1984 Toyota Supra P Type
When the Toyota Supra name is mentioned, only one thing comes to mind. The MKIV Supra was made famous in 2001 by The Fast And The Furious. Most enthusiasts don't give enough credit to its predecessor, the Celica Supra. The Celica Supra was put into production for the first and second generation of the Supra. It was offered as an extended version of the Celica to fit a larger engine. All Celicas up until this point were only available with a four-cylinder engine.
The Celica Supra provided the option for an inline six. All Supras from this point forward would have this type of engine. It was not until half way through 1986 that the Supra finally became separate from the Celica. Without the Celica Supra, the MKIV Supra never would have existed. Today, this article will leave readers questioning if the Celica Supra was in fact even better than the Supra itself. As nostalgia continues to grow in the next generation of car collectors, it is becoming difficult to keep track of what a 1980s Celica Supra costs today.
10 The Famous I6 Engines
The first generation of the Toyota Celica Supra was available from 1979 to 1981. It was available with a 2.6-liter inline-six that produced 110 horsepower and came with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. Keep in mind, during this time, the second generation Celica was only available in the United States with the 2.2-liter 20R four-cylinder engine for the ST and GT. It was not until 1981 that it was available with the 2.4 liter 22R four-cylinder, and even that engine only produced 97 horsepower. The Celica is an underappreciated classic that never caught on as well with enthusiasts as its big brother.
The 2.8-liter inline-six 5M-GE would debut for the second generation and offered a lot more power. It produced 160 horsepower by 1984 when paired with a manual transmission and made the Celica Supra significantly more fun to drive. The car was now able to run a 0-60 in 8.4 seconds and there was plenty of potential left. To this day, Raptor Racing offers performance modifications for the Celica Supra for owners who want to take their car to the next level. By the time the second generation debuted, it wasn't just the performance that had improved, the new body design had people stopping in their tracks.
9 Gigantic Roof Spoilers
The second generation Celica Supra was available in a L-Type and P-Type. They stood for "luxury" and "performance". The main differences were asthetics such as wheel size and body trim. The P-Type came with the much more agressive fender flares and profound roof spoiler. The large roof spoiler was only available from 1982 to 1984. In 1985, the roof spoiler was replaced with a more modest version. The good news is that in 1985, a spoiler was placed on the deck lid as well.
Due to its bold design, the Celica Supra became a representation of what made the 80s great. The decade became full of wedge shaped cars that appeared on posters covering the walls of car enthusiasts and kids who would dream of one day owning these cars. The P-Type Celica Supra was about $15,000 when it came out in 1984 which is the equivalent of about $40,000 USD in 2021. The average new car in the United States in 1982 cost approximately $9,300. The Celica Supra was not exactly a cheap car for its era, but was very competitive amongst its class.
8 Retro Squeeze Seat Bolsters
Does anyone remember the Reebok Pumps from the 80s? They were some of the best-selling shoes of the decade. They used inflatable chambers to create a custom fit for the individual wearing the shoe. Toyota basically took similar technology and put it into their Celica Supra Seats. The driver could pump up their seats to create the ideal fit for their driving experience. To let the air out, there were buttons placed on the seat to bring it back to the original position. This was a unique invention that mostly everyone forgot about the Toyota Supra. Unfortunately, the passenger seat did not have this option.
The Celica Supra like all other Supras that were created, were offered with four seats. This is with the exception of the MKV Supra, but the new Supra is hardly a Toyota at all. The backseats of the car never offered reasonable leg room, but when the seats were folded down, the trunk became enormous. Given that the Celica Supra was a hatchback, a full grocery trip or even a standard lawn mower could fit in the back with ease. Who needs a crossover when the Celica Supra is just as practical?
7 Pop-Up Headlights
Pop up headlights are perhaps the most iconic feature of cars from the 80s. Sure, they were available in cars all the way up until 2004, but they looked the best on wedge shaped cars. The Lotus Esprit and the C5 Corvette were the last models to offer them. The Celica Supra wore them well and to those who don't know better may even mistake it for a Lamborghini from the era. The pop-up headlights on the Celica Supra were incredibly reliable and hardly ever failed. There are plenty of options for cool cars with pop-up headlights that are rather inexpensive for buyers looking to enter the classic car market.
If they ever did fail, a manual reel was inside to bring the headlights up or down by hand. Pop-up headlights made it easier for manufacturers to create fierce front-end designs. Unfortunately, safety regulations would eventually destroy one of the best tricks for automotive design. By 2005, these regulations deemed pop-up headlights unsafe for pedestrians due to the "sharp" edges created by the housing. It is hard to say where these laws ever came from as there is not any data on deaths or injuries specifically caused by pop-up headlights.
6 Engine Bay Extendable Flashlight
One of the most innovative features under the hood comes in the form of a flashlight. The flashlight is small in size, but creates a massive difference when working under the hood. It has a long, built-in extension cord that makes it possible to move it wherever it is needed. This is yet another rare feature that was unique to its era and possibly even ahead of its time. There wouldn't be any need to yell at someone for holding the flashlight wrong because it would be up to the owner to place it where it is needed.
