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GT1994

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Everything posted by GT1994

  1. One from Japfest out on track, was great to see the variety of Celicas on different stands there.
  2. I'll add some more pics into here when I have a chance but the almost 2000 mile journey made me appreciate the GT-Four for the way it handled these roads
  3. You should get the feelers out to see who would be interested. Celica NC500 Club Currently in North Wales and took it to where SS3 was held on the Rally GB round of 2019's WRC
  4. I thought I would share my experience of the North Coast 500 which I did last October. It was an incredible road trip that I strongly advise anyone to do. (Thought I'd pick my favourite pic from the journey) On the run up to the road trip I did the standard things you'd expect when embarking on a long journey so changing engine oil, oil filter ,gearbox oil,brake fluid and also both front and rear pads. Bridged the two ports with a paperclip to ensure no fault codes, checked tyre pressures, got the celica washed and bought a litre bottle of engine oil and coolant for the boot. Biggest issue was Petrol. Yes we decided to do a 1940 mile round trip in the height of the Petrol Crisis (for anyone in the north of the UK you might have heard about it on the news or from a friend of a friend who lived in the south) We booked our accommodation in advance which was B&B's and an Airbnb but was limited as October is off peak season so alot of places are closed up for the autumn/winter. Living In Thanet, East Kent we had a long drive to start with so we left at Midnight, Thursday going into Friday and headed to our nights stay in Inverness via a brief stop in Glasgow. My wife done the first two and a half hours in abysmal weather conditions before we swapped over and carried on towards Glasgow. We predominantly stuck to 60/65mph for the whole way up there , that way it ticked just under 3000rpm and helped get 34 mpg. 640 miles later we arrived at our nights stay in Inverness getting there at 3pm. First Day on the NC500 We filled up with Tesco Momentum which in Inverness was a staggering £1.39 per litre! When we had been paying over £1.55 down south and even £1.60 for Shell V Power. We then crossed the bridge to start the NC500 travelling anti clockwise. Now it's down to personal preference but I feel it's more enjoyable to end it this way as it's the drive from Inverness to John O Groats is pretty tame. Heading along the A9/A99 we stopped of an old broch, dunrobin castle (see heavily photoshopped photo below) Whaligoe steps before entering Wick harbour. Wick is where the ST205 met the ST185 for a blast to John O Groats. However the best stretch is actually from John O Groats to Duncansby Head Lighthouse which I'll attach in a comment below. Was great to enjoy a small portion of the NC500 with another Celica which highlights although it's not necessary to go as a Group/ convoy, it's definitely a lot more fun as you'll always have something incredible to look at either Infront of you or behind you. We carried onto our next resting place which was a short drive to Dunnet Head and the weather decided it wanted to rain so despite a short walk from the car to the B&B we did get fairly wet. Day Two After a great nights sleep and good breakfast at Windhaven B&B we set off on a lovely bright day to become the most Northern Celica in Mainland UK. But the road to Dunnet Head is worth the detour as it offers twists and a long stretch of road running alongside a small loch. https://youtu.be/YlpJwlDZ0vI Right by the B&B is a steep slope that goes to a jetty which unless you have a very low car you will make it down there. Offers stunning views, the opportunity to see a colony of seals and a good photo opportunity Moving away from Dunnet Head we set course for Smoo caves, had a breif encounter with a GR Yaris and stopped for this edited photo opposite a loch We stopped off at Smoo Caves but just before that i encountered a duet of V8 German powerhouses which raised a valid point here. Modern powerful cars like their's m5 and C63 AMG are too big and heavy for alot of the roads up there. I was in no way speeding or doing anything drastic but we was stuck behind them at a reduced pace because in something like that you have to be overly cautious with that much power on tight and twisty roads. Im not proposing the Celica is the best car to take there but it was well suited, plenty of useable power, decent grip and isn't too wide or too heavy. We headed to our next stay which was in Drumbeg. To do so you pass over the Kylesku bridge and turn right. As soon as you do that the road becomes singe track with pull in/ overtaking