Friday, August 21, 2015

The First Toyota 2000GT to Set a Tire in America Just Sold for $825,000

 The First American Toyota 2000GT Sold for $825,000

This is the first 2000GT produced for export to the U.S., and that makes it a very rare and special car.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

This is Toyota 2000GT chassis No. 10083, the first of its extremely rare breed that was built for export to the U.S.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

In total, it’s thought that America received 15 percent of the 351 or so cars produced. Rare, indeed.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

This one just sold at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction for $825,000 . . . pricey, but not the most expensive we’ve seen.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

When new, this car was sold in San Francisco and remained there for a while.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

Later, it was sold into a Japanese collection and stayed there for 20 years. In total, it’s covered just 42K miles from new.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

The seller claimed it’s never been in an accident and has never been “fully restored,” so we suppose that leaves partial restoration as a past possibility. Still, it presents honestly. Look at that dash!

1967 Toyota 2000GT

This appears to be a normal 2000GT, not the special MF-12 model. That means it packs a lovely 3M-code 2.0-liter inline-six making about 150 horsepower.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

The engine featured a Yamaha twin-cam head, the first of a long line of Yamaha high-performance heads fitted to sporting Toyotas.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

Even the original tool kit is included.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

It has been resprayed and the carbs rebuilt, but otherwise the seller claims it’s just an honest, well-cared-for example of the breed.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

These are said to be lovely cars to drive, and they’re much, much smaller than the Jaguar E-type they’re so commonly compared to. They’re small compared to a first-generation Mazda Miata, even.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

When new, it was $1000 more expensive than an E-type and considerably slower. That made it a tough sales proposition.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

The $1.5-million recent 2000GT sale seems to be an aberration, as good cars lately have been trading hands for prices closer to this example.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

Still, it’s nice (as always) to see the market pay these very special cars their due.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

And remember the important but unexpected connection to Carroll Shelby—yes, that Carroll Shelby.





1967 Toyota 2000GT

Shelby prepped three cars for SCCA racing, and they finished second and third in 1968 before Toyota pulled funding. Which is a way cooler anecdote than that told-a-million-times James Bond one, isn’t it?

This story originally appeared on roadandtrack.com.

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