The Toyota Crown: Family car, police car, government offical transport car, taxi cab, and more! The Crown has had a plethora of applications in Japan. Tokyo in particular is filled with Crowns of all ages today, and it's not uncommon to find editions from decades past still in service and in well-maintained condition.
There's one Crown amongst them however, which undoubtedly takes the crown! Shogo-san's 1962? "Toyopet" Crown 1900 Overdrive is a stunning example that looks like it just time travelled after rolling off of a Toyota assembly line.
Tucked under wraps, this Crown was sleeping until we disturbed it for some photos. It's truly hard to grasp when looking at this vehicle that it was built eighty years ago. To say it's in phenomenal condition is an understatement.
The Toyopet name was unfamiliar to me when I first saw this Crown. I later discovered the Toyopet name was first used in 1947 for about a decade, just before the time when Toyota cars were first introduced to the US market. In Japanese press, the name was printed as "Toyopetto", which was great as it translated to "The Best". However, in the US market, the name had less desireable connoations with the "Toy" and "Pet", so the name didn't last. (source)
Shogo-San opens up the door, removes interior fabric covers and, to my surprise, offers me a seat inside the pristine Crown. Hopping into the driver's seat, I'm transported into a cabin that looks classic and elegant yet incredibly modern all at the same time. I just can't get over just how many elements of modern vehicles are present in the interior of this 1960's vehicle! The gauge cluster includes a speedometer, fuel gauge, coolant temp gauge, oil pressure light, charge indicator, and even an odometer clocking in at just under 17,000 kms.
There are knobs and buttons which cannot be taken for granted in this day and age. You'll even find HVAC controls for air circulation, a radio tuner. Tucked discreetly under the dash is also a Kenwood head unit which I suspect does not date back quite as far as the rest of the cabin!
The rear doors are rear-hinged and make for a luxurious entry to the rear seat row. The stylish armrests make the passenger feel as if they are approaching a loveseat rather than a backseat of a car.
The fine stiching pattern on the door panels looks very cool and is in just as great shape.
Equipped with a Mooneyes floormat, a cupholder, and the Kenwood head unit shown earlier, this Crown is set up for road duty, not just for show! A rare sight these days is the accelerator pedal that is not tall and rectangular.
Another rare sight even in the most luxurious of vehicles today is the presence of an originally-equipped mini-fridge/cooler box that is piped with the HVAC system! Pimp-My-Ride didn't invent this upgrade, it's from the 1960s!
Shogo-San was eager to fire up the carbuerated engine and I was excited to hear it rumble. While the starter motor turned with oomph, unfortunately the engine didn't fire up at this unannounced visit, perhaps due to some minor fuel collection in the carbuerator.
Shogo-San and Naoya, father and son. Truly generous and kind hosts!
Shogo-San and I offering thumbs up for a sweet ride. Arigato! Read about Shogo-san's 1UZ-powered Hakosuka GTR to find out more about how we ended up here.
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