles Is pretty good too.

Chaparral2F > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:07

0

Fabulous pictures. My heart went pitter patter after seeing that 2000GT. Ever since I saw in James Bond's "You only live twice", I have been in love with the car. Glad to see that they made another one like the original to preserve the memory of that car.

DanielC > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:08

1

I visited the Toyota Amlux museum the last time I was in Tokyo. Amazing how the Japanese and other major car manufacturing countries have preserved their history in a tangible way. With the exception of South Korea. I can't seem to find the article but I read about how none of the Korean car manufacturers bothered to collect any examples of their early products. South Korea has seen rapid development in the past thirty years, with the consequence that the recent past has been seen as something to sweep under the rug.

PuristDriver > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:22

0

Thanks for sharing. The Mk1 MR2 made me smile.

TimJ123 > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:23

0

Recently visited the Mercedes Benz Museum on Stuttgart, really a fantastic museum, one of the best museums of any sort we've ever visited. Unlike the Toyota museum, they only had Mercedes. Doesn't Toyota have enough of their cars to fill a museum?

Permadi > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:48

0

Good guy toyota!

Filling museum with other brands...

Steve in Manhattan > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:48

1

Thanks for putting all these up. Proof that Toyota did its homework.

Jonee > DavidHH 01/31/2015 at 16:54

0

The 3rd gen. Coronas, the first we got in America, were terrific little cars. You still see them buzzing around Southern California. The bigger ones that followed and the Mark II's will never be my favorites, but I had a '78 Corona wagon that was impossible to kill. I had it when I lived in Boston and it was still running and driving great, even on its original clutch, when rust finally turned it to dust with 280,000 miles on it. This was in 1998, so it still took 20 years for the corrosion to become terminal which isn't bad for a cheap Japanese car in that environment.

trumpscombover > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 16:57

0

the production AW11 is so much better looking than the concept. that's a good thing!

Flavien Vidal > Kevin Barrett 01/31/2015 at 16:58

1

lol sorry muscle memory as i typed haha

correcting it now :)

Flavien Vidal > the7thearlofgrey 01/31/2015 at 17:04

0

I think the museum refers more to the manufacturing date than to the model year. It needs consistency and since some of those cars have never been sold, it has to pick the manufacturing date.

DavidHH > Jonee 01/31/2015 at 17:07

2

The Corona was horrible, and probably the worst car anyone in my family owned, ever. Even the dealership admitted so, as it just kept falling apart, not good for a brand new car. Electrical fires, door glass that broke when I closed the door too hard, but not slammed, parts that fell off, constant overheating in winter, cracked cylinder head, clutch problems, lost gears, started forming rust holes in the sheet metal, etc. yet we had the car for only a year and a few months. Seriously it was a horrible piece of garbage, that makes the Honda Civic with the 1200cc aluminum block and Hondamatic transmission look good, and that was one of the worst Japanese cars I know of from the 70s.

the 1969 Dodge Charger Guy > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 17:13

0

Got to see a 2000GT, so jealous. Yes, looking forward to the next post.

I swear if I visited Japan, I'd check that museum by the third day I was there—tops.

Jedidiah > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 17:19

0

The Oldsmobile Curved Dash is a real piece of history if it isn't a replica.

It was the first mass produced car; I wish I had one to putz around on.

Jonee > DavidHH 01/31/2015 at 17:36

0

What year was it? Because the one I had was fine and, like I said, everyone loves the '64 to '70 ones.

Richard Bartrop > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 17:58

1

The Fairlady SP310 was sold here as the 1500, 1600, or 2000. From what I remember as a kid, these mock MGBs used to be a pretty sight.

DavidHH > Jonee 01/31/2015 at 17:59

0

I told you that the Corona we had was the worst car my family owned, but that would have to be appreciated by closing the door and having the window fall inside the door and then shatter. I don't now what year it was, but remember it leaving us stranded over a dozen times, and my step father stating that the AMC Matador that replaced it was a better car, and the Matador was not a good car. The problem was that he could not get any dealer to take the Toyota on trade, due to the rust holes, and other issues, except the AMC dealer who had the Matador demo car. When you have a well maintained and garage kept car that is about 14 months old and you can't trade it in, because it was a rust bucket and a lemon, you don't own a car, you own a liability. I suspect you are not comparing the same Corona because this was early seventies, not pre 1970. Before the laws changed various automaker sold garbage like the VW 411 to the public because there was no lemon law.

By the way, I cut up a 78 Corolla for the 2tc engine, for my VW westfiala. That car was not bad, just not worth fixing for the previous owner. The Corona we had would make you happy to trade it for a Yugo.

Maxaxle > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 18:32

0

I wonder if they ever kept that one car they imported just to show that CVCC could be scaled up for use in 'Murican cars...

KilgoreTrout53 > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 18:45

0

Thank you ! This vicarious tour is wonderful!

