Celica Basics
There is no way we could ever dream of putting down all the Celica tech that is possible or would be of interest. But the basic information that new Celica owners are often interested in is something we want to preserve and make more readily available. This section is likely to change and expand as time allows. The files we share here are not for resale or distribution but for your personal use only.
Celica Parts Lists
1970-1977 Celica Master Parts Catalogue
This PDF is the Master Parts Catalogue, doesn’t include some of the superseded Flat light GT and GTV bits, but it has most of the JDM parts right through till 1977.
TA20 JAF - FIA Paperwork
If the weird and wonderful part numbers are more your thing check this out, it’s the 1971 FIA approved race car parts and homologation paperwork.
Owners Manuals
Toyota Model Codes
There is no easier way to find out how you Celica was first assembled than to have a look at the Build plate for you Classic Celica and decipher its Model Code.
The build plate is not your compliance plate, your local registration authority will not care about anything it tells you and they are optional so in many cases may have been removed.
The first step before you get carried away is to make sure the Build plate on your car, is actually the one for your car. So thankfully the Frame Number, or Chassis number is included in the details it displays. Check it matches the one stamped on your firewall (and on your compliance plate).
Model Codes sometimes start with an A, B or C at the front, you can ignore these.
Example of a Celica Model Codes are:
TA22 – H – MMR
TA23R – M – MMR
The most important part of the Celica Model code is probably the Dash! You must make sure you reference the correct location for each part of the information.
Part 1 (eg: TA22)
The first letter is for the Engine Family so in the case of the Classic Celica it will be T or R for the T series and R series engine family (eg: 2T-B, 18R-G etc)
The second letter is the Chassis family so will be an A which defines the early Celica, Carina and Supra line of vehicles.
The next two digits are numbers and define the body style:
20,21,22 – Early Celica coupe
23 – Late Celica coupe
24 – Late Celica coupe, N.American spec
25,27 – Early Celica lift back
28 – Late Celica lift back
29 – Late Celica lift back, N.American spec
35 – Late model Celica coupe or lift back, Japan spec
After the numbers there is sometimes a Letter:
L for left hand drive.
R for right hand drive.
No letter means it was right hand drive.
Part 2 – Between the Dashes’
A – American market
B – After Oct 1975 – Twin carb engine with single cam
C – Swedish market (after 1975 and only as last character)
G – rearrangement of engine bay to suit twin cam engine
H – Automatic gearbox
K – 4 Speed manual gearbox
M – 5 Speed Manual gearbox
S – Hardtop ( Not used on the A20-29 Celica.)
Q – Sports suspension (level 1) and dual circuit brakes
X – Sports suspension (level 2) and dual circuit brakes
Z – Rearrangement of engine bay to suit twin carb,
single cam engine
Part 3
The two letters after the second Dash are used to define the Exterior and Interior trim level and should be the same, eg: EE or MM, or GG etc. The First letter is the Exterior Trim, the second (and third if shown) is for the Interior. The third letter when shown is either R or L for RHD or LHD.
B – ET Japanese Spec
D – LT Japanese Spec
S – ST Japanese Spec
G – GT Japanese Spec
E – GTV
M – LT
N – ST
J – LT American spec (often without LT badge)
A – ST American spec
U – GT American spec
Y – GT European spec
Additional info re Interior Trim Codes:
M and D – LT is also known as Deluxe Type
N and S – ST is also known as Custom Type
Build Dates
There is very little available in regard to referencing the Build date of your Classic Celica and even less about how many were made and when.
Thankfully we are not the only Celica fans who can use the interwebs and “Stepho’s Site” has been the go to location for a very, very long time. And some info deserves a second online reference point to make sure its preserved. Since there is no point reinventing what is already great info – here is the Celica specific data just as Stepho has it.
# Figures indicate the frame number of the first vehicle produced in that year and month
# Each model type has its own sequence (eg: both RA22-007000 and TA22-007000 were made).
# Models sold in different markets still share the same sequence (eg: there is only one RA21-001000 even though the RA21 was sold in both Japan and America).
# Different options within the one model still share the same sequence (eg: RA21-001000 might be a GT and RA21-001001 might be an LT).
