For Interest Only (Toyota 2000GT)

[rdefabri]

If there's a knock on the car, it's the performance (or lack thereof) - even compared to its contemporaries. The problem Toyota had was the 2000GT was overpriced from day one. Keeping in mind the intent was for it to be a low volume product, but I don't think they intended to sell as few as they did.

I believe it was about 1-2K MORE than an E-Type, which was not chump change in 1967. A comparable 1967 Corvette would dust it 10 ways to Sunday and was 1-2K CHEAPER than an E-Type.

I am surprised no one has created a replica of this car given it's relatively high profile in terms of collector cars.

[DougN]

I beleive this is the company rdefabri was refering to as experts on the 2000GT:

http://www.mainelineexotics.com/

Looks like they have about a half a dozen there between their private collection and cars for sale.

[dat260]

Here are a couple of pictures I have of a 2000gt. I do not remember were I got them from.

Enjoy.

[rdefabri]

Doug,

Yep, that's the place! They have a nice red one for $249K (!!!)

I think I said they are in Mass, the are in Maine (duh!). Take a look at the detail photos of the red car - I never knew the 2000GT had the twin access panels like the Z. I knew there were some similarities from the history/relationship, but the car looks more like a Z up close than I originally thought.

Rich

[sblake01]

Here's a shot I took at last years Japanese Classic Car Show. Note that it is LHD. Toyota brought it out along with a couple of the other vintage Toyotas in the shot.

[moonpup]

OPB: rdefabri

Take a look at the detail photos of the red car - I never knew the 2000GT had the twin access panels like the Z.

Looking at the interior of the red car, a couple of things drew my attention. The seat upholstrey looked very familiar as well as the door panel with the chrome strip. Coincidence?

[daddz]

I am surprised no one has created a replica of this car given it's relatively high profile in terms of collector cars.

My thoughts exactly. After having read the story of how pete Brock was brought in to 're-design' the Cobra Daytona Coupe for Superformance which allowed him to correct all of its deficiencies from the orgiginal design which was done with a telescoped deadline got me to thinking that a recreation of the Toyota 2000GT would be neat to see (and possibly own) if the price point could be close to reality.

As you have stated I also believe the early to mid '60's to be a high water mark in long nosed short deck sports cars; just think of the similarities of these cars:

Ferrari 250 SWB

Ferrari 250 GTO

Ferrari 275 GTB

Ferrari 365 (late '60's but fits the mold)

Jaguar E-Type

Toyota 2000GT

Datsun 240Z

Maserati Ghibli

Corvette C2 coupe

Aston Martin DB4

I think a nice modern day interpretation of that ethos is the new BMW Z4 M Coupe. I wish the 350Z had ended up looking a bit more like this. Hopefully the gods will smile and give Toyota the impetus to release the new Supra which has been rumored for a couple of years now.

[daddz]

I forgot to mention that if you have the time a great book on the Toyota 2000GT written by Shin Yoshikawa deatils the history of the 2000GT in excruciating detail with a complete list of every chassis number produced and the location to which they were delivered. The text is in Japanese which may present a large hurdle but the book is well worth the asking price which is usually in excess of $100.

[Carl Beck]

........ The text is in Japanese which may present a large hurdle but the book is well worth the asking price which is usually in excess of $100.

Hi daddz:

The text in my copy, has both the English and Japanese on the same page in most cases. Factory Brochures - from Japan are presented and not translated, as are some Ad.'s from Japan - but for the most part the book is written in English.

Contains some very interesting chapters related to Carol Shelby and Peter Brock as well. While it is a relatively expensive book - it is worth every penny IMHO. 352 pages of Very High Quality Printing... and mostly filled with wonderful photo work...

FWIW,

Carl B.

[daddz]

Carl,

I agree with you regarding the book as it is a wonderful piece of exhaustive research and attention to detail.

[rdefabri]

Does anyone have an ISBN number? Easier to order / locate.

Bob - the 60's long nose/ short deck designs have always been amongst my favorites. A few other modern examples are the Jag XKR and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. It's a shame Jag punked out and equipped the XK with auto only, though.

I agree with you as well on the 350Z - it's too quirky. With the whole "retro" thing in autos (Mustang, Challenger, Camaro, et al), it would be nice to see a modern interpretation of the 2000GT with the new Supra. I tell you this, the last Supra, while butt ugly, had AWESOME tailights that in my mind evoked the old designs. It may be odd to get excited about taillights, but they just looked "right". Nissan missed the mark and I like the G35 coupe much better. Maybe they'll think harder with the next gen, but I doubt it with where their designs have been going.

[daddz]

Rich,

here is your ISBN # 0-932128-10-6 (probably will not need the dashes but that is the way it appears on the back of the book. I ordered mine online from a bookstore in Tokyo named Lindbergh and it was at my house here on the east coast in three days! No extra charge for that quick shipping either.

Nissan seems to be going through another AMC blind styling department phase at the moment which reminds me of the days of the Datsun F-10! I had to walk down the 350Z path and buy it new just once to get the experience. I bought mine at the same dealer my father bought his '78 280Z 25 years before me in 1978. The same family still owns that dealership and the owner was there the evening i took dleivery of mine and he had a few laughs about it. I think he said something like i wish it didn't take 25 years to get a repeat Z car customer though!

In regards to your comment about the last gen Supra I didn't mind the styling although it was a bit bulbuous for my tastes. The rear wind was awful even though I probably would have bought the non turbo version anyways. The new Jaguar should have been offered with a manual transmission but the current clientele wouldn't go there.