AutoArt 1967 Toyota 2000GT 24 hrs FUJI #1

Using the slang from the era, Toyota of the 1960s was considered pretty square. They built reliable cars that provided basic transportation. The Toyota 2000GT started to change that perception. Introduced at the Tokyo Auto Show in 1965, it represented a quantum leap forward. In today’s terms it would be like Kia building a car that could compete with Maserati. It made an impression internationally on film (James Bond’s You Only Live Twice) and on the track setting endurance records and winning races, including the car modeled here which won the Fuji 24 hours race in 1967. Carroll Shelby bought and raced a stable of Toyota GTs in SCCA events. Success was short lived – the world wasn’t ready to pay $8,000 or so for a car with as little cachet as a Toyota had at the time (that and a Porsche 911 would cost you less).

Jumping right in, I really like the paint here – it’s a creamy white that’s really set off by the red GT striping. Many of the cars markings are a richer shade of cream (just for fun I call it banana cream), an example being the front bonnet and door number backgrounds. This gives the model some interesting dissonance. Despite the fact that much of the car was engineered by Yamaha, there is no mention of their involvement yet a Mitsubishi decal decorates the rear quarter panel. I’m not sure what is says, but as soon I’m able to read Japanese you’ll be the first to know.

There is some very cool running gear: the unique beveled headlights inline with the bumper, gleaming (though non opening) fill caps, oversize rear lights contrasted by black sheathed running lights. There are also Japanese styling touches such as the “Chinese Eye” rear side windows and, for sports cars, an early use of pop up headlights. Fuji has a long front straight with the car developing maximum speed as it passes the timing line, so that chrome piece hanging form the passenger door is actually a lighting sconce for the number. The wheel combination is remarkable not only for the anodized spinners but white lettered tires which seem to becoming the rarest of all things these days on an under $100 model.

Both doors and the rear hatch open to an interior nicely race-ruggedized. There’s been a lot of work here done by AUTO art with additions such as a roll cage, soft racing harness, fuel and oil systems and a drink bottle and subtractions like inner door panels being removed. The cutaway door panel is meticulouly detailed, with the chrome window cranks remaining in place. The total amount of chrome on a racer is quite shocking, but I’m guessing there were some regs in place that limited changes to stock trim. The few period photos I’ve been able to find seem to bear this out.

Some styling cues draw inevitable comparison to the Jaguar XKE, in particular the long front bonnet with front latched hood and dual cut louvers in the cowl. But the 2000GT is much more angular, with flared wheel wells, hawk-nose front and the crease that serves as the cars highlighted line. It’s actually closer in lineage to a Lotus, copying the Elan's reverse-backbone frame by straddling a single beam. This gave the car a low center of gravity which combined with aerodynamics and power led to endurance racing success.

Speaking of power, it’s easy to see why Shelby was attracted to this powerful Toyota straight-six. Yamaha added aluminum head and pistons, and a hemi combustion chambers. Fuel was conducted though fuel conducted via three dual-throat Mikuni-Solex sidedraft carbs. All this is modeled in perhaps AUTO art’s most detailed engine this side of the Mazda 787B.

The model is jewel-like by which I mean beautiful and fragile - especially by AUTO art standards. During photography, one of the two-tone rear view mirrors broke off when taking pictures of the chassis view. I also could not get the pop-up headlights to open and stay in place. That’s not really a big deal – the car displays much better with the lids closed but it should still be functional.

Considering how blown away I was by the original AUTO art Toyota GT Bond car, the smart execution on the racer is no surprise. The model does share the same fate as the 1:1 - it's appeal is limited. We’re talking Fuji, not Le Mans. For those of us that bought one of the original 2000GT street models (very hard to find now) we got a stand out in our collection. Now race fans, you need to ask yourself; do you really want another Porsche 911 variant, or like Ol Shel, are you ready for a walk on the wild side?

-Rusty Hurley