Good morning, and welcome to Thursday’s edition of Shitbox Showdown! Today, as promised, we’re looking at some nice reliable Japanese sporty cars. Before we get to them, however, we need to finish up with our broken-down Italian thoroughbreds:
Looks like the crusty Alfa scared of just enough of you to give the Maserati the win. Honestly, I think I’d go the other way – I’ve had a soft spot for the Alfetta sedan for years, and I’d like to see this one live again, even as a stripped-out LeMons racer or rallycross toy or something.
Now then: Today’s contenders were “foreign” to me when I was growing up in more ways than one. We lived in a heavily Union town, and buying Japanese cars just wasn’t something you did, at least if you didn’t want to get dirty looks at the gas station or get your car egged at a high school football game. (But somehow, my family’s Volkswagens were fine.) So I have no fond memories of growing up in Toyotas or Hondas, and as such, I don’t quite understand the prices they’re starting to command. But these two, at least, don’t seem to be too far out of line yet. Let’s take a look, and I’ll try to see what the big deal is.
1982 Toyota Celica GT – $3,200
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: San Jose, CA
Odometer reading: 262,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep!
Toyota’s Celica was sort of a Japanese Mustang: flashy styling with the underpinnings of an ordinary sedan. And like the early Mustang, most versions looked better than they went. But they looked pretty damn good. This is the third-generation Celica, with angular styling that just screams ’80s, and very strange pop-up lights:
Like the Porsche 928, the Celica’s headlights point skyward until you turn them on, and then they flip forward into position. Neat, huh? This wedgey shape was propelled along by Toyota’s famous 22R four-cylinder, also found under the hoods of countless Toyota pickups. It’s not the most powerful thing around, but these engines will chug along for half a million miles without complaint. As befitting a sporty GT car, this Celica has a five-speed manual transmission.
It has a lot of miles on it, but according to the seller, it was towed behind an RV for many years, so the engine could have far fewer miles on it. Old mechanical odometers like this just keep clicking off the miles whenever the drive wheels are turning, whether the engine’s running or not. Its carburetor has recently been replaced, so hopefully the rat’s nest of vacuum lines connected to it have been checked out and replaced if necessary.
It’s a little rough around the edges, but not bad. There’s a little rust on the lip of the rear hatch, but a new hatch is included. It doesn’t match, but it doesn’t have any rust either. The rest of the car looks tired, but intact.
1985 Honda CRX HF – $2,900
Engine/drivetrain: 1.5 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Camarillo, CA
Odometer reading: 178,000 miles
Runs/drives? Sure does!
Now this one, I understand the appeal of. I’ve admired the Honda CRX since it came out in 1984. This little two-seat runabout was ostensibly a commuter car, but look at it: this thing just screams fun. This is the HF version, set up for maximum fuel efficiency; it can break 50 miles per gallon on the highway, but still has the go-kart handling that made everyone fall in love with the CRX.
This CRX has a Weber carb feeding it, and larger front brakes from an Integra, so it might go and stop a little better than a typical CRX HF. It has had a bunch of other parts replaced recently, including the timing belt, clutch, ball joints, tie rod ends, and more. It “drives very nicely,” according to the seller.
But this is Shitbox Showdown, so you know there has to be a catch. In this case, it’s a salvage title from some front end damage. It has been repaired, but things still look a little wonky. A dinged title doesn’t seem to be a big deal in California, but if you plan to register it somewhere else, you should check with your local DMV first, and probably your insurance agent as well. If the car drives all right, it shouldn’t matter, but you know how paperwork has a way of screwing things up.
I think I’ve said this before, but man I love Honda interiors from the 1980s. They’re just so open and airy, with damn near perfect ergonomics, and a nice clean look. And this one is in nice condition.
Well, there you have it: two Japanese neo-classics, cheap enough to enjoy but nice enough to take some pride in. Neither one is without its faults, but both run and drive fine, and both let you shift your own gears. The only thing left for you to do is choose which one you’d rather put in your driveway.
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
I have always dug Celica’s of this era. The brown and retro sunshade treatment are very period-correct. This one is in…a shape. The cracked turn signal lens is probably unobtanium and the shifter is…um…compensating. The vote here is Civic. I appreciated these as well, but this one is showing some serious love by the current owner. Yes, cleaning things up before photos hides a myriad of sins, but when the ride is pushing 40, you can’t just armor all those years away. The title is not much of a concern – if it feels right driving, I’m good (especially in this price range)
Damn. Both are neat cars. I love a CRX, but think I will go for the Toyota. Hmmm I am now singing ‘Go for Toyota’ to the tune of ‘Go for a soda’ by Max Webster.
On the subject of parts availability I think the Toyota is probably the easier pick? And RWD and 22R seals the deal. Dog shit brown is not my choice, reminds me of something Tucker would like though…
I identify as shabby.
I’ll take the Toyota.
As a former owner of a MkII Supra, Celica all the way!
Wanted the sweet Honda. But concerned about Janky DT like repairs. So Toyota is today’s winner.
