iM Feature: Romel Tenchavez’s 1977 Toyota Celica GT

photos//prashant.topiwala & jason.hoang
words//jc.tenchavez

|OWNER: Romel Tenchavez
|VEHICLE: 1977 Toyota Celica GT

In this day and age, car modifying/tuning is very accessible to us in which parts can simply be bolted on and ready to go. With access to the internet, we can all obtain information which can make our cars look “Hella Flush”, “JDM”, and we can even achieve that “10 Second Car” that they talk about in movies.

Rewind to the past and you start to wonder just how they did it back in the day. Enter Romel Tenchavez’s 1977 Toyota Celica GT. After literally growing up with this vehicle I can tell you that this car definitely wasn’t put together overnight.

Every modification on this Celica was mostly custom fitted and fabricated to achieve the “Retro Look with Modern Technology” title that Romel aimed for.

Purchased in 1992 from a relative in San Francisco California, Romel sought after one of Toyota’s most infamous Sports Cars from the 70s, The Toyota Celica GT. Originally sporting a 20R carburated engine and original white paint, little did this Celica know what was going to become of it.

Forward to 18 years later, this car remains in pristine condition and comes out on occasion whether it be at the track, car shows or meets. After reaching a 1/4 mile best of 13.7s @ 109mph, who knows what Romel has in store for this one of a kind classic…

|ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
-20R Fuel Injected Race Engine
(Developed & Tuned by Duncan Fraser & Ross Farmham of Race Tech)
-RC Engineering Racing Clutch
-Custom Air Intake Plenum w/Mercedes-Benz Throttle Body
-MSD 720 CC Injectors
-SDS Full Engine Management System
-Mahle Forged Pistons
-Crower Billet Connecting Rods
-Crower Race Cam
-Garret T04 Turbo with H-3 Compressor & O .69 Turbine Section
-Custom Race Header
-Custom Wastegate
-HKS Super Power Flow Air Filter
-HKS Super Sequential Blow-Off Valve
-HKS Turbo Timer
-SDS Mixture Meter & Electronic Boost Controller
-SW Boost & Oil Pressure Gauges
-Spearco Intercooler w/Custom Fabricated Tanks
-Megan Oil Catch Can
-Custom Battery Relocation
-1985 Corolla GTS Differential (Zenki)
-TRD LSD (4.10 Gears)

|SUSPENSION
-Tokico Adjustable Shocks
-Suspension Techniques Sport Springs
-Cusco Front Strut Tower Bar
-Custom Rear Sway Bar

|LIGHTING
-Euroline “JDM Yellow” bulbs
-PIAA 959 Projector Beam Fog Lights
-CATZ ZETA 00 Headlight System
-Custom Side Marker Lights

|INTERIOR
-Nardi Classic Steering Wheel
-Toyota Japan Shift Knob
-RAZO Pedals
-Sprint Seats w/Custom Rails

|EXTERIOR
-Toyota Blue Streak Mica Pearl Paint
-Custom Front Bumper Fascia

|WHEELS
-Kei Office 15×7 +15 Dori-Dori Wheels
-195/50R15 Kumho Ecsta 711 Tires
-Watanabe 13×7 -7 Type-A Wheels
-215/50R13 Sumitomo Tires

|ICE
-Alpine CDA-7982 3-Disc In Dash Head Unit
-Alpine MRV-F400S V12 Amp
-Alpine 12″ Type S Sub Woofers (2)
-Alpine 4 1/2″ Type S Midrange Speakers (2)
-Coustic 5 1/4″ Mid-Bass Speakers (2)
-Coustic 2″ Tweeters (2)
-MB Quart Passive Crossover
-Audio Conrol Electronic Crossover w/ Equalizer

Without a doubt the biggest challenge for Romel was converting the Celica’s carburated engine to it’s now electronically fuel injected turbocharged engine. With no given information on how to do the swap, the entire project was simply “trial and error” with friends and family putting in countless hours to get it how you see it today.

Initially, Romel swapped the 20R carb motor to a “modern” fuel injected/turbocharged 22R engine. Upgrade the suspension, wheels, audio and Blue Streak Mica Pearl Paint from Toyota’s last generation Celica, now you have something that is totally offset from the rest.

After countless runs at the Race City 1/4 mile track and reaching a personal best of 14.2 @ 101mph with the 22R motor, Romel decided it was time to move on; not how you think, however. After being in contact with Duncan Fraser & Ross Farmham of Race Tech Engineering, Romel was able to obtain a fully tuned 20R Turbocharged Race Engine, which is now the heart of this beastly Celica.

The thing I love most about this car is how it keeps up to today’s technologies and even today’s “trends”. With sick fitment on either his Dori-Dori wheels or the current Watanabe Type-A set-up there’s no denying that proper fitment has always been around and inevitably, will never die.

With cars like this, we definitely gotta show love and appreciation for the old school. Without guys like Romel in our scene, we would have no real foundation on why we all do what we do to our cars.