Description
This 1997 Toyota Crown Sedan Royal Saloon G, JZS155, is supposedly one of only two on the continent.
The "G" denotes the top specification of this series, and it's equipped accordingly. Power seats front and back, power windows, mirrors, and oscillating vents.
The air conditioning is ice-cold, the velour seats nearly perfect for the age of this saloon.
It's got enough modern safety features to make a great daily driver, but none of the nannies that make driving a chore.
The undercarriage is dry and corrosion free, the 2JZ asks for nothing but exercise. Maybe a more mechanically inclined custodian will be able to tickle more power out of this famously indestructible motor, but that was never my goal.
Where the Crown falls short is in the cosmetics department. When it arrived, it looked dreadful. It spent weeks at the Swissvax flagship store, receiving many hours of restoration work. The result is good, incredible compared to before, but it's not perfect. In fact, the bonnet and front bumper were resprayed, they couldn't be saved.
For me personally, the car would need a full respray, which is an expense that came entirely unexpectedly, and unbudgeted.
So, after many sleepless nights thinking about what to do, I decided to offer this diamond in the (slightly) rough for sale, in the hope of rehoming it to another enthusiast who is more adept to complete the finishing touches.
The original plan was to use the Crown as an off-season cruiser, it was described to be in a suitable condition.
Unfortunately, the cosmetic condition turned out to be far worse than described, which threw the planned budget completely out of the window and pushed the pending homologation further down the line.
The car was never intended to be a project, we already have one of those at home.
So, rather than consigning the Crown to the garage for an indefinite period, it might be a better idea to offer it to someone better equipped to address the current cosmetic blemishes and enjoy it out in the wild.
Despite its current imperfections, this car turns heads wherever it goes, and it's a proper joy to drive!
