This 1985 Toyota Supra is a dream come true for 10-year-old me
I rode in my first Toyota Supra in 1985, when I was 10 years old. The experience fueled an obsession to someday have my very own Supra.
I pass a small car lot on my way to and from work. In 2006, I noticed they had an ’85 Supra for sale. At the time, my friends were into classic cars, and they were always working on theirs, so I was a little envious. After a long and hard debate in my head, I gave in and decided to check out this Supra.
I couldn’t escape the thought that it was 21 years old and probably needed work. But then I walked up to it, circled it a few times, and was impressed. I felt the same way once I checked out the interior, which was all original. A one-owner car with records from day one, it only had 119,000 miles on it. And that one owner turned out to be an older lady who really only used it for grocery shopping. The big question was how did it drive, so I asked to take it for a spin.
Out on the road, my adrenaline kicked in. The Supra was smooth, quiet, and seemed like a new car. The A/C worked, and the original radio worked, too, though the speakers were blown from age. The car felt perfect, and I loved it so much.
The dealership was asking $3500, so I offered $3000 cash, which they accepted. My dream finally had come true; I was the proud owner of a 1985 Supra with a leather interior and every top-of-the-line option of the era.
The car is now 38 years old, with 172,000 miles, and I have kept it as original as possible. In fact, the only upgrades have been new speakers and a stereo that looks period-correct. I have tinted the windows, added some wood grain on the ashtray cover, put on a newer steering wheel cover, and updated the A/C to R134a. I only drive it on sunny California days and to car shows. I get many compliments, and I have had people ask to buy it, but the answer is always no.
I’m thrilled to have such a classic Japanese sports car in original condition, and I plan on keeping it for the rest of my days.
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This article first appeared in Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Click here to subscribe and join the club.
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Happy for you! Have a friend in SE WI that has kept his all option black ’85 since new. Wonderful cars! And this is from a guy who drove a ’83 280ZX when that Supra was new. Supra was a much better (and faster when we ran them) car.
Sweet ride! Enjoy it and drive the wheels often….
Excellent job, Tony!
I just took my ’85 out for the first time this year. Had a serious delay this year involving a broken hip, but I’m driving it again, and loving it!
I have an ‘84 Supra. My Dad had a choice of what company car to get in 1982 when I was 16. He test drove a Celica GTS ( the Supra was over the company car budget) but ultimately got the “new for ‘82” Firebird SE with an anemic V6. It was a poor choice in hindsight. Fast forward to 2010 and someone traded in their Supra that they’d owned for over 20 years on a new Venza at my local Toyota dealer. I was finally able to get the car I wish my Dad bought 28 years earlier. I’ve had it for 13 years and plan to have it for many more. My son has dibs on it in my will, lol.
I had an ’85 GTS, the budget wouldn’t run to a Supra. I loved that car, it cornered as if it were on rails!
Only had it a couple of years as we started a family and the GTS was hardly “family-friendly”. We were both sorry to see it go.
We are a similar age. When I was a kid in the 80’s the Mark 2 Supra, the Celica and the MR2 were some of my favorite cars. As an owner of a Mark 4 Supra I welcome all the “old” Supras.
Always thought these were the better looking Supras.
My first new car was a black 1982 Supra with cloth interior, which I kept in immaculate condition and owned as a daily driver for 19 years. I finally sold it — regrettably and before the days of Bring a Trailer — because I needed to transport two small children and the back seat was not practical for kids seat and ingress and egress. It wasn’t particularly fast by today’s standards but still sporty and it ran well with typical Toyota reliability. I just loved — and still love — how it looks. Such a great 80s look with the sharp origami lines, shark-like nose and pop-up headlights.
I have had mine for 40 years so far, almost perfect car
My Cousin Graduated the year before me and got a good paying factory job. He bought a Brand New 1985 Toyota Celica Supra. Black with Grey cloth interior, 5-speed manual. I loved that car. He let me drive it to my Senior prom. It was such a nice driving car, I babied it all night to make sure I got it back to him in the same condition when he handed me the keys. It got old, life circumstances changed and he sold it. I wish I would have bought it off of him. But I had kids, house payment etc. I would love to have one just like that one some day.
That’s sweet, Tony! Good for you! I totally get it and also own my dream car. It’s not a 2nd gen Supra, but those are wonderful, beautiful cars. I have always admired them, and in early 1990, a buddy of mine put a big turbo on his Supra and it was an incredibly fast car. I’ll never forget it.
You might enjoy these:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmhNtwDcrRxFcXUav1F7jrZnMC2DRNOEO