Kylemaro > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 19:09

0

quite a bit of interesting cars there. but the lack of an ae86 in these photos makes me sad

Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan' > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 19:29

1

Pretty sure it ' s a Chrysler dude...

the7thearlofgrey > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 19:41

1

bmw325_num99 > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 20:04

0

Isnt that a Morgan 3 Wheeler, not an Aero?

Excellent post with beautiful pictures. I cant wait for part II

Jonee > DavidHH 01/31/2015 at 20:19

1

I guess American Motors was desperate enough to take anything they could get at that point to move a car. Was it a Matador coupe?

You must have had the early to mid 70's Corona Mark II which wasn't a good car. They're all gone now. I've never been a big Toyota fan outside of their trucks, but I had a first generation 1969 Corolla (like the one on the left in the top picture) once and that, while as slow as molasses, was a nice little car and seemed well put together for the time. It was pretty simple and basic, so there wasn't much to screw up although manufacturers in those days always found a way.

ERN > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 20:45

1

Then they are incorrect. The model year is the model year.

Nauraushaun > Kevin Barrett 01/31/2015 at 21:06

0

Removed and stowed behind the seats! That's crazy.

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 21:08

2

That Model AA isn't actually a Model AA. It was built in 1987 from blueprints and things because they couldn't find one anywhere in the world. Which is fascinating I think :)

They eventually found a derelict one in Russia, it looks like this:

PICKLEBOY > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 21:18

1

Is it just me or does your camera make some of these cars look like Toys/Diecast?

Flavien Vidal > ERN 01/31/2015 at 21:45

3

For a museum and from an historian point of view model years make no sense. You cannot have half of your cars with manufacturing dates (those too old for actually having model years) and the other half being model years, excluding prototypes exposed and everything that also do not have model years.

Again, a museum or a historian needs consistency. Model years are used by the general public but it's impossible to use when doing an accurate timeline on car history for exemple if you were to include prototypes and odler cars.

Flavien Vidal > detailer4u 01/31/2015 at 21:48

0

Me too actually... I was expecting something focused on Toyota when it's not. It's really about everything car related :)

Flavien Vidal > Kevin Barrett 01/31/2015 at 21:51

1

I wouldn't mind really... After the car which's heater doesn't start for 35 minutes when it's -25 degrees, a car with no AC (had one with a non-working AC before), is ok for me :)

"I'm cool with that..." (see what I did.. AC... cool... sorry, I'm out)

Bueller > Kevin Barrett 01/31/2015 at 21:51

0

...

Flavien Vidal > Young Skywalker 01/31/2015 at 21:52

3

Well nothing really was a Lexus until 2006 or so... :)

It was just a brand created for the american market so that people didn't feel like "buying a Toyota" lol

Flavien Vidal > TractorPillow 01/31/2015 at 21:54

0

Yeah, muscle reflex when I typed :)

Flavien Vidal > Chaparral2F 01/31/2015 at 21:56

1

Saw one in the wild just a few days ago... It's sounds... oh my... fantastic!

Flavien Vidal > DanielC 01/31/2015 at 22:00

1

The Amlux Museum is closed now from what I know :(

Japan always keeps its history preserved... It's always been and they have a LONG tradition of that. America is not that much better than Korea on that subject considering how they destroy all their prototypes in order to never see those cars on the road and to be protected of potential lawsuits

Flavien Vidal > PuristDriver 01/31/2015 at 22:00

0

It's been one of my favorite of the whole museum too :)

Flavien Vidal > TimJ123 01/31/2015 at 22:02

0

They do for sure, but I don't think it was the goal of the museum.

Flavien Vidal > Permadi 01/31/2015 at 22:04

0

If you want a "Toyota only" museum, you can go to the Toyota USA Automobile Museum. It's an automobile museum financed by Toyota (like most things in Toyota city). Not a manufacturer museum.

Flavien Vidal > trumpscombover 01/31/2015 at 22:05

0

I like the concept a lot really. Not sure which I prefer though :)

Flavien Vidal > the 1969 Dodge Charger Guy 01/31/2015 at 22:06

0

I even saw one in the wild just a few days... Full throttle accelerating... Beautiful!

Flavien Vidal > Jedidiah 01/31/2015 at 22:08

0

It wasn't displayed as a replica (and they always mention it when it's one), so my guess is that it's an original one.

Flavien Vidal > bmw325_num99 01/31/2015 at 22:11

3

Its full name (your picture), is a Morgan Aero 8. The one in the museum is a Morgan Aero :)

Flavien Vidal > Nauraushaun 01/31/2015 at 22:12

0

Oh that's interesting thanks! I didn't know. Funny they ended up finding one in Russia... The car is HUGE by the way....

