Toyota SA restores ultra-rare 2000 GT worth R30m

Toyota SA has completed its restoration of the 2000 GT, a beautiful 54-year old rarity that is the only one in the country. It has taken around two years to restore the classic 1968 two-seater coupé to its former glory, and it is valued at about R30m.

Built as a joint project with Yamaha, the 2000 GT was unveiled in 1967 as Japan’s answer to sports cars like the Jaguar E-Type. Its rarity, with only 351 units built, helped the Toyota sports car attain revered status in the classic-car world with pristine examples fetching up to R40m on auction.

Its provenance was boosted by starring in the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice. Due to Sean Connery’s size and the relatively small cabin, two convertible versions of the 2000 GT were commissioned for the film.

The flowing fastback body was made of aluminium and it was the first Japanese car to be fitted with a limited-slip differential and power-assisted disk brakes. The 2.0l straight-six engine was co-developed by Toyota and Yamaha, and outputs of 110kW and 175Nm were sufficient for a 0-100km/h sprint in 10 seconds and a top speed of 215km/h.

This was modest performance compared to muscle cars like the E-Type and Corvette, but the 2000 GT achieved success on the racetrack by winning the 1967 Fuji 24-hour race and set several FIA world records for speed and endurance in a 72-hour endurance test.

The 2000 GT changed how the world viewed Japanese cars and influenced the design of modern sports Toyotas such as the Supra, the GT86 and Lexus LFA. 

Only three Toyota 2000 GTs are known to have come to SA and this unit with 30,000km on the odo, which has been in the possession of Toyota SA for several years, is the only surviving example. In July 2020, Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division announced that it would reproduce replacement parts for the Toyota 2000 GT as part of the GR Heritage Parts Project, and sell them both domestically and overseas.

This initiative spurred Toyota SA to undertake a full restoration of its 2000 GT, a two-year project undertaken by Benoni firm Generation Old School. Father-and-son duo, Wynand Strydom Sr and Wynand Strydom Jr, kept the car as original as possible in the full bumper-to-bumper restoration.

Many parts were refurbished rather than being replaced to preserve the car’s authenticity and patina, including the wood-trimmed fascia, and the “knock-on” locks on the wheels which were badly beaten up from years of use. The wooden steering wheel had a large splinter which had to be carefully restored to maintain its structural integrity. 

The windscreen was custom made by a local glass manufacturer after international suppliers quoted astronomical prices, and the original 60s-vintage radio system was refurbished by a veteran radio repairman.

The magnesium alloy wheels needed special paint preparation and paint to restore them to their original colour.

The six-cylinder engine was completely stripped and rebuilt. After years of storage and exposure to the elements, it wasn’t in a good shape with many rubber components leaking fluids, with most of the coolant pathways clogged with rust.

This car’s original colour was silver but Toyota SA decided to keep the Solar Red that a previous owner had it resprayed in, as it was one of the six original colours offered on the 2000 GT.

“While some experts believe that the car should have gone back to its original colour to retain its ever-growing market value, the fact of the matter is that this 2000 GT has a local story, a uniquely South African one,” said Toyota SA.

Toyota has no plans to sell this restored rarity, and intends to put it on public display at Concours events.