Japanese products were gaining respect in the late ‘60s, but few in the United States thought of their auto industry as world class. In 1965, Toyota changed that with one car, a $6,000-plus GT. At that price, however, they only sold 62 in the United States between 1967 and 1970, of which this is one of three from the collection of Sebring and Watkins Glen veteran Otto Linton. The car’s superb provenance includes several decades as part of the Jacobson Collection and in succeeding years, it has been owned by only two other discerning collectors.
Always treated with the deepest respect by its owners, it has been sympathetically restored by America’s foremost Toyota 2000GT specialists, Robert Tkacik and Peter Starr at Maine Line Exotics. A very well-preserved and authentic specimen prior to the restoration, Mr. Tkacik considers this car a top-shelf example of what many enthusiasts consider the greatest Japanese car of all-time.
In the early ‘60s, Toyota began work on an automobile designed to compete with the new crop of premium European GTs, specifically the Jaguar E-type, as well as the Porsche 901 (soon called 911), Alfa Romeo 2600 and others. Project 280A was spearheaded by Toyota’s racing manager Jiro Kawano and his small team of around a half-dozen people, one of whom was stylist Satoru Nozaki.
At the same time, Yamaha was attempting to expand its horizons as a sort of low-volume specialist subcontractor and had a four-cylinder sports car project called A550X ongoing with Nissan. As it turned out, Nissan cancelled the A550X.
As Yamaha had substantial money and commitment invested in the A550X, the company shopped it to Toyota. Since Yamaha would be assembling the limited-production sports cars, Toyota must surely have been pleased to avoid hand-building the engines and bodies. After that, a 2000GT prototype was swiftly completed for the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show in Harumi, where it stunned the world.
Being coach built, there is more Yamaha in a 2000GT than Toyota. The iron block of the DOHC inline-6 came from Toyota’s SOHC MS41 sedan engine, but Yamaha produced the alloy Hemi head and forged pistons and hand built each one with triple 40phh two-barrel side-draught carburetors. In street tune it produced 150 HP and 130-lb.-ft. of torque; for racing, it was capable of 200 HP or more.
Satoru Nozaki’s body was turned directly from his scale clay model into body bucks, and as no one in Japan had a production line capable of producing the 2000GT’s complex, compound curves, the semi-monocoque steel body was hand built, with all detachable panels and trim being numbered specific to each car. The impossibly low ride height of 3 feet 9 inches is made possible by a central beam, spine-frame with Ys at each end. This also created a front-mid engine position and gave the car its famously perfect balance.
Running gear and drivetrain components were beyond state-of-the-art. The only transmission able to handle the torque was a FA 4-speed from a Toyota truck, but by the time it became the GT’s fully synchronized 5-speed, it was a perfect match for the 7,000 RPM engine. The rear end was Japan’s first limited slip, with a standard 4.38:1 ratio and three optional choices. The 2000GT was Toyota’s first car to feature four-wheel disc brakes, which are Dunlop in this case; and the company’s first car with all-independent suspension, which employs double wishbones at all four corners.
The 2000GT lived up to its Grand Turismo name. Owing to the world renowned artisans that Yamaha utilized on the project, having been building concert-quality pianos, guitars and other instruments for a century, the same craftsmen constructed the 2000GT rosewood dash and console and Mahogany steering wheel and shifter. All instruments were chrome trimmed and watch-like in design and the deep black perforated Tex-Mex style sport seats were the equal of any Italian exotic.
It was truly the complete package. It set numerous records in Japan and won the 1967 Fuji 24 Hours outright; while Carroll Shelby campaigned three in America and saw 1-2 finishes three times. On the street it famously starred topless in the Bond film, You Only Live Twice, and came into the hands of several celebrity owners. As a driver’s car, Road and Track, Motor Trend, Car Life and others called it, essentially, “perfect.”
After his successful racing career, Otto Linton founded Speedcraft Enterprises in Devon, Pennsylvania, specializing in both sports cars and racing preparation. A relationship with the great importer Max Hoffman gave him access to a wide range of imports from MGs to Mercedes-Benz 300SLs. In 1966, he acquired a Toyota dealership and given his racing history, was immediately attracted to the Toyota 2000GT. He owned three 2000GTs, and of the three, serial number MF10-10100 was stated by him to be his favorite. Otto Linton is still active and was recently inducted as a “Legend of the Glen” at Watkins Glen and celebrated his 98th birthday at the Simeone Museum in May 2015.
After Mr. Linton’s stewardship, the car was passed to three succeeding collectors: the Jacobson Collection at Richard Toyota in Scranton, Pennsylvania; the collection of Sara and Brown Maloney in Washington State (who successfully drove the car in the 2010 Copper State 1000); and currently the consignor’s private collection. It was brought to marque experts Robert Tkacik and Peter Starr at Maine Line Exotics, who have owned or restored more than 50 U.S.-market 2000GTs since 1976. Mr. Tkacik’s inspection confirmed the originality of the car finding no evidence of any alteration or accident repair. Its original character and details were carefully preserved during the restoration performed in 2007; when the car was stripped to bare-metal and refinished in its original factory-correct color of Solar Red. Today, this car presents in splendid condition, with a grade of authenticity and correctness that is supported by the foremost Toyota 2000GT authorities.
A total of 62 were sold in the United States out of 351 worldwide, and values tripled within 10 years. The 2000GT is now the equal of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing or the BMW 507 as one of the most collectible post-war sports cars and arguably the most desirable Japanese car ever made.
Courtesy Speedville.com.