Flavien Vidal > PICKLEBOY 01/31/2015 at 22:13

0

haha, I don't know... maybe the bump in contrast combined with the weird museum lightning...

Chaparral2F > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 22:16

4

Seriously? Man, I envy you. A little known fact is that Carroll Shelby raced Toyota 2000 GTs in SCCA CP class in 1968.

quarterlifecrisis > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 22:23

1

1989. But yes, a brand created for the American market.

quarterlifecrisis > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 22:25

0

I think that the museum may have been lost in translation somehow. A Morgan "Aero" didn't exist until the 90s/2000s. The 3-wheeler has had two different iterations.

Then again, I could be wrong. But I don't think I am this time....meh.

Flavien Vidal > quarterlifecrisis 01/31/2015 at 22:27

2

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C546779

Apparently not... Old 3 wheelers were also called Aero.

quarterlifecrisis > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 22:34

1

Happy I put my disclaimer in...I was wrong.

And learned some arcane trivia that I probably won't need to know again.

emjayay > DavidHH 01/31/2015 at 23:02

1

It's true. Japanese cars in the olden days were very carefully built and in some other ways crap. I had a 1981 Mazda GLC (which later became the Mazda 323, then 3.) The design was extremely good for the time in many ways, and the radio antenna rusted through in about a year (living two miles from the Pacific Ocean). Japanese cars didn't start to be all galvanized until a number of years before American cars were.

It was stolen, I got it back ripped up in a few months, and then it was totaled. I got more than it was worth for from the insurance.

emjayay > Flavien Vidal 01/31/2015 at 23:04

0

And the next year cars traditionally come out in October or so of the year ahead. And everyone has become more and more imaginative about what year a car is lately.

Joneez > Chaparral2F 01/31/2015 at 23:46

1

A vid of one of those Shelby 2000GT's I took at Laguna Seca in '08. It was driven by Scooter Patrick.

Chaparral2F > Joneez 01/31/2015 at 23:49

1

Sweet. Scooter was one of the drivers along with Dave Jordan. Scooter also raced in Can Am and Endurance racing for Jim Garner's AIR team. Thanks for sharing!

Joneez > Chaparral2F 01/31/2015 at 23:53

0

Joneez > Joneez 01/31/2015 at 23:55

0

Ben C > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 00:11

0

Awesome.

VW's Museum in Wolfsburg is similar, tracking the history of significant cars (not just their own brands). It's an amazing place to visit.

I reckon Toyota's one is more interesting, just.

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 01:01

0

Yeah, very strange.

Really!? I think the pictures really struggle to convey this. I thought it was smaller like a lot of older cars, especially those built in Japan.

Vic788 > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 01:02

0

you need to stop at the following

DOME LTD

SHOWA - compsite maker in japan

ZAMA at Nissan

Mazda has something but that is hidden somewhere in japan.

Richard Bartrop > Richard Bartrop 02/01/2015 at 01:39

0

A pretty common sight, that is.

Glen48 > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 01:45

0

It would be nice to be able to bring back the people who started all this to see where it is going and how the combustion engine is now making way for hybrids and Elect vehicles.

Flavien Vidal > Nauraushaun 02/01/2015 at 02:59

0

No it's massive... if you want to compare it to a Golf for exemple, it's as wide, but it's 60cm longer and 30cm taller...

It's really big and impressive...

Count Smorkula > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 04:13

0

It's still just a brand, just a brand sold in Japan as well as the rest of the world now.

Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan' > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 05:36

1

Alfa Romeo 1300GT Junior. That paint was really, really good looking!

You could say the paint was... mint!

Bluecold > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 06:51

1

That original 'found in russia' car is now on display at the Louwman Museum in The Hague. And I think Toyota is quite bummed out that they haven't found it.

bonkers > Chaparral2F 02/01/2015 at 07:14

1

I wonder what one of those would fetch at auction?!

TractorPillow > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 08:25

1

2 years ago, my muscle reflex to type in "lotus elise" to the internet resulted in an unhealthy obsession, addiction to lotustalk forums, a dent in my savings, and a pretty go-kart in the garage....so be careful!

Flavien Vidal > TractorPillow 02/01/2015 at 08:32

0

Can't wait for it! :)

the 1969 Dodge Charger Guy > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 11:11

0

1) Very jealous—good for you.

2) Where's "the wild"?

Kay Inoue > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 11:37

0

Mmm. 512bbi & S30Z. Two of my favorite cars. You've got good taste wanting the Z. I can't find any nice ones in the states for not-silly money anymore. Have to be really willing to put a ton of effort into the body to get them nice now. I noticed even Japanese are importing the good US ones to Japan now (and the prices are commensurately crazy). Now or never.

I've never been to Nagoya—how is it compared to elsewhere?

Dante937 > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 13:06

0

thanks for sharing!

