My evolution of Toyota vehicles leading to my Supra (no need for snide comments plz)

Growing up I was exposed to American muscle cars because my father worked at Ford. We had an abundance of Shelby's in the front yard along with a couple of Cougars.

Here is a pic of my front yard... I'm the one in the Dr. Pepper outfit.

Red 1968 Ford convertible Shelby GT 350, green 1970 Mercury Eleminator Cougar 428 Super Cobra Jet, yellow 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7.

Behind the yellow convertible Cougar is a 1969 427 Tunnelport Shelby GT 500 KR and behind unseen the Shelby 350 convertible was a 1970 Shelby 351

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After my father passed when I was 12 I was introduced to the world of Toyotas because that is where my Mom worked (same Toyota dealership for 25+ years). My mother and my step-father bought my first car for me in 1996 when I was in 10th grade, a 1988 4cyl auto metallic blue Toyota Camry (no pics). This car was stolen (as it was the number 1 stolen car in America at the time). My brother also became a certified Toyota tech and worked at the same dealership as my Mom. He took me out in a few customer Supras. This is where I caught the speed bug, it was at this time that I discovered the Supra but figured I'd never be able to afford one... it became my dream car. I was introduced to a car club and soon joined but didn't have the money to do anything spectacular so I put a car club sticker on the front windshield and bought a neon light (was the cool thing to do back then).

After it was stolen I needed another car, my mom had always brought home Camry's as they were demo cars and she drove them to 50K miles then the dealership would sell them used. Naturally I got another Camry, this time a 1994 4cyl auto green Toyota Camry. I have no stock pics of the car but by this time my car buddy's and I were cutting stickers for car by hand with a knife to make money. We used our cars as advertising platforms so please excuse the retardedness of the next group of pics. Bought a huge no name exhaust but amazingly it sounded immaculate.

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Installing fog lights at my Mom/Brother's Toyota Dealership.

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The need for speed bit me in the ass because I ruined the tranny in the auto... stupid neutral drops... what can I say, I was young. Next I purchased a 1996 4cyl 5spd Toyota Camry. These are actually pretty rare in the States and I was proud of my purchase as I only paid $11.5K for a one owner car. Was worth 12.5 at the time. I had never driven a manual car at that point... hadn't even seen the car before purchasing it except online. Dropped the rims on it from my previous car and stalled it about 5 times the first day but I was good to go after that.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5005/1stdaywitdacam.jpg

Not many upgrades but many stickers and a Rod Millen wing later....

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/199/copyofindcamryfront.jpg

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/796/copyofindcamrycorner.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7756/copyofindcamryrear.jpg

I joined the military in 2002, at my first duty station I finally had some cash so I removed all the stickers, put some stock Lexus wheels on, turbocharged it and threw a Greddy exhaust on the damn thing!

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http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/4390/greddy1.jpg

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Full Mod List:

Burien Toyota TRD Turbo

TRD Quickshift

TRD Boost Gauge

Greddy Turbo Timer

Greddy Cat Back Exhaust

Catco Catalytic Converter

Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch

Intrax Springs

Tokiko Struts

Whiteline Sway Bar

Whiteline Strut Bar

Rod Millen Racing Wing

Piaa 9005 Headlights, and Parking Lamps

Clear corners and Clear Turn signals

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/8352/sideviewvc.jpg

I sold this car finally in 2010 for $5K... not too bad imo. Toward the end of my stint in Afghanistan last year my wife gave me the go ahead to buy my dream car. I searched for months but finally found the one I always wanted. Wish it was lower miles with less mods so I could do the work myself but I am extremely happy with my purchase.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/898/dsc06773x.jpg

Hope you have enjoyed my voyage cuz I sure have

Your supra is beautiful mate, wow! so simple and neat very good example!....ah and the old camry! reminds me of home hundreds of those things!!

Cool thread. Nothing wrong with muscle cars mind!

nice car

Cool story, I love the first pic. Reminds me of the summers we used to have in the 80's where there was actually some sun!

Awesome thread! Really enjoyed reading that.

Good work mate. Just shows,... if you set your mind to something,.. it can be achieved.

Oh,.. And as a GT500 fan, your back yard looks pretty dam impressive! I wonder where all those iconic cars are now?

Btw, what brought you to Suffolk?

Are you till in the army?

like suprastar said! those yank tanks look mental! and your supra did look good on the way back from japfest but why are you here in crappy england? aha

Awesome thread! Really enjoyed reading that.

Good work mate. Just shows,... if you set your mind to something,.. it can be achieved.

 

Oh,.. And as a GT500 fan, your back yard looks pretty dam impressive! I wonder where all those iconic cars are now?

 

Btw, what brought you to Suffolk?

Are you till in the army?

The cars were sold by my step mom after my father died. She didn't actually own them and my family is still trying to track them down but they are spread across the world by now. The Air Force brought me to Suffolk.

like suprastar said! those yank tanks look mental! and your supra did look good on the way back from japfest but why are you here in crappy england? aha

England is not all bad, I've been all over the world in the Air Force and every place is what you make it... however no country holds a candle to the fun times I had in the four years I was stationed in Japan The mini convoy on the way back from Japfest was fun, who was in the Black Supra?

Just changed my plugs... boy was that different. Much easier on the Turbo Camry

What do you do in the USAF?

What do you do in the USAF?

Generator mech

Excellent!

Not 100% sure what that is, but i'm sure its a cool job. LOL

So, big question is,.... was the Supra worth the wait and meet with your expectations?

Thanks for the thread

The cars were sold by my step mom after my father died. She didn't actually own them and my family is still trying to track them down but they are spread across the world by now. The Air Force brought me to Suffolk.

 

 

 

England is not all bad, I've been all over the world in the Air Force and every place is what you make it... however no country holds a candle to the fun times I had in the four years I was stationed in Japan The mini convoy on the way back from Japfest was fun, who was in the Black Supra?

AHH fair enough mate cant remember his name but he's the fella who bought geo's old car

Generator mechanic - like a car engine but rather than a transmission it has a big alternator that produces electricity... used mostly in the event of a power outage at critical facilities. My RSP Supra has definately been worth the wait. Been chipping away at the small things I find wrong with her and I forgot how at peace I am when wrenching on my project.

Cool thread, are you stationed in Mildenhall or Lakenheath? I have a mate from the states who was in Mildenhall.

Lakenheath

Cool! F15's and A10s

*snides it up*