Another novice question.

I've seen some photos on forums of the trunks of several 1st generation Celicas that seem to have big (seems like) metal boxes in them.

Could be a gas tank, but I'm not sure.

I did read on a post that some 1st generation Celicas had problems with rear ends and the gas tank exploded? Was that outside of America or everywhere in the world?

This confuses me because I owned a 1971 Celica and never heard of anything like that happening back then.

Thanks for the replies.

Place photos if you can that show me what I've seen.

Now that sounded like I don't know what I'm talking about, but I really don't know what I've seen.

I think the '71-72s had the gashole behind the license plate. Then for the '73 it was in the C-pillar. I've never heard of any cars blowing up though.

The early 71-72 Celicas have the gas tank on the bottom of the trunk floor much like the early mustangs did from 64-66 etc. I think people just kind of grouped that tank design as one giant flaw and if you remember correctly the mustang had a slight problem when gettting rearended. The tank would rupture and the fuel would slosh into the drivers compartment. If ignited by something well then you'd have yourself a problem. I think that might be the problem that you're talking about with the celica, but again. I've never heard it with this car.

The big metal can on the back of the seat was the emission canister for the EVAP system. But that was only in the California cars. My 71 doesn't have it and I've only seen one car that still did. But it was in a junkyard.

Thanks for your replies.

I wasn't that clear about where the tank was located.

The tank I saw was in the trunk of the car - not the back seat. And it was square with, if I remember the photo correctly now, there were tube coming out of it with another container type thing to the left (facing into the trunk from outside).

The 1971 Celicas, indeed, had the gas tanks (where you put gas in the car) behind the driver's license, but I've notice on some now that they don't have the license plate there and that most don't how the license plate at all. I would think they would only cover it over somehow if photoing it and didn't want it shown.

To be honest, when I owned the original 1971 Celica (bought it new) I never saw the care before I owned it and rarely after (in any paint color), and this was California where a lot of people buy new cars every couple years.

Thanks again.

The gas cap cover is just a metal flip panel with a badge on it. The plate mounts under the bumper and on the rear valance. It's not like your typical impala or torino style where the flip panel hold the plate.

Toyota had a little more style in the Dept.

I always thought that back flap was a classic way to hide and set the gas spout in a spot where, in those days, you could pull the very long gas hose from any direction to fill the car up - even across the car if you didn't mind the gas hose being pulled over the car body.

I'll try to post a link to what I saw when I come across it again.

Not sure why I didn't think of that in the first place, so forgive me on that.

Thanks for the replies.

Oh, okay pertano, I guess I was thinking Carina.
The funny thing is, though, a gas tank could be mounted anywhere and you could still think of something dangerous about it!

EDIT: Shoot, Carina's not like that either! Was it Mark II?

The carina and Celica are basically the same car. They share the same chassis. But as far as your gas tank thing you're right. Remember the chevy trucks couldn't be t-boned without exploding? I remember that on the news when I was a kid. My Dad had one, and I use to be scared that he was going to wreck it.