My friend owns a Celica and he showed me the Celica forums. One of them was Newcelica.org and boy, they are talking out of their anus. Celica Gt's are claiming to beat WRX's, preludes, Gsr's and mustangs gt. I dunno but it really bugs me, you should check it out. I raced Celica Gt's all the time and I havent lost to one yet, even with my car stock at the time.

 

well, i drove my friend's gt. and i must say i was quite suprised. with 3 people in it it got up to 80mph pritty darn quick. i doubt it will run with NEW mustangs...them poo poos are fast. wrx's...i dunno. i haven't met anyone that could drive theirs well enough to get any solid numbers out of it. the celica gt is quick, but not that quick.


[Modified by SOLOef, 9:57 AM 2/3/2002]

 

I suppose you were reading the "Racing" forum at newcelica.org and not the autocross forum. Yes, the folks in the "racing" forum (which I never read, due to my lack of enthusiasm for poor fiction) are pretty pathetic.

We actually do have some useful discussions in the autocross forum, and if I had to bet on a car winning a race, G. H Sharpe in his new Celica GT against most folks in a WRX (on an autocross course), my money is on the Celica GT (well, more specifically, it's on G.H Sharpe).

Scott

'00 Celica GTS
'73 Celica GT (in pieces)

 

hey while we got a 2000+ celica guy here. what is the bolt pattern, rim width for the 15's and 16's and offsets for them. what is the max width/offset setup people run on the celica's with out rubbing or minor rubbing?

TIA.

 

I can sort of help...

All of the factory wheels are 6.5 inches wide and 39mm offset (15" and 16" varieties). The bolt pattern is 5x100.

I know folks have put 8" wide wheels under the fenders, but I doubt they drive very hard on them.

In hard corners I got some rubbing (tire rubbing inner fender) with 225/50-15 Kuhmo's on the stock 15" alloys. New shocks cured that problem.

The more serious STS fellows are running 7.5 inch width rims with offests ranging from 40 to 32 mm with no problems. i'd probably go with about 35mm in a 7.5 inch width wheel.

I'm thinking very hard about making the jump to STS, I like the car stock and it handles like a dream, but it has some real traction issues against the other cars in the new "DS" class, and I like tinkering with the car about as much as driving it.

Scott

 

...come to Butthead.....


Matt, ruler of all things STS in NC....

 

I don't think I've ever seen on at the track events that I've been to. Granted, you can count em on two hands....but I've seen lots of makes and models....nary a Celica that I can remember. They're certainly not represented like Integras, Miata's and Sentras. What's that more telling of.....the drivers or the cars? Hmmm.

 

I'd say it's the drivers and not the cars. The cars are quite capable.

Scott

 

Yeah! I saw where someone was running 160+ mph in a Celica GTS. I couldn't resist, so I had to reply.

As far as GH Sharp in a Celica. I know GH relatively well, but haven't spoken to him in a while. In any case, I thought he was just co-driving in someone else's Celica. Last time I spoke to him, he still had and liked his Boxster. But then again, he is on the SCCA SOLO committee. And he did help organize the new class structure. I'm sure he had done quite a bit of homework on cars....

 

Nope, GH actually bought a Celica GT (black). I know he's got an alignment already, but not shocks yet. He's also started breaking in a set of Hoosiers for it (the car debuted back at the January NASA event, and GH was quite fast).

Tim Aro has been co-driving a Celica GT of late as well (just for fun, AFAIK he will be co-driving with Rod McGeorge all season in his Spyder).

Scott

 

please tell me all you people mean the GTS

 

Nope, the GTS is in D-stock where, IMHO, it is plainly outclassed. The GT, on the other hand, is going to be quite a force in GS.




[Modified by maxQ, 3:55 PM 2/4/2002]

 

I've heard people are choosing the GT over the GT-S because it's got better low end, and the five speed feels better than the six speed... Can anybody verify this? I've only driven a six speed GTS... I wasn't impressed..

Dan

 

I think it was Car and Driver who summed up the Celica best during one of their "pocket rocket" comparison tests. "The Celica is the sport coupe you buy for your niece."

Matt

 

The GT is pretty much the car to beat in the new GS class (or so many folks think). I agree with the other comment about the GTS being a bit outclassed in the new DS class.

As for folks picking the GT vs GTS because of the better low end and the transmission - I say that is doubtful. They are virtually the same transmission. In the autocross world, the decision is an easy one if you want to be at the top of your stock class. The low end isn't that different either, just a few ft-lbs of torque separate them. The GTS has a much higher final drive ratio, so it gets better multiplication of the little bit of torque it does have (both cars top out at the same speeds in 1st and 2nd).

Unfortunately, pretty much any car that doesn't have a LSD as an option, or AWD will be outclassed in the new SCCA DS class. The RSX-S is included in that, it will be back with the Celica smoking its inside front tire out of every turn while the competition pulls away.

Scott
'00 Celica GTS
'73 Celica ST

 

Yah. And, don't forget, so will the Neon SRT-4...

 

A : This really belongs elsewhere. The Kills forum, maybe, but not competition.

B : And your "stock" car is a.....???? I could race Celica GTs or Celica GTSs in my stock car and beat them too, but I happen to own a Camaro Z28.

Karen

 

It's actually quite amusing. I was talking with GH about this upcoming season, and he's trying to figure out how to run 6 different ProSolos, so that he can get 2 events in 3 different classes, and then choose where he wants to do the finale..... and the Ft. Myers Pro (in two weeks) isn't going to be a GS Pro for him -- he's running the Beechers' Z06 there.

And Timmy was just playing with the Celica. He is indeed codriving with Rod McGeorge in the MR-S.

Karen