![]() People sometimes have really, really high hopes for their cars. "It's got a four-speed on the column, which is kind of cool."Īs is seeing this ancient truck at Toyotafest. And even though it's long retired from its former life as the dealership's parts hauler, and only gets out for events like this, it always starts. The engine is a 1.9-liter 3R, same as a Corona, a pushrod four-cylinder. "A lot of the rubber parts and stuff were still available because they sold these trucks in South America and Australia into the late '70s. "At the time I was restoring that truck a lot of parts were still available," said Bingham, who has been working at Cabe for a remarkable 40 years. What was that like, restoring such a rare truck? This one is in great shape, having been restored by Cabe parts manager Mike Bingham not too long ago. starting 55 years ago) means they're a fairly rare sight today. The dealership was founded by the Cabe Brothers in 1966, so this fairly rare Toyota Stout pickup (only 4000 brought into the U.S. Hey, who needs smooth? We'll take better handling over smooth any day.Ĭabe Toyota has been a sponsor of Toyotafest right from the start. But if you're looking for a smooth one, nah, it's not smooth." "It's not smooth, the suspension is stiff." How does it drive? "It's like an old car," said Fransisco. It has a pair of SK side-draft carburetors and makes "maybe 120 hp." Suspension is loaded with TRD parts. Thus, the engine in his darker-red car, behind the more orangish car in the photo, is a 2-TG twin-cam. specs, but I wanted to make it an all-out JDM version." "This is mostly JDM parts," said Raymond Fransisco, who trailered the red car all night from the Bay Area to get to the show. The car in the front is powered by a single-cam engine, while the rear model has the JDM Twin-Cam. These two are first-generation cars, which were made between 19. The Toyota Corolla Levin and Trueno were high-performance two-door coupe versions of the far-less-exciting and far more generic Corolla. Look forward to seeing it in the fall at JCCS. But it looks really nice sitting on the grass at Toyotafest. It's rough." So he only drives it to special events like Toyotafest, the Japanese Classic Car Show, and to Nisei Week Carnival in Los Angeles. And, you know, you drive something like this and you do something wrong, it just punishes you. And? "I think you kind of find out when you drive it, it's like, 'Wow, new cars are actually pretty comfortable. "They towed it to my house and I just put some gas in it and made sure the water was there and oil and it fired right up." He rebuilt the engine anyway, over the course of a year. it was pretty gross." But while the interior was shot, the drivetrain was fine. When he bought it, the car had been sitting neglected in a dirt lot at local Toyota dealer Cabe Toyota with the windows open. Brian Karasawa has owned this Celica for 15 years, bringing it to car-show quality over that time. There have been seven generations of Celicas, each aimed a little more at affordable style and a little less at practicality. ![]() But the faithful came, like Christmas in Whoville. “And even today we have no judging, no big entertainment, no stage, but people are still coming together just to be so happy about gathering again and talking about Toyota.”Ĭity imposed rules capped attendance at 6000 people and 450 safely spaced out cars, there were no food vendors, and everyone had to wear masks. “A lot of people were so sad about not having the show,” said Terry of last year’s COVID cancellation. But that’s not the same as having a real car show. Toyotafest nonetheless did some celebrating last year with T-shirts commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Celica. In 2020, as you may recall, there were no car shows. ![]() But we so appreciate the city allowing us to do it.” “So everything is kind of sensitive, how to follow the guidelines of the health department and all that. ![]() “We are the first ones approved to have a car show at the Marina Green Park in Long Beach,” said Terry Yamaguchi, another director and key organizer of the show with husband Koji and the members of T.O.R.C. “It is very good to be back,” said Koji Yamaguchi, who is a director of the Toyota Owners and Restorer’s Club (T.O.R.C.) that puts on the show. After a year of no car shows at all, the organizers of All Toyotafest, the 26-year-old celebration of all things Toyota, were just glad to be able to gather again, albeit within the limited confines of COVID regulations set down by the city of Long Beach, California, where the event was held.
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