They are both priced at $600.
The Miata needs a new front fender, fuel pump and filter (the missing window in the top doesn't bother me, as either of these cars will be fair weather only).
The Celica needs carb work and some minor leak-fixing.
I think both would be a blast. I've owned a '92 Miata, and I've owned trucks with the 20-series Toyota engine, so niether would be totally foreign ground and I think either would be fun as a fun auto-x/decent mpg commuter (better than my F250 DD, by a long shot).
So, what syest the GRM community? Which would you choose, AND WHY?
Celica for me, they are bullet proof, and there will not be another at the autocross.
RWD goodness either way FTW
Celica for sure...it's just cooler and you can't beat vintage J-tin!
They're both going to take some work to bring back to life. Expect a carb rebuild/injector cleaning as well as things like sticky brakes, new tires, goo in the radiator and the like. I'd look around to see if I could find a Miata in currently operational condition for $1500-2000, as I think you'd end up spending the same amount of cash.
Don't know enough about the Toyota to have an opinion, although what else shows up at the autox is of no concern to me 
How old does a Miata have to be in order to be "vintage"? It's 22 already...
Keith Tanner wrote:
They're both going to take some work to bring back to life. Expect a carb rebuild/injector cleaning as well as things like sticky brakes, new tires, goo in the radiator and the like. I'd look around to see if I could find a Miata in currently operational condition for $1500-2000, as I think you'd end up spending the same amount of cash.
You're right on all points. But, because I don't need the car, I can spread the cost over months as I'm building it up through the winter all while having a project to work on. Believe me, if I had the $2000, I would go for something in that range, but because this is solely for project purposes, the budget allocated to me from Mrs. Dustoff is much lower than that.
Ordinarily, my default answer would be the Miata.
However, my first "sports" car was a '78 Celica gt, so for equal money, I'd have to choose the 'Yota in this case. Just for personal, sentimental reasons.
Plus, I already have Miatas, and always will. Cheap Miatas are still out there, but cheap-but-salvageable earlier Celicas are becoming hard to find, at least where I live.
Either one will take a few bucks, and a bit of work, to get them rolling nicely. In this case, I'd take the road less-travelled and grab the Celica.
For once, Mata isn't the answer. Get it, already!
Celica, fix, sell for $4-5k, then buy ALL THE MIATAS,
Seems to be that Celica is the popular choice.
I echo those sentiments.
You guys are just rebelling against the fact that the Miata is popular. Damn hipsters...
Celica . . .
They seem to be dead simple to work on . . . philips and flat head screwdrivers along with 10,12,14,15, 17, 19 mm sockets . . .and car should nearly down to the body 
Strike_Zero wrote:
Celica . . .
They seem to be dead simple to work on . . . philips and flat head screwdrivers along with 10,12,14,15, 17, 19 mm sockets . . .and car should nearly down to the body
You can say the same thing about a third generation RX-7.
Keith Tanner wrote:
You guys are just rebelling against the fact that the Miata is popular. Damn hipsters...
Can't say that about all of us.... my other car is a 77 Colt......
celica is cooler but really a miata would probably be more fun.
Celica, and that's saying a lot because i rather dislike the 2nd gens... mostly because they're so hideous compared to the 1st gen.
Duke
PowerDork
9/18/13 9:03 a.m.
Live axle on the Celica. IRS on the Miata.
Matt B
SuperDork
9/18/13 9:11 a.m.
The Celica is better at being more interesting.
The Miata is better at being... well better at everything else.
So far, the tally is:
Celica: 13 votes
Miata: 5 votes
I will be sending some emails today, so we'll see what my impression is of the owners and the history of the cars.