areas dotted every now and then. You start off in the open without much issue but then you have a guardrail on your left which you head into a wooded section. The road is bumpy with a fair amount of elevation change and at certain points you have blind bends to contend with. We made it to Croft B&B but word to the wise if you're off peak then get something to eat before heading to this region as you'll need to go back down the road to find somewhere to eat. Day Three Day Three was our last day tackling the NC500 and we sure did hit it hard, I felt drained by the time we checked into our B&B as it was 240 miles worth of the most incredible roads I've had the pleasure of driving but also physically and mentally demanding. My personal favourite was the coastal road to clashnessie VID-20211004-WA0019.mp4 VID-20211004-WA0019.mp4 VID-20211004-WA0019.mp4 Not great quality but you can see both the road and the views are sensational. We stopped shortly after to see Achmelvic Bay before grabbing a excellent pie in Lochinver. It isn't until you come back onto the A894 by Ardvreck castle that you can relax as it's back to "normal" single carriageway rather than the single-track roads. To be fair the next few hours were a blur, we stopped in Ullapool for food and Petrol (I'll come into this at the end) and soldiered on until we reached Kinlochewe. Single track road again that keeps climbing, so many twists, blind bends and steep inclines to keep you on your toes. You reach the top and are greeted with sheep galore, run out in the road, casually laying on the road, on the apex of the corner. And to top it off the Highland cows are also just laying on the edge of the road as well . We made the descent to Applecross where we gave the GT-Four a nice break with a view We then had the pleasure of driving up a steep road to then descend down the UK's steepest road, the Bealach na ba. Now it's down to preference and wether you're confident in your brakes or your engine. But the reason why I recommend anticlockwise is the view you have of going down this road. Breathtaking it truly was. No pic of the GT-Four until I got down the other side. We then continued onto Fort William (Loch Ness) for our last stay in Scotland before we headed back to Kent via an overnight stay in Manchester and quick visit to Blackpool and Liverpool. As mentioned earlier 1940 miles in total but was woth the trip. NC500 Overview We did the NC500 in three full days but it all depends on what you want from it. There are plenty beautiful landscapes to see of which we missed some out . Petrol! Yes you can buy E5 on the NC500 but the only places that sold 99 was Inverness and Wick. This isn't enough to get you around without having to put 97 Ron from the local garages they have around Northern Scotland. The day we left Scotland the GT-Four was running rough, it was idling high and lumpy and I felt a lack of power that wasn't rectified until 10 minutes after I put a vast amount of 99 in. So be aware. Watch out! Cyclists, Sheep, Cows are your main obstacles. If unfortunately you hit a lamb you need to do the right thing and report it as that's been a big issue with sheep farmers and the NC500. Think ahead! The road can be deceiving and I almost got caught out thanks to the road curving sharply left after a crest. Overtaking! It is a requirement on the single track roads that slower traffic especially canpervans let you pass when approaching an overtake/pull in spot. But this also applies to you. Some Locals who know the road can be quicker than you. Not embarrassing as it's better to be cautious at times then it is to feel pressured to go quicker or p*** off the locals. Enjoy yourselves! No matter how you approach the NC500, alone, with family/friends, over two days or 6 make sure you enjoy yourself and be safe. VID-20211004-WA0019.mp4
  5. You will thoroughly enjoy it I can guarantee. I will post a thread on the NC500 with an overview and tips for making the journey
  6. I will post a thread on my experiences but here is a picture from my North Coast 500 road trip with a friend's ST185 outside Duncansby Head Lighthouse
  7. I saw a video were the japenese say it more like we do but with alot more emphasis, I'll see if I can find it Update: I found this https://youtu.be/wnTG2iX94WQ
  8. Bit of blasphemy but here's the Celica with the brother in-laws Sierra
  9. Roadtrip to Scotland, will need to do the North Coast 500 next time
  10. So today marks the 15th Anniversary since the last Celica rolled of the production line in Japan closing of 36 years off production. Thought it's worth a mention and a little celebration so I thought we could all share a picture either of our own Celica or our favourite picture of one.
