The search for The Beast began in late 2003/early 2004 when I embarked upon a mission to replace the Mazda 323F that was sat on my drive. At the time, I had no idea which car I was destined to have but knew an early requirement was simply something "a bit special".
A chance sighting of a stunning Celica ST202 caught my attention and imagination, quickly followed by the beautiful revelation that Toyota had created a viciously powerful version of this classically shaped sports car; the ST205 GT-Four.
After lots of research, it was true lust - I had to have one.
It wasn’t long before I discovered a quietly celebrated fact amongst Japanese performance car enthusiasts in Britain - very powerful, very low mileage and very well maintained import vehicles can be found for well under £10,000. Not only could this destiny actually be fulfilled (rather unlike the perpetual Ferarri fantasy!) but it could be achieved right now and not years into the future following a lot of saving and a mid-life crisis!
The next two events in this story sealed the fate.
Firstly, I realised that throughout years of honing my driving skills on "Sega Rally" in the arcades, the car I had chosen to race nearly every time was in fact the ST205 GT-Four itself, albeit virtually! Who would have thought the schoolboy fantasy would come to fruition almost 10 years later when a chance conversation revealed a friend of a friend was selling his ST-205!
The deal was done, destiny had prevailed and I was now the very proud owner of a 1994 Japanese Import Celica GT-Four ST-205.
The only slight shadow cast on this gloriously happy ending seemed to be some cosmetic corrosion on each of the wheels. A small blip on this shining example of automotive perfection and something easily (though not necessarily cheaply) rectified. Life was good..... then The Beast bit back.
As the rosy glow began to wear off, problems began to emerge. Unfortunately on any 10 year old car, things will need replacing regardless of the level of care it has previously received.
I was forced to replace a number of parts, but the bigger issue weighing on my mind (and slowly destroying my spine) was the bone shaking rigidity of the TRD Coilover suspension with which I had bought the car.
The rural lanes of South Somerset/North Dorset have been cleverly constructed to destroy hard suspension and shake any thoughts of speed far from the frustrated motorist's mind. How is any journey enjoyable when you can feel your fillings loosening?!
In order to appreciate The Beast and avoid any kind of expensive dental bill, I arranged a swap for the standard ST205 suspension with another member of the Owners Club. I was quite happy with the new arrangement (although the ride-height seemed more 4x4 than GT-Four) but The Beast was not. Apparently after years of hard driving and racing in Japan it was not ready to retire to the country and punishment was in order.
So she got sick. Really sick. It was touch and go for a while with frightening thoughts of sale flitting through my mind. The list of problems seemed to be growing daily with each one edging The Beast further and further into the garage. Finally, after the Apexi Boost Controller gave up, the brakes squealed with worrying volume, the speedo stopped working, error codes 42 and 54 were present almost permanently and some idiot snapped the aerial off, I was reluctantly starting to accept that perhaps action was desperately needed.
The final nail in the coffin came shortly after. I had already become aware of some cornering difficulties when The Beast narrowly avoided smashing into a row of cars and a (terrified) woman doing only 10 mph in a car park. The back end was almost uncontrollable. Scary stuff. Not having pots of cash or really any spare time to tackle these huge problems, The Beast was reluctently taken off the road.
Fast forward to 9 months later. Almost as soon as The Beast had been temporarily entombed in the garage, I had began furious research and hard saving. After discovering a great garage in Weston Super Mare, making some friends who were, thankfully incredibly helpful and enthusiastic and spending £3000, the beast was back!
The list of replacements and improvements is fairly long, but includes one fantastic new gadget; brand new Tein Superstreet Coilover Suspension complete with EDFC damping force controller. After this and a gargantuan 6 week struggle, finally relinquished the perpetual error codes (hats off to Andy Ball).
The car, the ride, the entire driving experience is incredible. The power is awesome and the cornering ability nothing short of thrilling. Simply sit in the driver's seat and rev the engine - you are starkly reminded of the near 300 horses chomping at the bit under the bonnet as the growling bass note swells into a knee-trembling crescendo.
Pull away and the potential power strains at the vehicle, it wants to go fast, really fast. Put your foot down and hold tight as you're exploded forward with the velocity, snap and volume of a launching space shuttle.
Driving this car is like playing the lead role in a Hollywood action movie - scary, exhilarating and amazing. The sense of the dramatic is never lost whether you're streaking down the motorway in a blur of style, darting like a swallow along twisted country lanes or just looking damn cool while stuck in traffic. This car is a statement, a joy, a lifestyle.
At the time of writing (November 2005) I am living with my girlfriend Gemma, my 3 year old step-son Ben and my amazing car in Yeovil, Somerset. We’re all very happy together!
