[Kick]

New guy here.

This 1983 Celica Supra was my uncle’s car. He bought it new and owned it up until his passing last fall.

It’s all original except for the radio with no body or paint work of any kind. He absolutely loved this car and really babied it, only averaging about 3000 miles a year. Always garage kept, never driven in the winter and lovingly detailed by his own hand several times a year.

I have so many memories of him and my childhood revolving around this car.

It’s very dusty in these pictures from sitting for the past couple years. I’ll try to get some better pictures when I get it cleaned up.

Thanks for having me and allowing me to share.

 

[supkar]

Gorgeous car!!!! Good for you.

 

[Tanya]

Very nice looking car, but I'm confused by it not having any body or paint work yet the factory rear decal is gone and replaced with the newer decal in an incorrect location? Usually that indicates repair or repaint done on the hatch

 

[SilverMk2]

I'd be wary of the no paint work claim since the hatch should be black in 83 plus it has the wrong decal on it.

 

[Tanya]

I'd be wary of the no paint work claim since the hatch should be black in 83 plus it has the wrong decal on it.

White cars didn't have black hatches from factory. They had the black bumpers but the hatch was white.

 

[Kick]

He did have the decal replaced with the newer one because he liked that style. It originally had a small decal in bottom right corner. Years later, when I was in high school, he did the same thing with the flashier decals on a Ford Ranger.

Not sure what to think about the hatch color? He had pictures of it in his front yard the day after he bought it and the hatch was white then.

 

[Kick]

I'd be wary of the no paint work claim since the hatch should be black in 83 plus it has the wrong decal on it.

White cars didn't have black hatches from factory. They had the black bumpers but the hatch was white.

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[supraz]

White cars didn't have black hatches from factory. They had the black bumpers but the hatch was white.

True. I remember when I bought my Supra new in 1983 it was a choice of black or white, so I wouldn't get the black hatch with another body colour.
I ultimately chose black, but it does stick in my mind that white was the other choice that wouldn't have the "two-tone" look hatch.

It looks to me like Kick's uncle wanted the 'in your face' look of the billboard Supra decal and added it after. Quite a few owners around the time did this. The 80's were a time where things were not subtle, so the original Supra decal was somewhat underwhelming. The location is definitely wrong, but for ease of installation this is pretty common.
The window trim corners look like they are in excellent shape so I doubt that the hatch has been swapped due to rust. Ones from a swapped hatch are old enough that the black finish has come off so you see the chrome corners.

It does seem like a genuine original owner car. The air intake duct from the helmholtz resonator to the cross over duct looks to be swapped from a later generation car and some of the tubing attached to the cross over duct have been swapped. Seems like routine maintenance done by an original owner rather than someone trying to restore a car.

Kick, I think your uncle kept this car in great shape. I would love to see more pictures.

Does the car shift cleanly? I'm asking because I see the shifter boot has been removed. I imagine your uncle or you replaced the shifter bushing due to it degrading, which is totally normal for all these cars.

It's a great tribute to your uncle to keep the car alive after he kept it in this shape for 37 years.

Congratulations,

Dale

 

[supraz]

He did have the decal replaced with the newer one because he liked that style. It originally had a small decal in bottom right corner. Years later, when I was in high school, he did the same thing with the flashier decals on a Ford Ranger.

Not sure what to think about the hatch color? He had pictures of it in his front yard the day after he bought it and the hatch was white then.

lol,

I just posted my original reply about suspecting your uncle liked the style of the new decal and then I see your response!

Back in the day, people just bought this fabulous new car and then the next model year they come out with this outrageous new decal. Even today, people love this one compared to original. So I'm sure you're right about that.

Dale

 

[AJ]

Kick, Welcome!!

Thanks for honoring your Uncle and sharing with us all the memories with the '83 !!

Was he on the forums? He did a few things ie fog lights on (modification) without the headlights on? etc etc

Its a GEM I would keep it just like it is...

 

[Kick]

He was never on the forums. He was 85 when he passed and never owned a computer or smartphone.

Funny story about the fog lights. He always kept a Lexus as a daily driver. The first time he got one that had the daytime running lights, he thought it was such a good idea he took the Supra to his mechanic and had him
wire the fog lights that way.

The only thing I know of otherwise is the Panasonic tape deck he had installed in the early 90s when the original tape player started malfunctioning. I have the original head unit and would love to get it working and put it back in the car.

 

[pdupler]

Very nice. The only thing I see that doesn't look original besides the hatch decal is the valve covers. They were originally a "wrinkle" finish with brushed aluminum highlights, but it typically started flaking off about 30 years ago. The gasket probably was replaced and he probably felt it would look better if it was at least rattle-canned solid black. The wrinkle finish is available in a rattle can too, you just have to heat the damp paint evenly in an oven (buy your wife a spa day and do it when she's out of the kitchen long enough to bake and then air out the house). There's I think multiple write-ups on here about how to restore your valve covers and you can do it one Saturday. That and a hatch decal and you'd be back to 100% original I think. Oh, maybe the missing cover over the distributor and heater hose by-pass.

 

[ddd228]

Kick, I just noticed the center console cover. OMG!!!!!!! Unobtainium.

 

[Kick]

What about it?

 

[AJ]

Mint center console cover...

 

[dbdaniel]

Nice 83. Welcome to the Club, your uncle must have really loved that car, glad you are interested in keeping it.


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