The fourth-generation Toyota Crown is one the most outlandish designs in the company’s long history. The space-age front end was like nothing else at the time, and like nothing else since. Predictably, it was quite polarizing, leading to perhaps an aborted sales period in the US market.
The Kujira Crown, as it is more commonly known (kujira means baleen whale in Japanese), was sold for less than one year in the US, 1972. However, the third-generation Crown was also listed officially as having been sold in 1972, leading to some confusion in official documents. Realistically, the Kujira was likely offered for half a year or so before the Crown model was canceled for US markets. Whether the design was the culprit is unknown.
By some accounts, about 4,000 left-hand-drive examples made it to the US before discontinuation. Most were sedans, making the coupes (chassis code MS75) extremely rare (and the wagons even rarer). There are probably at the very most a couple dozen US-spec models left, and now one is being offered for sale on Craigslist in Tustin, California.
The seller says they bought it from the original owners “a couple of years ago” and had planned to restore it, but is now moving on to other things. It has not been driven for a while and the seller recommends a gas tank flush. Likely, with California’s ethanol-infused gasoline, a new sending unit will be required as well.
Otherwise, the car remains mostly stock. Non-original items we can observe from the photos include a Weber carburetor, an aftermarket tachometer, a Momo Prototipo steering wheel, some wiring hacks in the engine bay, and the odd re-routing of a brake line. The seller says the original owner repainted the car, in what looks like the same color as factory, red, but the car could obviously use a thorough respray.
It also seems to have worn a dealer-added vinyl roof at some point, resulting in discoloration and surface rust on the roof and pillars. As expected, the dashpad has many cracks, and even right-hand-drive replacements are essentially extinct, never mind LHD ones. Otherwise, the car is very complete.
There is no word on how many miles the original 2.6-liter 4M straight-six has, but the point is moot as you are highly unlikely to find another specimen of any mileage. On the plus side, it’s mated to a 4-speed manual as opposed to the Toyoglide.
The owner is asking $8,000, and will throw in extra parts such as a Japanese dual-carb manifold, rare 5-lug Longchamp XR-4 wheels, 510 Bluebird fender mirrors (which remain thankfully uninstalled), and the original steering wheel. They are also open to offers, so if this one ticks your boxes the ad can be found on Craigslist Orange County.
Fair warning: I’m out of the country until Monday. You all have five days to buy this before I return and am forced to do so.
Looks like it’s already gone.
<3
When I tapped on the link, it said the posting was already deleted by the author!
That was quick!
“The fourth-generation Toyota Crown is one the most outlandish designs…”
Hmmmm, what’s this say about the Kenmeri of the same period? Haha. Maybe I’m just too long a Nissan person but it’s reminiscent to me.
It’s the details of the Crown that are outlandish… the double grille, UFO lights, body-colored bumpers, etc…
SOLD! Damn it!
Uber Cool!
Defo best looking Crown for me…my dad had next gen 1979 and while drove ok was not pretty and he also drove 6th gen 1982 which was a big step up with the 2.8 efi lump but had a huge slab of metal for a tail that looked like it would fall off when the car was fully loaded…
Defo best looking Crown for me…my dad had next gen 1979 and while drove ok, it was not pretty and he also drove 6th gen 1982 which was a big step up with the 2.8 efi lump but had a huge slab of fabricated metal for a tail that looked like it would fall off when the car was loaded at the back…
This 1990 Century is near me and I want it so bad, but don’t have the room with our other vehicles. https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/d/spring-rare-classic-toyota/7087221596.html
Someone on here please buy her and share lots of pics.
Interesting. I have four of these MS75’s in various condition from: saved from crusher to solid driveable bought from original owner.
What’s your email? I am interested
warm_shade@yahoo.com
Replaced by the Corona Mark II in the US.