1971 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA22 | 5309 | 9258 | 13868 | 17761 | 21677 | 26642 | 31143 | 35884 | 38987 | 43597 | 47898 | 52988 |
| RA20 | 1 | 149 | 1720 | 4728 | 8186 | 11811 | 15356 | |||||
| RA21 | 1 | 1761 | 5989 | 10540 | 14769 |
1972 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA22 | 57588 | 60966 | 65780 | 71443 | 76209 | 80943 | 86919 | 93103 | 96824 | 102560 | 110281 | 117456 |
| RA21 | 19110 | 24254 | 28921 | 33538 | 38664 | 45116 | 49717 | 53799 | 56549 | 62461 | 68404 | 74356 |
1973 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA22 | 123483 | 129050 | 135344 | 146499 | 150772 | 155486 | 161425 | 167199 | 172282 | 175469 | 179938 | 185290 |
| RA21 | 81095 | 87270 | 93591 | 100740 | 105596 | 111588 | 116071 | 120352 | 123530 | 129853 | 137551 | 144553 |
1974 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA22 | 188945 | 192013 | 194434 | 197064 | 199846 | 203248 | 205907 | 208443 | 211197 | 214204 | 217534 | 220698 |
| TA27 | 26751 | 27783 | 28863 | 29977 | 32073 | 34291 | 36365 | |||||
| RA21 | 150818 | 156812 | 165529 | 174308 | 181396 | 188837 | 197383 | 206162 | 208526 | 208650 | 208805 | 208941 |
| RA22 | 1174 | 7554 | 13444 | 18822 |
1975 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA22 | 223550 | 226512 | 228934 | 231417 | 233986 | 237337 | 240420 | 243739 | 246822 | 250828 | 253165 | |
| TA27 | 38136 | 39809 | 41595 | 43760 | 46149 | 48240 | 50494 | 53184 | 55510 | 59632 | 61582 | |
| RA21 | 209042 | 209096 | 209201 | 209328 | 209433 | 209532 | 209644 | 209741 | 209800 | 209868 | 209893 | |
| RA22 | 23900 | 28170 | 31131 | 33360 | 37341 | 42776 | 48922 | 56632 | 62817 | 62818 | 62817 | |
| RA23 | 9 | 27 | 786 | |||||||||
| RA24 | 10 | 1664 | 8403 | |||||||||
| RA28 | 21 | 45 | 1834 | |||||||||
| RA29 | 10 | 1013 | 5053 |
1976 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA28 | 3294 | 4554 | 6449 | 9007 | 11764 | 13941 | 14952 | 16334 | 17569 | 18789 | 20160 | 21006 |
| RA23 | 1025 | 1418 | 1634 | 2030 | 2940 | 4034 | 4995 | 6059 | 7245 | 8392 | 8935 | 9308 |
| RA24 | 13396 | 18963 | 24724 | 29563 | 34332 | 38935 | 42891 | 47225 | 50152 | 55093 | 60373 | 66217 |
| RA28 | 2729 | 3927 | 5118 | 7166 | 8861 | 10959 | 13086 | 15040 | 16448 | 18129 | 19698 | 22051 |
| RA29 | 8645 | 12688 | 16864 | 21498 | 26022 | 31397 | 37272 | 44081 | 48607 | 56204 | 64231 | 73213 |
1977 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| TA23 | 23772 | 24927 | 25706 | 26347 | 26951 | 27639 | 28255 | 29142 | ||||
| TA28 | 22345 | 23324 | 24506 | 25527 | 26015 | 26638 | 27136 | 27654 | ||||
| RA23 | 9994 | 10413 | 10846 | 11208 | 11696 | 12096 | 12329 | 12583 | ||||
| RA24 | 71644 | 77074 | 82650 | 88579 | 94058 | 99240 | 103143 | 108495 | ||||
| RA28 | 23675 | 24608 | 25373 | 26166 | 26861 | 27741 | 28530 | 29196 | ||||
| RA29 | 81535 | 89896 | 98205 | 107195 | 116090 | 126353 | 138421 | 153354 |
*The Celica Production data above is stolen directly from Stepho’s page
Engines
The T series Range
The first Celica’s built in 1970 were released with the T series engine. The Range as factory fitted into the Classic Celica was comprised of only 5 variants. These were the T, 2T, 2T-B, 2T-C, and 2T-G.
The R Series Range
The R series engine was first fitted into a Celica in Feb of 1971 when the first RA20 was built.
Trans
& Axel codes
Trans codes
The “Trans” code is your Gearbox identifier. And with Classic Celica’s there were not that many options. Before 1975 each gearbox option had a code, and the Three codes are listed below. 3FC – 3 speed auto, floor shift 5F1 – 5 speed manual, floor shift, option #1 5F2 – 5 speed manual, floor shift, option #2 5F1 means the first in the series of 5 speed manual gearboxes offered on that car and engine. On a car with a T series engine it means a T50 and on a car with an R series engine it means a W50. 5F2 means the second in the series of 5 speed manual gearboxes offered on that car and engine. On a car with an R series engine it means a P51. After 1975 things got a lot easier, instead of a code number for the gearbox, the actual gearbox identity was listed instead. Eg: T50, W50, P51, A30, A40, etc.