Usually when an enthusiast opens a hood, they are trying to show off their custom valve covers, turbocharger, or cold air intake, but the flashlight is guaranteed to be a topic of discussion. In current times, hardly any car even has a light mounted under the hood at all. When consumers purchase modern cars, they are more likely to find a light in their glove box than under the hood. If a light is needed under the hood, an aftermarket light will most likely have to be purchased at a local store.
5 Fender Flares
It is rare to see fender flares on a modern car unless they were added as an aftermarket modification. Rocket Bunny offers some of the most hardcore widebody kits with fender flares, but they do not come cheap. They are most commonly installed on the Nissan GTR or Toyota 86. The Fender Flares on the P-Type Celica Supra widened the stance of the car and made it appear more menacing. They were made of fiberglass and fitted directly from the factory. Along with its gigantic roof spoiler, the Celica Supra was an amazing product of the 80s.
There are currently four types of fender flares on the market. OE, Street, Bolt and Extended style. OE style is a basic addition to what might look like it came from the factory. Street style has a more agressive appearance and is commonly used to add a low-profile appearance to a car. The Bolt and Extended style are most commonly used on pickup trucks and provide protection to a vehicle when enduring an off-road terrain. They were certainly an aesthetic enhancement on the Celica Supra and only added to its iconic style.
4 Rear Billboard
The billboard "Supra" decal was added to the Celica Supra in 1984. Pedestrians could be hundreds of feet away and know absolutely nothing about the type of car it was, but after seeing the rear-end, they were sure to see the large font. Prior to this, the only decal on the rear was a few inches in size off to the right side. The new billboard would remain for the rest of the second generation. Reproductions are now available in various colors to replace on the car or use as a decoration in a man cave.
The Porsche 944 was one of the only other sportscars of the era to use a banner across the rear-end to advertise the type of car was that roaring by in the street. This practice is hardly seen today and is often only used in the pickup truck market. Dodge has a massive "Ram" banner embossed in the tailgate of several of their pickup trim levels and even Chevrolet often advertises their branding in this fashion. The concept may have started with the Celica Supra, and for fans of JDM classics, it definitely wore it the best.
3 They Are Reliable
The Celica Supra is not only a desirable, exciting and practical sports car, but it is also very reliable. The 5M-GE motor was essentially bulletproof and would last over 300,000 miles when they were maintained. With regular oil changes and the timing belt being replaced within the scheduled mileage, it would last forever. Main concerns were related to leaky head gaskets once they reached higher mieage, but once this issue was addressed, the car would be back on the road making its owner smile.
If the 5M-GE was not reliable or powerful enough, many buyers have swapped out the engine for a 1JZ or 2JZ-GTE. This will add plenty of power and modifications to these cars can be done with a vast array of options. What would be better than having 2JZ-GTE power in a Supra without having to pay the outrageous cost of purchasing an MKIV Supra. The second generation Celica Supra is arguably a better looking car and certainly has more unique features than any of the other generations.
2 They Make A Great Daily Driver
It isn't often that someone is seen daily driving a Supra of any generation. Theoretically, any generation of the Supra could be driven daily and would hold up just fine. As we have discussed, the proven reliability of the car makes it perfect for everyday use. Toyota has always been known for its reliability, and the 80s were not an exception. When searching for a Celica Supra online, many will appear for sale with high mileage and owners bragging about their reliable past.
Even though the Celica Supra has been out of production for 35 years, it still retains many modern features such as power windows, power locks, power mirrors and air conditioning. Sure it doesn't have a backup camera or a bluetooth stereo, but who really needs that? When a driver gets behind the wheel of a Celica Supra, the only feeling is pure bliss. As soon as consumers realize less is more and that technology is nothing but a distraction from the road, simple cars will again be seen as exciting.
1 They Are Fun To Drive
A sports car does not have to be fast to be fun. The Celica Supra was never an extremely fast car when it came from the factory, but it had a ton of personality. Rowing through its gears with the windows down is all the driver needs to experience freedom. The Celica Supra may have just been a elongated Celica with an inline-six during its first generation, but by its second generation, it made a statement with consumers and offered an experience as a full-fledged touring car.
The Celica Supra has its own place in history amongst its other generations and those who have owned one truly understand how special this car is. In recent years, this car has increased in value significantly and will continue this trend as time goes on. Now is the time to purchase a Celica Supra to secure an investment that can be enjoyed. It will create endless excitement for anyone who has the pleasure to ride in the car. It may not be the fastest Supra, but it will be the one to steal your heart.
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About The Author 
Robert Leeder (10 Articles Published)
Robert's passion is JDM classics from the 80s and 90s. He is a proud owner of a Supra, Integra and Civic. All of them have a manual transmission. He turned his passion into a hobby in the form of automotive journalism.
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Source: https://www.hotcars.com/toyota-celica-supra-facts-features/
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