One to Buy: 7-time IMSA GTO race-winning 1986 Toyota Celica AAR GTO
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Having successfully campaigned third generation A60 Celicas on Toyota’s behalf in IMSA’s junior GTU category, Dan Gurney’s renowned All American Racers was commissioned by the Japanese manufacturer to manage a three-year programme in the premier GTO category using the newly released fourth generation T160 Celica for 1986, ‘87 and ‘88.
The resultant machine was purpose-built from the ground up. AAR created a custom tube frame chassis with a 5-600bhp turbocharged 2.1-litre ‘four’ hooked up to a five-speed transaxle and draped in a handsome T160-style bodyshell.
The AAR-Toyota partnership took third in the standings in 1986, won it in 1987 and were runners up for the Celica’s final year of competition in 1988.
Just three examples of the spectacular IMSA GTO title-winning Celica were built by AAR, one of which, chassis 86T-002, is currently on the market with Canepa in Scotts Valley, California.
Used for all three seasons of AAR’s enormously successful GTO campaign, chassis 002 was initially allocated to Dennis Aase for the ‘86 championship, during which it contested seven races, finished on the podium four times and won the Watkins Glen 500.
Chassis 002 ran 17 events in the title-winning season of 1987. Chris Cord was behind the wheel at every race; he collected ten podium finishes and four wins (Riverside, Laguna Seca, Portland and Del Mar). For the longer events (Daytona 24 Hours (8th oa), Sebring 12 Hours (9th oa) and Road America 500 (DNF), Cord was partnered by Juan Fangio II.
002’s career concluded after a 1988 season in which it was shared by Cord and Aase. It ran a dozen races, collected five podiums and one victory (for Cord at the Watkins Glen 500).
Today this most significant Toyota GT racing car is offered in completely restored condition with an extensive spares package.