Axel codes
The Axle Code is of course your diff code, which is really the information mostly about the “Third member” part of your diff. What does that mean, basically it is just the size, ratio, and number of pinion gears in the diff that is fitted to your Celica. You will Generally find Axle codes of the D, T and F variety in your Celica. For the 1970-75 owners among us D and T diffs are only 0.08″ difference in size, so relax if you have a “D” type.
If you have a Super early Classic, you may have the S series 6.38″ diff – it’s easy to pick as it only has 8 bolts instead of 10 to hold in the Third member (The Diff Centre assembly) If you have one of these, the T series is a worthy upgrade.
Since The Toyota Diff codes are best viewed as a set, the non-Celica stuff is listed here as well because let’s face it, many of us no longer have the Diff the factory fitted under our Celica’s. This info was originally posted up on the Roadrunners site which has long vanished and was then listed on my previous site of Celica City – also gone since the early 2000’s so you have probably seen it regurgitated all over the web in other places. Thanks still go out to Roadrunner who put the list together way back in the day.
| First Digit | Second & Third Digits | |||||||||
| Diameter of ring gear | Code | Gear Ratio | Code | Gear Ratio | Code | Gear Ratio | Code | |||
| 138mm | A | 3.3 | 1 | 3.364 | 27 | 3.356 | 48 | |||
| 145mm | B | 3.36 | 2 | 4.3 | 28 | 3.729 | 49 | |||
| 6.25″ | C | 3.545 | 3 | 4.1 | 29 | 3.4 | 50 | |||
| 6.62″ | D | 3.556 | 4 | 3.727 | 30 | 3.736 | 51 | |||
| 7.1″ | E | 3.7 | 5 | 3.909 | 31 | 3.722 | 52 | |||
| 7.5″ | F | 3.889 | 6 | 6.591 | 32 | 3.25 | 53 | |||
| 8″ | G | 3.9 | 7 | 4.807 | “ | 3.941 | 54 | |||
| 9″ | H | 4.111 | 8 | 7.503 | 33 | 3.333 | 55 | |||
| 9.25″ | J | 4.222 | 9 | 5.583 | “ | 2.821 | 56 | |||
| 9.5″ | K | 4.375 | 10 | 6.781 | 34 | 4.058 | 57 | |||
| 10.5″ | L | 4.444 | 11 | 4.786 | “ | 3.238 | 58 | |||
| 12.5″ | M | 4.625 | 12 | 7.636 | 35 | 3.234 | 59 | |||
| 13.5″ | N | 4.79 | 13 | 5.6 | “ | 3.519 | 60 | |||
| 14″ | P | 4.875 | 14 | 4.778 | 36 | 2.724 | 61 | |||
| 12″ | Q | 5.125 | 15 | 3.583 | 37 | 2.892 | 62 | |||
| 162mm | R | 5.286 | 16 | 3.417 | 38 | 2.655 | 63 | |||
| 6.38″ | S | 5.6 | 17 | 3.154 | 39 | 4.312 | 64 | |||
| 6.7″ | T | 5.714 | 18 | 5.375 | 40 | 3.837 | 65 | |||
| 6″ | U | 5.833 | 19 | 3.308 | 41 | 3.071 | 66 | |||
| 10.6″ | V | 6.167 | 20 | 6.5 | 42 | 3.526 | 67 | |||
| 15.5″ | W | 6.667 | 21 | 3.55 | 43 | 3.095 | 68 | |||
| 142mm | X | 6.78 | 22 | 3.214 | 44 | 4.176 | 69 | |||
| 158mm | Y | 6.833 | 23 | 3.533 | 45 | 5.857 | 70 | |||
| 202mm | Z | 7.64 | 24 | 2.928 | 46 | 2.962 | 71 | |||
| no ring gear | – | 4.556 | 25 | 2.929 | “ | 3.949 | 72 | |||
| 5.571 | 26 | 3.944 | 47 | 4.285 | 73 | |||||
| Fourth Digit | |||
| Number of Pinions | Code | Limited Slip | |
| ..meaning | |||
| 2 | 2 | NO | T312 = 6.7″ Ring gear, 3.909 Ratio and 2 spider NO LSD |
| 2 | 3 | YES | G295 = 8″ Ring gear, 4.100 ratio and 4 spider LSD. |
| 4 | 4 | NO | -474 = NO ring gear (FWD) 3.944 Ratio and 4 spider NO LSD |
| 4 | 5 | YES | P194 = someone just sold you a truck diff…. OOOPS! |