PICKLEBOY > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 14:19

0

Maybe, but I had to double take on the MR2 Prototype lol, the interior shot looks like it could have been a diecast lol

Chaparral2F > bonkers 02/01/2015 at 14:47

0

Probably more than most of us will ever see!

Flavien Vidal > the 1969 Dodge Charger Guy 02/01/2015 at 15:16

1

Near Shizuoka :)

DavidHH > emjayay 02/01/2015 at 15:18

0

The GLC was almost a good car, while the Corona we had was a totally crappy car. The issue of the Japanese automakers and rust is more than a bit shocking. A late friend of my mom was management of Ford, and had the task of discussing rust with Japanese members of Mazda's management. Ford had subjected an Escort and a GLC to the salt bath test, and while the Escort looked horrible, it still ran and drove. The GLC which was tested with it, had collapsed on the floor and was not at all operational. So she had to politically show the disaster to Japanese men, whose employer had been subjecting Mazdas to the standard Japanese rust tests which consisted in spaying their cars with fresh water in freezing conditions and thawing them repeatedly. Which was a difficult situation, since Japan is more than a bit of a sexist nation and the results of the testing were very embarrassing for Mazda.

Whitesmoke > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 16:43

0

Thank you too much for this (and part 2). You are a wonderful photographer. What manner of camera were you using?

Father Dale > Richard Bartrop 02/01/2015 at 17:55

0

It predates the MGB.

DavidHH > Jonee 02/01/2015 at 18:06

1

It was a Matador four door demo that was previously crashed by a customer. The Toyota Corona had dangerous rust to the underside that could not be repaired, rendering fit for the junk yard only, yet the car was a little over a year old. Strangely it took Honda's at least three or four years to reach that stage, as they had a major rust issue with the sub-frame and suspension components. Even Fiat was not that bad, and Fiat left the country mostly due to rust issues.

Toyota's best work was their small pickups, but by the mid 80s they had switched to making garbage. As for their cars, the 70's corolla with a 2tc engine was their best car, which unfortunately came with a graphite throwout bearing that lasted 50 k miles at best. Yes, they actually screwed their best car up by using a cheap garbage bearing.

The interesting thing was how the Corona was the last major export model designed by Toyota in Japan, and the Corolla was the first export model designed in the US. Why Japan can't design a car, but can engineer one is the issue I originally raised. Japanese automakers design their export models in the USA [Michigan and California] and in Europe.

flabberboozled > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 19:30

0

Ummm...no.

Jonee > DavidHH 02/01/2015 at 21:20

0

I assume they went that route to get cars that were appropriate for the U.S. market which makes sense. The early Japanese cars were ridiculed here.

That's interesting about the graphite bearing. Not the best part to skimp on. Rust was a pretty ubiquitous issue in those days and that thin steel on those budget cars just couldn't handle American winters.

bmw325_num99 > Flavien Vidal 02/01/2015 at 21:41

0

I learned something new today! Right you are.

DavidHH > Jonee 02/01/2015 at 22:16

0

The issue of Toyota's throw out bearing was similar to Audi having a spring clip that held the throw out bearing in the 4000 coupe gt, and otherwise great car, that had a fix every 50k miles clutch.

The issue was not just the thickness of the metal, but the quality of Japanese steel. Since Japan has very limited resources, the used steel they buy is not re-smelted to remove impurities like iron oxide. So when the sacrificial metal they add is consumed, the body breaks out in rust, because Japanese cold rolled steel is actually full of rust.

Jonee > DavidHH 02/01/2015 at 23:25

1

My dad had one of those Audis. He hasn't bought anything but Audis since. It spent its share of time back at the dealership, but he still swore by it.

That's very interesting about the Japanese rust issue. I can't remember if I've read that before.

DavidHH > Jonee 02/01/2015 at 23:50

0

The coup gt was the best handling of any FWD car I've ever owned, unfortunately an old man who thought he could drive fast totaled it on I-84. Our 4000q's are better and they don't have the clutch issue, and they need little service.

The issue of rust and recycled metal has been a problem for years. The new cheap Asian replacement body panels, that insurance companies love to use, are an example you've probably seen. This also explains why it took less than two winters for the Corona to rust out to the point that almost no dealership would take it on trade. Hopefully they scrapped it.

banpei > Flavien Vidal 02/02/2015 at 03:47

0

It is currently located in the Louwman Museum (The Hague, yhe Netherlands) as mr Louwman (importer of Toyota in yhe Netherlands) put a lot of effort to get it.

He is keeping it in the exact same condition as it was when found to retain originality:

When I visited the museum a few years ago I made a couple of photos of the car (and all the other amazing cars):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/banpei/…

If you ever end up in the Netherlands it is certainly a museum you should visit!

RedWhine > Flavien Vidal 02/02/2015 at 17:14

0

Oh my.... I just.... whew..... I uh... wow.... gonna need to lie down for a minute..