Canada is Sending This 200mph-Potential, LS-Powered Toyota Celica To Florida!
There are enough definitions of “what is a street car” to fill several pages of a dictionary, and when Toyota is brought up in the “fast street car” discussion, most would think of a Supra.
Steve Groenink would like a word though. His unique 1973 Toyota Celica aims to get a lot of second looks, and not just because of the clean and unique appearance.
Steve got his feet wet in the drag-and-drive community as a co-driver at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2016. That triggered him to get his own build ready for street miles and track passes, and the Toyota landed on the cover of Sick the Magazine issue 5/6, photo’d while competing at Miles of Mayhem in 2021, where he posted the second-quickest overall average time of the Canadian event.
Now he will make the long drive to Florida to compete in Sick Week.
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The Toyota known as Zongo sports an all-business 25.2-spec chassis under the dark blue outer skin, while the engine bay is filled with a 388 cubic inch all-aluminum LS engine.
A massive Precision XPR series 98mm single turbocharger feeds the extra atmosphere to the intake that’s too tall to reside under the hood.
And instead of a big pair of slicks, Steve is choosing the 315 mm size radial to provide the traction.
Despite its racy appearance, Steve states his first priority with the car is making sure it can be driven reliably.
“If I can’t cruise the car regularly, then I don’t want it,” he stated. “I usually put on about 2500 miles a year.”
He’s hoping to get into the six-second range at over 200mph at Sick Week 2023 Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, but his main goal is to finish with his fiancé Amanda Russell riding with him.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Steve Groenink.