  11. 3 generations together thanks to @Jamie275 and his T Sport and Gen 5 GT-FOUR
  12. I only spoke to them yesterday morning and already it's turned up. Great service and thought I'd display it upfront as if it was a national trust sticker Thanks once again EasyRight89 !!
  13. Thanks for the heads up on this, just applied for my Bronze sticker
  14. Great post Meirion. I was fortunate enough to be racing at the 24 hours of Le Mans Karting back in 2013 when Kart Force was competing for their first time there. Was incredible watching them compete in their adapted Kart. Unfortunately both our teams had horrendous luck ,us with mechanical gremlins and them with a huge crash. But they won the spirit of the race and rightly so
  15. It's probably a few hundred quid which of course is nothing really. Its likely they renew it so they will always own the name but always possible. I understood why Toyota teamed with Subaru and BMW to make the Supra/Z4 and GT86/BRZ but then it made no sense as soon as the GR Yaris was announced as all in house build. If we don't see a Celica then I'm sure the G16E-GTS engine from the Yaris will live on. I think we can all agree as long as Celica doesn't become like the Puma, Mustang or Eclipse and used on a crossover we can all sleep at night.
  16. Few days ago I saw a story that in the US, Toyota had filed a trademark application for the Celica name . As a result several other sites picked up and rumours have been floating around about the Celica name being used on a model. The strongest link is rebranding the GT86 as the Celica as apparently Toyota are changing the name of their boxer engine twin. Unlikely as with Gazoo Racing being Toyota's works team in World Endurance and World Rally Championships and other Motorsports, the GR name is being used on both the Yaris and Supra as top spec models and trim levels on the Corrola and C-HR . It's being hinted it will become the GR86 (Edit: found a trademark registered in the UK for a GR86 UK00917958241) Oh well I'm sure the underpinnings of the GR Yaris on a GT86 would sell. Anyway I thought I would do some digging as trademarks have different lengths in other countries. In Japan the Celica Trademark is still active until May 2022 after last being renewed in April 2012 (under S45-079533). It's always been updated every 10 years ever since being accepted in 1972. In the UK there is two Celica Trademarks registered by Toyota. UK00000972418 registered on the 17th March 1971 and up for renewal on the 17th March 2026 which applies to Class 12- Land Vehicles. The other is UK00900280511 filed 1st April 1996 and for renewal 1st April 2026 under Class 8- Tools, Class 12-Land Vehicles and Class 16- Printed Matter/ Operating Manuals. Also the Celica Supra trademark first filed on the 5th September 1978 is still active until 5th September 2029 again under Class 12. Take it with a pinch of salt but going through the UK trademarks there was several Toyota trademarks that have expired and not renewed such as Toyota MR2 and Toyota Aygo. (Edit: although Toyota MR2 and Toyota Aygo trademarks have expired, MR2 and Aygo are still in date trademarks) Maybe it's just protecting their property so no one else can use it but the Supra name returned after 17 years so you never know. Do you think it's likely we will get an 8th Gen or will the Celica remain in the history books?
  17. I'm going to cheat here, as it's the only thing I actually have on my phone of my exhaust. It blew serval years ago just as i was coming past Manston Airport from a very long drive from Wembley. It was silly loud around town but I enjoyed it for a week or two before getting it replaced MOV_3427_000.mp4
  18. Thanks to Monkey Boy for pointing me to the right place, this came in the post today
  19. Well today i made a step in the right direction as i replaced the original 4 spoke with a Gen 7, 3 spoke. Horn works, airbag will be a long work in progress. Still first thing ive done since finishing off the Gen 7 GT Seats Pre lockdown.
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