My All-Trac holds a special place in my heart! I'm an avid fan of this car, and my love has led me on a strange and exciting journey for over 18 years now. I've probably gone farther and spent more money than any rational person should, but my passion (sickness) is unwavering. Recently, my wife suggested I sell the All-Trac. In return, I could buy the 911 C4 that I've been eyeballing the last few years. Still, a firm "No" was all she received. Nuts I know but I'm just not ready to part with her.
I thought about posting several threads based on the topic but it would be easier to put it all in one place. I'm planning on updating this thread periodically so stay tuned.
I own a black 1990 Celica All-Trac that I bought in 1996 while still in college, and it was the first car that I bought with MY money. I chased this car for over a year before buying it. In 1995, I had just started college in Baltimore and I saw a classified ad in Auto Trader for the car. I knew there was no way I would be able to buy it but I still wanted to see it in person. I remember the conversation well! I called the number and the guy on the other end says the car has been sold. Undeterred, I asked if the new owner had taken delivery of it yet, as I'd like to see it. Strangely enough, the guy says "I bought it!" Confused, I asked how that was. He said the owner of the car is his boss, a proprietor of a glass company in Baltimore. After listing it for her, he decided to buy it himself.
At the time, I was enrolled in the T-Ten (Toyota Technical Education Network) program. For those unfamiliar, it's a two-year program where you learn and work only on Toyota vehicles. You also must be employed by a Toyota dealer throughout the time in the program. When at work, we had a manual that broke down all the car models into codes. In one area of the book, I noticed the code "ST185", though couldn't recall ever having used it. Our shop foreman John Bonebrake, one of the best mechanics and greatest influences I've known, explained to me about the car and how rare they are. He recalled seeing only one come in during his tenure at Toyota. And so it began!
I kept in touch with the All-Trac owner and told him if he ever decided to sell, make sure I was his first call. I didn't know how I'd get the money but somehow I'd work it out. My '87 Celica GTS would have to hold me over in the meantime.
One day, I received a call from him saying he was going to a car show in Carlisle, PA and wanted to know if I'd like to go. He'd drive the All-Trac and I could check it out there. Without hesitation, I accepted! Below is a picture of the car that I took that day.
After that day, I just couldn't seem to get it out of my head. It was loaded! A/C, power everything, moonroof, System 10 audio, leather, and of course all wheel drive turbo....it was my Cadillac! But knowing this car is the image of motorsport greatness, the WRC champion several years running in the hands of Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen, it represents what a car can and SHOULD be. If it's rugged enough for the rigors of rally, it would withstand anything I can throw at it. That's the car for me. At least, that was my reasoning. And for some reason, it's obscurity made it that much more appealing! It didn't matter if people knew what it is. They just saw it as something different, and it wasn't another freaking Mustang.
I thought about posting several threads based on the topic but it would be easier to put it all in one place. I'm planning on updating this thread periodically so stay tuned.
I own a black 1990 Celica All-Trac that I bought in 1996 while still in college, and it was the first car that I bought with MY money. I chased this car for over a year before buying it. In 1995, I had just started college in Baltimore and I saw a classified ad in Auto Trader for the car. I knew there was no way I would be able to buy it but I still wanted to see it in person. I remember the conversation well! I called the number and the guy on the other end says the car has been sold. Undeterred, I asked if the new owner had taken delivery of it yet, as I'd like to see it. Strangely enough, the guy says "I bought it!" Confused, I asked how that was. He said the owner of the car is his boss, a proprietor of a glass company in Baltimore. After listing it for her, he decided to buy it himself.
At the time, I was enrolled in the T-Ten (Toyota Technical Education Network) program. For those unfamiliar, it's a two-year program where you learn and work only on Toyota vehicles. You also must be employed by a Toyota dealer throughout the time in the program. When at work, we had a manual that broke down all the car models into codes. In one area of the book, I noticed the code "ST185", though couldn't recall ever having used it. Our shop foreman John Bonebrake, one of the best mechanics and greatest influences I've known, explained to me about the car and how rare they are. He recalled seeing only one come in during his tenure at Toyota. And so it began!
I kept in touch with the All-Trac owner and told him if he ever decided to sell, make sure I was his first call. I didn't know how I'd get the money but somehow I'd work it out. My '87 Celica GTS would have to hold me over in the meantime.
One day, I received a call from him saying he was going to a car show in Carlisle, PA and wanted to know if I'd like to go. He'd drive the All-Trac and I could check it out there. Without hesitation, I accepted! Below is a picture of the car that I took that day.
After that day, I just couldn't seem to get it out of my head. It was loaded! A/C, power everything, moonroof, System 10 audio, leather, and of course all wheel drive turbo....it was my Cadillac! But knowing this car is the image of motorsport greatness, the WRC champion several years running in the hands of Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen, it represents what a car can and SHOULD be. If it's rugged enough for the rigors of rally, it would withstand anything I can throw at it. That's the car for me. At least, that was my reasoning. And for some reason, it's obscurity made it that much more appealing! It didn't matter if people knew what it is. They just saw it as something different, and it wasn't another freaking Mustang.