For Interest Only (Toyota 2000GT)

[HS30-H]

Here's the car that was going around ahead of us. It was a replica of the convertible in "You Only Live Twice", and it was very well done. I always prefer coupes though......

[Alfadog]

To be honest that looks a bit silly! It's really missing the best part of the car IMO... looks a bit French...

[v12horse]

I am with you Alfa, the car definately looks better with that sleek roof.

Alan, I assume that they made it in LHD also for export. Were these cars ever exported?

Take care everyone,

Ben

[HS30-H]

Hi Ben,

Yes, they made LHD models and many of these were exported to the USA. Shin Yoshikawa's book gives details on the export market cars and where they were originally sent to.

There are some serious 2000GT collectors in the USA. Some of the Shelby-run race cars still exist - in the hands of USA collectors I believe.

We used to have a few here in the UK. One of them originally belonged to 1960's fashion model 'Twiggy'; it was given to her by Toyota as a present for promoting the 2000GT in Japan. That car eventually went to the States I believe. Almost all the other UK cars went back to Japan over the last decade or so, and there are only a handful left over here now.

Alfadog, I couldn't agree more with you about the convertible. It just looks wrong.

Alan T.

[kats]

Hi Alan,

I knew that Alan said,

In japan, a crassic car magazine"Nostalgic Hero" intoroduced a serious U.S.collector for 2000gt in some years ago.

He has 5 or 6 GTs and even rare 2300 GT which was never sold in Japan.I think this is a same way of S30,2000cc for japanese model but for export model,much more torque 2400cc.

Toyota and Nissan's both engineer thought same way."Need a big displacement engine for american market"

kats

[kats]

I forgot to mention,2300GT does not have a DOHC engine like a 2000GT.2300GT has a OHC engine.

Like a Z432 has a DOHC and a 240Z has a OHC.

kats

[Alfadog]

2300GT!!! Wow! You learn something new every day. Thanks for your input Kats. I found a picture of the 2300GT... different grille, door mirror, and some kind of scoop underneath the front. Anyone else want to play spot the difference?

http://village.infoweb.ne.jp/~2000gt/2000gt/2300gt/2300-13.jpg

[v12horse]

Thanks Kats for the great information. Was the 2300cc engine a toyota or yamaha design? Was the 2300 only made for export?

Thanks again,

Ben

[halz]

Anyone else want to play spot the difference?

Okeley Dokely then... the Rear tail light or indicator appears to have a faired-in nacelle which does not appear on the 2000. Take a close look at Alan's pics earlier in the thread and you'll see a navy-blue tail-end infront of the white ragtop which has the same feature. Maybe Alan was racing against a 2300GT without knowing it..

[HS30-H]

Hi Kats,

Nice to see you posting here again.:classic:

The 'normal' production Toyota 2000GT was coded "MF10", and this model was made in both RHD and a few LHD layouts. Right at the end of production of the MF10, Toyota had a try at making something more suitable for the USA export market. This was coded "MF12L", and it is this model that carried the bodywork and trim differences that can be seen in the photos, although the chin scoop was also seen on some MF10 cars that ( like the MF12L ) were fitted with air conditioners.

The engine of the MF12L was the Type 2M-B ( an SOHC 2.3 litre design that was usually fitted to the Crown R ). This engine produced 10BHP less than the DOHC 2 litre type 3M, but gave 18lb-ft more torque.

The MF12L was heavier than the MF10, and had a lower top speed. Toyota figured that the SOHC engine would be less of a challenge for overseas dealers to service and repair, and the extra torque and unfussed power delivery of the bigger engine would be better suited to the requirements of the USA market. Less than ten MF12L models were actually built.

Toyota realised early on in production that a cheaper version would be better suited to the USA export market, and developed a prototype called the "390A". One of the first things to be binned was the complicated and expensive retracting headlamp system, to be replaced by an incongruous pair of bugeye lamps, and the other front and rear lamps were also changed to suit coming USA laws. The dash was simplified into a one-piece plastic moulding, and many other cost-saving efforts were made. The 390A was - perhaps mercifully - never approved for production.

The whole story of the 2000GT from beginning to end is a real education, and its easy to see that Nissan learned a lot from Toyota's 'mistakes'. Many parts of the story have parallels with the story of the S30-series Z cars, but with Nissan taking a different philosophical approach ( that Savile Row suit / Levis 501 comparison ) and aiming for maximum sales by keeping costs and therefore retail price low. The 2000GT was a great car, but born at the wrong time.........

Kats, that USA collector you mentioned is probably Mr Craig Zinn of Florida, who has a big collection of the cars. Bob Tkacic and Peter Starr are I believe the USA's most prominent 2000GT specialists and restorers.

I can't recommend the Shin Yoshikawa book highly enough. It costs a fortune, but in my opinion its worth every penny.

Alan T.

ps - I forgot about the Handbrake / E-Brake on the Toyota 2000GT. An umbrella handle sticking out of the dash. Bloody awful thing to use!

[Mr Camouflage]

The door handles look alot like (if not identical to) the ones that were fitted to the 1970-1977 toyota celica. I guess some design elements lived on.

[v12horse]

You never sieze to amaze me with your knowledge on vintage Japanese cars Alan. That goes for you too kats.

-Ben