The road to restoring the Toyota 2000GT – Part 2
Earlier this year, Toyota announced that they are in the process of restoring their legendary 2000GT. This of course is no easy task as finding parts for this icon was extremely hard as the vehicle was very rare. Therefore, Toyota Gazoo Racing has further announced that they would be reproducing replacement parts for the Toyota 2000GT as well as the A70 and A80 Supra models.
Obtaining the parts was just one challenge, selecting a team that would be able to nut and bolt this crown jewel of Toyota legends, the 2000GT, was the next difficult part. The team that would take up the project would be the father-and-son duo Wynand Strydom Sr and Wynand Strydom Jr from Generation Old School Benoni. Their repertoire ranges from Concours-winning Beetles and Microbuses, all the way to American muscle cars such as Mustangs and Chargers.
The Toyota 2000GT did get released in 1967, so many of the team had not one in person. Luckily, the teams in charge are experts with years of experience and had above and beyond done some research before beginning the restoring process. Most of the team believed in using the revival parts rather than the replacement ones. This not only gives the vehicle more value but also maintains its originality. To help the team achieve this task, Toyota South Africa provided a large book that detailed every single process to disassemble the car and every part number.
Not too long after the vehicle had arrived at Generation Old School, the work had begun. Lead on the restoration, Wynand Jr, says the whole process has been a learning curve for everyone that has been involved. Everything from the nuts and bolts had to be removed with care and patience as replacing it will be an even bigger task.
The body has been separated from the chassis after nearly 53 years. Wynand Jr confirmed that key components of the chassis are in good condition, with minimal renewal work needed. Whatever other parts needed have been either been replaced or completely refurbished. One of the four items on the list was the magnesium alloy wheels which needed special paint preparation and paint to be restored to the original colour.
Inside, the front facia has made it stressful for the team to remove items. An example of this is the wood trim which has become very faded and brittle, not to mention extremely thin. The chrome detailing cannot afford to be bent when being removed as many of the wires were already crumbling at a single touch. Another challenge upon working on it is that the vehicle is very compact which makes it even harder. Wynand Jr has reportedly made numerous bumps on his head due to this.
All individual components have been placed into small packet bags which have been labelled and safely store for refurbishment. The body and chassis have already arrived at Dino’s Classic Restoration, who had to not only take out any small dents and deformations but also focus on the most intricate of details. Paint preparation has also begun, with the team aiming to match to the original paint too. The next big question however remains, what colour should this once-in-a-lifetime restoration be? The chassis number MF10-10207 lists the original colour as Thunder Silver, but many have agreed that its colour should remain Solar Red.
More about this exciting journey will come out in due time.