1982 Toyota Celica SunChaser – Project Profile

When it comes to classic cars, there are a lot of unfortunate stereotypes. Breakdowns, oily hands, tweed – that kind of stuff. These are the stereotypes we, as enthusiasts, like to try and brush off. There is more to classic car life than just fixing the things. However, one stereotype we’ll happily embrace is that of open-top motoring. If the vision of having the sun on your back and the wind in your hair is what comes to mind when you think of a classic car, we’re more than happy to go with that. 

Of course, there is then the stereotype within a stereotype, by which we mean that everyone imagines MGB roadsters, or Morris Minor convertibles, or Frogeye Sprites. But again, there is far more to the world of open top motoring than the usual Moss catalogue suspects. Take this Toyota for example. A Toyota Celica might not be the first car you think of when pondering over a classic convertible, but here we are. It’s a very late second-generation model with no roof. As one might imagine, it’s an exceptionally rare beast, too. Perfect, then, for some summer fun. Well, once you’ve done a bit of work to it, that is. 

What is it? 

As mentioned above, it’s a 1981 Toyota Celica SunChaser. Being a 1981, this makes it an exceptionally late second-generation car, but that’s no bad thing, as it means you get the better quad headlight arrangement up front. The Sunchaser model wasn’t actually built by Toyota. Instead, it was made by a company called Griffin International. This company was a big player in the world of converting cars into convertibles, though this conversion was never actually endorsed by Toyota. 

The conversion started with a Celica Coupe. The roof was removed, a fixed roll hoop was fitted, and then between that and the windscreen there was a lift-out section, where from the roll hoop back, there was a traditional ‘concertina’ folding roof. The Celica still had four seats, it was still (reasonably) rigid thanks to the roll hoop and the whole conversion wasn’t too hard on the eye. Sadly though, it was hard on the wallet. The conversion cost around £11,000 in today’s money, and that’s on top of the car! 

The SunChaser was a commercial flop. In this guise, it simply didn’t sell, thanks in no small part to the fact Toyota released a completely new Celica in 1981, making the (still brand-new) SunChaser version look dated. Only 47 were built in total. Griffith International did try its hand in the UK, sending kits and cars to Tickford, but only 12 were built, of which this is obviously one. Had there been a little more faith in place from Toyota, it might have been a different story. Sadly though, the SunChaser in this guise was a real ‘blink and you miss it’ affair, despite actually being quite good. 

Why is it a project? 

You just need to take a look at the pictures to see why it’s a project! The poor thing is thick with dust, many parts are missing and it hasn’t been started for years. There is rust creeping in at places, the whole thing is just looking very sorry for itself. But, that said, we can see potential here. It might just be our eternally hopeful outlook on cars, but the Celica looks to be well worth saving. 

For starters, it’s incredibly rare, which makes it worth consideration. The rust seems to be localised to the boot lid only, but it comes with a replacement panel. The panel gaps themselves look reasonable, there are no carpets so we can see that the floors appear to be intact (remarkable for a convertible Japanese car – they love to rot with a roof) and while it is in bits, it does seem to be largely complete. 

Further selling points include the fact it’s only done 41,000 miles, it’s only been on the road for eight years (came off in ‘88 – been laid up ever since) which is probably why it’s so solid looking. It’s a Toyota, so parts availability is good, and once you do all the hard graft, it should run forever. 

Admittedly, there are going to be costly things to overcome, not least being a new roof and associated seals, but if you take note of that going in, there shouldn’t be any surprises. The best bit though, is that this rare, interesting car with genuine links to Tickford is a mere £3,500. 

Five things to look for:

1) Rust

This Celica SunChaser, going off the pictures, seems to have been stored indoors for decades. As such, it looks remarkably solid. However, it never hurts to check areas like the sills, the footwells, the boot floor and the bulkhead – all prime rot spots. 

2) Trim

The car seems to be part disassembled. Is all the trim there? It’s not the biggest issue if it’s missing, as owners clubs can be a great resource. However, missing trim is going to take time to find. 

3) Roof

The roof is the big one. It doesn’t look to be in a good way and as such, you’re going to need a specialist to fabricate a new one. The old one is what you’ll need, as a template can be made off this with any luck. Also, check the condition of the middle roof section, and the folding rear frame. 

4) Engine

The vendor states that the car was running, but that was “many years ago”. Again, as with the trim, parts are relatively easy to get, but it may take time. Check the engine still turns at least, so you know it has the potential to once again run. 

5) History

So few of these cars were built that it’s worth looking at the history. The car used in the UK advertisement for the SunChaser was also a red car. Could it be this one? That would be some serious provenance. 

What should you do with it? 

Well, given the car’s rarity, it would make sense to restore back to original condition. You’re certainly not going to find another one, so some may argue it’s best to enjoy it as Griffith intended. Then, on the other hand, there is the custom path. The Celica of this era responds well to upgrades such as wheels, suspension and engine. Indeed, the aftermarket for this car is so vibrant and vast that it may actually be easier, faster and cheaper to modify this old Toyota Celica SunChaser back onto the road, rather than go the stock route.