The CRX looks cleaner, and I’ve honestly wanted both of these cars for some time. But brown, manual, RWD and a 22R? The decision is easy, Celica all the way.
I forgot the 22R! Take my money please.
Ooh this is tough because I legitimately want both. If either of these weren’t on the other side of the country, I very seriously would be considering buying one right now.
Anyway, I’m going with the Celica. I’ve always been a Toyota guy at heart and there were a few times where I came close to buying the notchback version of that gen Celica but it always fell through for one reason or another. Sure that Celica may not be fast but I’d lower it a bit, put on some cool wheels, and enjoy it as a fun cruiser.
I’ve always had a thing for the small economy cars like that CRX. Unless that Celica was newer (and I mean like the last ones to be built), I’d chose that CRX any day of the week, title notwithstanding.
This was close … but I’ve loved the third-gen Celica/Supra since it first came out, so I’m looking beyond the mismatched wheels (I’d put Supra alloys on it anyway) and voting for the Toyota.
Weber carb, bigger brakes, front end damage, salvage title? I smell a rat racer. I still want it.
I used to drift competitively, and currently drive a GT86, so a RWD Celica is very much my jam.
However, my third car (and my first car I bought without the influence of my Citroen loving parents) was a 1986 CRX 16i16. I loved that car, loved it’s revy 125bhp twin cam engine, loved it’s flip up emergency rear seats (did you get this in the US? It’s described as a two seater) loved everything about that tiny wedge. Then I got hit head-on in it and broke my back and stuff. I mostly recovered, but as a result I have many feelings about CRXs, they drag me back to before.
I’ll never not want another mk1 CRX.
Even one without the offset power bulge for the big engine.
No we didn’t get those rear seats in the US, we have lawyers and stuff.
Urgh, lawyers.
Shame, they weren’t much worse than the GT86 rear seat. Very handy for giving a lift to small bendy people you don’t like much.
All other things being equal I generally would like the CRX, and on a car that old I wouldn’t fret about a salvage title, but looking at that door sitting all askew is making my head hurt. I suspect there may have been a tad more than “some front end damage”. Therefore I voted for the Right Wheel Drive coupe.
And just like that, the 1980’s was confirmed as the high water mark for automotive interior styling.
The Celica is nice, but I wish it was the previous gen. However, I still voted for it.
No brainer on this one, CRX all the way. I LOVE(D) these cars (born in the late 70’s). This is just too clean.
Unless it’s a Super Celica, I’ll pass. Wait, no I wouldn’t, even the Celica here is awesome in it’s own right. Would daily too.
I voted Celica because RWD and I’m preeeeeeetty sure I see some AC components. Don’t see them on the CRX, and that can be a deal breaker for me in my old age.
I had the coupe version of the celica in white and blue. Perfect first car. Very slow car driven fast kind of thing. Very easy to work on. Not a Honda guy so gimme the brown wedge!
Celica! I’m old enough to remember when these roamed the streets freely, and always loved them. RWD!
And it’s the hatchback version (BTW the coupe is also weirdly handsome – great taillights – but the hatchback just edges it out).
I’m not worried about the title status for cheap cars. The CRX is a steal in this condition. When was the last time you saw a non-bunkered CRX with an interior as clean as this one? It makes the Celica look that much worse by comparison. Seriously, no shift knob? The seller couldn’t even be bothered to find a junkyard shift knob for it?
OR, “Hey buddy with a 3d printer, can you help?”
I would drill out a golf ball and screw it on. I’ve done that in the past and a golf ball makes a way better shift knob than an actual shift knob.
Note that the Celica ad describes it as “Currently in non op”, which in California can mean the buyer may need to pay back taxes and/or fees in order to get a new plate and registration. I don’t know if someone could register it outside CA and sidestep that mess – perhaps an experienced local can weigh in.
The Celica also has Arkansas plates on it for some reason, which may complicate things, but that’s just paperwork. I *really* wanted to like the CRX, but the accident damage and the terrible fit of the driver’s door make me think that not all of the issues were fixed properly.
I’ve never seen a RWD Celica. That gets my vote because RWD.
While I really like the CRX, I’ve always wanted a Celica GT.
For a summer in college, I sold Hondas. I’m not really a Japanese car person but the CRX – any CRX – is a fucking hoot to drive. This one isn’t concours enough to worry about the branded title, but nice enough to not be embarrassing. Do a few restrained tasteful mods to this and it will be a blast with no apologies necessary.
My vote goes to the CRX, and it’s not even close. My guess is it sells before the end of the day.
It’s amazing the dashboard isn’t cracked yet. This CRX was well taken care of.
I might have picked the Celica by a smidge, if it weren’t for the golden dookie brown. I still picked the CRX, that good ol’ Honda blue. Love that blue, and looks a little cleaner.
This Honda blue is a beautiful color!
Okay, the Honda’s kind of fucked up, but it’s still an attainable CRX.
Kind of like Britney Spears? Asking for a friend….