1997 Toronto Toyota Sport Rally

This page has 62 pictures on it, i decided to have one big page rather than make you traverse the depths of mouse clicking. Grab a coffee, or beer, sit back, and relax while the whole page loads, then let me tell you my story of a group of Supraholics releasing some bottled tension..

DISCLAIMER: I am not a proffesional photographer, and i do not have professional equipment. I took these photos using a Kodak DC40 Digital Camera, which plugs right into my laptop, and to you, the net surfer.

This is Saturday August 16th, around 5:00p.m. I have finished washing, scrubbing, vacuuming, and cleaning my car for these pictures, and the meet. My home town has a bluff, or escarpment, rising some three to four hundred feet dividing the city into two halves. We are at the edge of this escarpment, and the clouds are seen all around us, allthough it is clear above me, and quite eeerie. After taking some 30 odd pictures of my car, i sit and watch the skies turn black, and the city become en-gulfed in mist. This was the first time i sat here during the onslught of a storm, and i will have to do it again sometime.

With the last pictures of my car taking today, i head home, pick up a pizza, and wait patiently for the dawn of a new day. The next morning, i replace my one worn tire(steel belts showing) with the spare, and park on the street. Then I drive to meet my brother, and catch him adding OCTANE BOOSTER to his little red supra, hoping it will be up to the task of thrashing some Mark 4 Heiney.

When we arrive at 9:45 a.m., the meet is well under way with 10 Supras on display. Typical Sounds of a Supra meet are heard from different directions:

"Pop the hood!" "What is THAT ??" "Your'e running NOS on a 1982 MKII" "Which Electronic Boost Controller is better?" "This car is CHERRY !" "How many Kilometres did you say this Supra has?" What is a Down-Pipe ?" "Hmmmmm, is that an 85, or an 86 Supra?".

By the time Noon rolled on in, i counted 6 MKII's, 9 MKIII's, and 4 MKIV's, 1 Corrolla, plus Bob, who didn't drive to the meet in a supra, but he had over 50% Toyota content in his dodge ram-van which was cleverley discguised inside as an 82 MKII.

In this first picture, we Alan Wood, and his Beautiful MKIV, who is from Rochester, Making this Rally truely International. The middle picture is what a MKII looks like running a 75-shot of laughing gas( NOS). the skies were indifferent most of the day, not knowing whether to pur like a sun-of-a-gun, or be nice and spare us a wet t-shirt contest(allthough not a bad idea for next years event, Andy, take a note).

I didn't realize this until now, but i wish i had grabbed a better picture of these three MKII's sitting beside each other. They were for all intesnive purposes identical to all but the most devout Supra fans. One was(is) for sale and had over 300,000 kilometers, but looked absolutely show room condition. Two of them were owned by the same person, and i can only think of that song "will i ever have to make up my mind, will i ever have to finally decide, try to drive one, and leave the other behind......."

For those of you thinking about upgrading your suspensions, here is a little information that you can sink your eyes balls on. The car on the left is mine, a 1987 with factory everything, rims, tires, springs, struts. The middle car is Rupinders, a 1989, his spings are APEX, Tociko shocks, Arbet Type II 17" rims, BGF 235-45-17 ZR3 tires. . The car on the right is my brother Pauls, also a 1989, and he has Tokico Illuminas II (TEMS), H&R springs, Stock rims and rubber. You can see there is quite a difference between the three cars. Now I have Suspension Envy ! It sure looks evil seeing those three red monsters beside each other ! What can they be up to, no good no doubt !!!

It is after 1 p.m., and we are getting anxious to dust some Rustangs From Alberta, so we head off. I was in a pack of 4 MKIII's. I couldn't of too many other better ways to get anywhere. The reactions of people on the street were hilarious, being last in the group, definately had some advantages. Are we ever gonna get passed this dump truck, or is he gonna spew his extra tires at us once he gets up to speed. Well, we didn't wait to find out, shazammmm, we blew by him, and several other cars like possesed demons.

Once down at the Lakeshore on Queens Quay(Pronounced QUEENS KEY, don't ask me why?), I locate a high perch from which to snap a shot or twenty. Way down there is a bunch of supra owners, what are they doing you ask? Well, they are waiting for me, i'd better get down there now. Travelling on foot in disguise now, we approach the resturaunt with caution, hearing rumours that other Supra Owners had come before us, and they were eaten by the local tribespeople.

Lunch went well, with more stories, pictures, and the occasional beer wench dropping a tray of drinks on me, lacerating my shifting hand, which may never heel completely. Ah well, i drive an Auto-Magic, so i don't really need two hands.

Alan had some White mice, which were jalepenos peppers, covered with cheese and deep-fried. I only saw the plate for a moment, not even long enough to grab a picture, so i am asuming they were delicious. Once again, I am on top of the parking arcade, and i see two white MKIV's down below, with their flashers on. Oh yeah, waiting for me, bye......

Once down on terra-firma, the photo oportunities are boundless, so off i go snapping here, there, everywhere. I didn't even notice the sky-dome was in the back-ground until making this web page up, talk about being absorbed in one self. We cruised up younge street, side by each, for the most part, and made it our next destination, at Younge and St. Clair. Numbers are dwindling now, but the Toyota Spirit is high, as seen on this third shot where Rupinder, Vinko, and Alan are seen singing "I love what you do for me, TOYOTA !!!"

Once inside, we relaxed once agin, from the strain of dodging taxi-cabs on younge street, and grab a soothing cup of java. Up to the second floor, looking out over the animal exhibit, oh wait, that is Younge Street.

Parden me girls, I've dropped my Twizzler, can you pass it back to me up here ? Is that you Rochester folks pick up women in the BIG APPLE Alan? I am particaularily fond of this middle picture, partly because my car is in the foreground, but mostly because I starting to flash-back on all the fun I have had today.

One last shot as people are suiting up for battle once again. Our planned route of escape, back down Younge street, west on the gardiner, where we will say our good-byes on the high-way doing well over the posted speed limits.

This is hard work keeping up to Alan, ahhh, finally, smile for the birdy. whooops, there he goes again.

Time to send in the first line of defense, a highly modified 1989 MKIII Toyota Supra Turbo. I wonder what they are talking about, pinkslips, registrations, insurance...whooops, conversation over, they are outa here ! And when you drive a Supra, OUTA HERE takes on a totally new meaning.

This was the last we saw of Alan, he turned towards Niagara, and my brother and I towards Home. We stopped at a Tim Hortons for a coffee once in town, and we were approached my a Rustang owner. I have talked with him on other occasions. He asked me what years the two supras were, and how we could tell them apart from other years. I simply asked him if he could tell different year Mustangs from one and other, he said ofcourse, naturally, and I just raised my arms up and shruged my shoulders. I think he understood, hehehe.

I hope you enjoyed these pictures and the stories accompanying them. I didn't realize i took so many pictures until Monday morning, but each one is priceless, and worth much more than 2 thousand words each.

If you see any pictures that you would like for your web page, or private collection, send me an e-mail, and i will forward you the uncompressed picture, which is 3 times the size and resolution.

Take a look at last years event, the Canadian Supra Appreciation Day
Back to my home page then

This page last modified on August 20th, 1997

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