Remembering Japanese cars from the past

Tag: carina ta60 (Page 1 of 6)

BJDM Toyota Carina: a Bulgarian interpration of JDM – Carina Sightings

My first reaction when I found this Toyota Carina GL TA60 for sale on a Bulgarian classifieds site was WTF?! But don’t let the looks at the front deceive you: this was done by a genuine enthusiast. Someone who really loved this Carina. Let me go over it completely.

The modifications on this Bulgarian Toyota Carina TA60 can be considered polarizing
The modifications on this Bulgarian Toyota Carina TA60 can be considered polarizing

The Carina

Let’s begin with the base of this car: it’s a 1982 Toyota Carina. As it features headrests on the rear seats and has a carpeted boot, it has to be the GL trim level. It features the 1.6-litre 2T engine, so we can narrow it down to a TA60. The seller mentions it’s a 5-speed manual, so its gearbox is a T50. In one of the photos are some German documents, so I suspect it originated from Germany many years ago.

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Autoweek user review on Toyota Carina DX TA60 – Carina Sightings

I did happen to read a review of a 1983 Toyota Carina DX TA60 some time ago on the website of the Dutch car magazine Autoweek. This review spoke fondly about the car and how well it pulled their caravan. That reminded me of the many vacations I spent in my father’s Carina DX TA60 wagon with the same colour.

1983 Toyota Carina DX TA60 - You got to love that dog sitting next to it!
1983 Toyota Carina DX TA60 – You got to love that dog sitting next to it!

This is the full (translated) review:
Used the Carina for over 11 years. Never had any issues.
Spent many vacations with the caravan in hot climates. Never budged. As it’s rear-wheel-drive it’s ideal for pulling caravans. In my memory one of the best cars I’ve owned. Already 20 years have passed since I sold the car. Not because it didn’t run anymore, but because the inner wheel wells were rusted through. Water was entering the cabin through that.

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Carina TA60 Station Wagon with an interesting front spoiler – Carina Sightings

I was thrilled to finally find a photo of a Toyota Carina station wagon TA60. It’s the exact same model and trim level as my dad’s Carina back in the 1980s! The biggest difference is the colour: this one is bright red instead of my father’s topaz-bronze Carina.

Toyota Carina DX station wagon TA60
Toyota Carina DX station wagon TA60

Compare that to this red Carina station wagon from the German brochure:

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Carina TA60 with cut springs, coilovers and TRD Tosco – Carina sightings

Some time ago somebody forwarded me the Carina TA60 owned by Premium Shitbox on Instagram. I really love the way they fixed up the Carina and lowered it.

Premium Shitbox's Toyota Carina TA60
Premium Shitbox’s Toyota Carina TA60

They picked up this bone stock 1982 Toyota Carina DX TA60 in Germany. Apart from the body colour, this Carina is 100% the same as mine: same brown/tan interior, seatbelts on all five seating positions and an A40 automatic gearbox.

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Carina Sightings: My German Carina TA60 twin!

My Toyota Carina TA60 isn’t unique by itself. But over the years I have tweaked it a bit to my own liking by adding fog lights at the front, 15 inch Celica Supra rims all around and a few more bits and pieces as well. I was browsing earlier today through some photos taken by Eelco at the Japan Classic Sunday 2023 earlier this year. All of a sudden I spotted my very own Carina TA60, but then in blue instead of white!

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My Carina: Celica Supra seats upgrade

I have always fancied the Toyota Corolla AE86 or Toyota Celica Supra seats as they are quite comfortable for OEM factory seats and still give enough support at the thighs and back when cornering.
My Carina: Celica Supra seat upgrade
In contrast the OEM Toyota Carina TA60 seats feels more like sitting on a buck of a carriage: too high and no support to be expected from any side. I regularly bumped by head against the ceiling if I took a speedbump too fast.

You probably get what I mean if you compare the two different seats with each other: Continue reading

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