Custom 1976 coupe has the engine from a Toyota Century and ZF automatic transmission modified to work with a manual clutch pedal
by Chris Chilton
46 minutes ago
- Attacking The Clock Racing transplanted a Toyota Century V12 engine into a 1976 Celica.
- Upgrades include center-lock hubs, machined velocity stacks and an air suspension kit.
- The ZF8HP automatic transmission is equipped with a clutch pedal for clutch-kick drifts.
Bringing back an icon is one thing; reinventing it with a roaring V12 is something else entirely. Toyota has dropped a few hints recently about bringing the Celica back powered by a new and highly tuneable turbocharged inline-four.
But some Toyota fans are still more excited about the original Celica that debuted 55 years ago and have some much crazier tuning dreams. How crazy? How about dropping a V12 into a space where four cylinders once lived? Yeah, we thought so…
Related: Toyota GR Celica Might Be Hiding Its Engine Where You’d Least Expect It
The first-generation Celica was Toyota’s answer to the Ford Mustang, but scaled down for an import audience both in wheelbase and engine size. It lasted from 1970 to 1976, appearing first as a coupe, with a fastback body option joining the lineup a couple of years in.
Half a century later, it’s not uncommon to see them modified with chin spoilers, fender flares and fat rims, and we’ve even seen one with a Honda S2000 engine. But we’ve never come across anything like this one that was built by Florida-based Attacking The Clock Racing.
A Century V12 Where a Four Once Sat
ATC’s Shawn Bassett says his original plan was to drop in a Lexus LFA V10, but after finding sourcing one impossible he settled on a V12 from a Toyota Century limo that was then tuned to develop 700 hp (707 PS) and rev to 10,000 rpm. The built-up engine has 12 velocity stacks with incredible dovetailed machined bells poking through the hood and is mated to a modern ZF8HP automatic transmission with a very cool mod.
Eight Speeds and a Clutch Pedal
The ZF8HP is fitted to dozens of modern cars from Toyota, BMW and other automakers, including the Supra and M2. But none of those cars has a clutch pedal when equipped with an auto ’box. This one does.
Bassett explains that it’s possible to control the ZF tranny’s clutch packs manually, in this case through a conventional pedal, allowing you to rev the engine while stationary or clutch-kick the car into oversteer, just like you would on a manual-shift vehicle. And when you’re not in the mood to go mental, you can just drive it like a regular automatic.
The attention to detail is equally special elsewhere on the build, where you’ll see exposed and painted carbon components, vintage BBS E55 racing rims bolted to custom-made center-lock hubs and a pushrod rear suspension conversion that can be spied through the rear parcel shelf.
Classic Review: 1976 Toyota Celica Restomod Will Make You Fall In Love With JDM Again
Visually, it’s a tasteful blend of British Racing Green paint, tan leather, bespoke Speedhut gauges and carbon buckets from Tillett Racing Seats, which together add some class to what could have been a straight-up track-style project.
This Celica build isn’t new and made its debut at SEMA 2024 last November. Somehow it passed us by then, but we thought it was too good not to give some more air time as our minds drift towards what’s in store at this year’s SEMA show.
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