The Top Toyotas from the 27th Annual All ToyotaFest
Hundreds of Celicas, FJs, vans, campers, and Crowns cram onto the grass in Long Beach, California.
By Mark Vaughn
Toyota was founded in 1937, but only came to the US in 1957, so it's not a brand that many people, even car enthusiasts, think of as having a heritage. But even if it's relatively young, there is no shortage of enthusiasm for the marque, as evidenced by the 27 years of All ToyotaFest, the annual SoCal celebration of all things Toyota. While there were no Toyopets, 2000GTs, or Team TOM's Le Mans entries, there were memories of great fun cars individual owners cherished for years and maybe recently bought and restored. Thanks to the Toyota Owners and Restorers Club, T.O.R.C., these practical and sometimes fun Toyotas live on.
Salvador Mendoza's 1977 Hilux pickup came with a classic Yamaha in the bed.
Jorge Aguilara's 1971 Celica ST sports original TRD fender flares and an 18R6 engine. He is now building a 600-hp 2RZ that will be ready by the end of the month. Aguilara has survived cancer and a heart attack, "So you gotta drive it. You only got one you. There's no reboot." God bless you, Jorge. Drive on.
Bill Woods bought his 1965 Stout 1900 on Facebook Marketplace. He drove it to the show, the 3R engine holding up just fine.
Gabriel Santaella put a Lotus plaque on the valve cover of his 2002 MR2 because he'd also like to have a Lotus. Which Lotus? "An Evija," he said. Sure, pick the 1972-hp electric hypercar!
There is an entire subculture of the off-road world that realized many years ago that you could get a high-mileage Lexus GX470 for a reasonable price and turn it into a really comfortable 4x4. This guy, Shernan Balen, did. His instagram handle is GXORealest.
This 1979 4WD Pickup was one of several sent to dealers to promote four-wheel drive. The three-wheeled Honda ATC in the back is just a bonus.
You don't see a lot of these Toyota Crown Custom wagons.
Adam Filipponi swapped a 1EZ 4.0-liter V8 from an LS400 into his 1994 pickup truck. Looks nice!
Where did this owner get that 1990 LS400 V8 with 100,000 miles that he stuffed into this unassuming '85 Corolla?
"I took it straight from the junkyard and dropped it in," he said.
With 250 whp, 290 at the crank, it's "Enough to make a 2000-pound car very exciting!"
Michael Alvarez's 4WD SR5.
Cary Miller's 1972 Celica sports the original body, glass, and trim. "Everything else has been modified," he said.
Russ Tapulong's '73 Corolla.
HKS got every wing, flap, and louvre it could find and stuck it on this innocent Supra. The result is either unprecedented aerodynamic drag, or more downforce than driving on Jupiter. (web commenter: "Jupiter is a gaseous planet and has no surface on which you could drive!" Okay, thanks.)
Rafael Junio's 1996 RAV4. Remember when these came with two doors? Or was it three?
Nick LaRoque gives the final polish to his '93 Previa. The antenna on the roof was a dealer option, as was the VHS player he still has for the car.
Who says Camrys can't be cool? Adrian Hernandez' 2020 model may be the coolest Camry ever.
Edgar Briones and his '97 van.
Scion xBs were well represented.
Lonnie Cook's 2006 Scion xB.
Rosemary Ruvalcaba's 2015 Scion FR-S.
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