Elizabeth’s Celica Supras

Elizabeth’s introduction to the automotive world begins with a 1989 Toyota Celica GTS convertible. A memorable first car that sparked a lasting determination to learn the mechanics behind what made cars tick. “I wanted to know how best to care for it and work on it, so I took an intro automotive class at a local community college.” This curiosity led her to work as a lube and tire technician before she took on a more technical role at The Garaj, a shop specializing in Porsche repairs, where she apprenticed under the owner for two years. It is this experience that helped lay the foundation for Elizabeth to dive into the world of Supras and car culture with confidence.

With this new found knowledge and skill under her belt Elizabeth decided to go for something a little more fun—something RWD and having already had an appreciation for the less sporty model. A Celica Supra seemed like the obvious choice. “I wanted a car that could take me further and be more fun to drive,” she shares.

The first Celica Supra she bought, however, was in really rough shape—severe rust, minimal interior, and a car that looked abandoned for years. “I got rid of it pretty quickly,” she recalls. “It had a blown head gasket, and after discovering the head was cracked, I had to sell it.” But this setback didn’t stop her; it only fueled her passion for the model and showed Elizabeth just how much she appreciated the Celica Supra’s unique design and driving experience.

Her second Supra, a 1986 model she affectionately named Lilith, was a more serious project with its own set of challenges. The car had been Frankensteined by a previous owner with a mishmash of 5M and 6M turbo parts, which led to major issues down the line.

“I had driven it for months without noticing a serious issue, but one day, the car overheated, and everything went downhill from there,” Elizabeth says. She had taken the car on a 10-hour trip to visit family in upstate New York when disaster struck. “The check engine light started flashing, and about 10 minutes later, smoke started filling my hatch. I pulled over and saw that the plastic trim above my exhaust was on fire.” It wasn’t the kind of breakdown anyone wants.

After the fire, she found herself stuck on the side of the road, watching as her car went up in flames. But just when things seemed bleak, a group of locals stopped and offered to help, taking her in for Thanksgiving dinner before driving her to the bus station to catch a ride home. “I lost so much in that fire, but those kind strangers made that awful day a little better,” she reflects.

Her boyfriend, who picked her up from a bus stop in the dead of winter in a blacked-out, slammed BMW E36, would later become an integral part of her life and her Supra story. The two met after his impromptu rescue, and she jokingly asked, “Since you rescued me, does that mean it’s a date?” Their relationship blossomed from there, and it’s a bond that only grew stronger through their shared love of cars.

After getting rid of Lilith, Elizabeth found her third Supra, which would eventually become her pride and joy.

“After the fire, I was stubbornly attached to the chassis, and I decided third time’s the charm,” she says. She bought it locally from a used car dealership where it had been the owner’s personal car for some time. Unfortunately, the car’s previous owner had done some less-than-ideal work on the engine, resulting in oil starvation and internal damage. So when Elizabeth pulled the engine apart and found the internal carnage, it was clear the engine needed more than a head gasket replacement.

“I knew I had to fix it, but I’d never done an engine swap before, so this was a huge undertaking,” she says. After considering several options, she decided against sticking with the original 5M engine to handle the punishment a drift build would bring.

After some searching, she found a 1JZ-GE on Facebook Marketplace for $1,000. Without hesitation, she drove to pick it up and immediately began work on the swap. “It took a month from buying the engine to having it running and driving,” she recalls.

Elizabeth had a big reason to get the build done quickly. “I wanted to drive it to New York to give my grandfather a ride,” she shares. “That was the original plan, but when the car (Her previous Supra) broke down, I wasn’t able to. I got the engine swap done just in time. After taking him for the ride, his health started to fail quickly, and he passed away last month. It was really the last chance.”

Despite all the challenges, Elizabeth has developed a deep attachment to her Supra, and she’s constantly evolving her build.

The car now boasts a welded diff, BC coilovers, and a custom front stance with extended lower control arms—perfect for her drifting needs. “It was a lot of work, but now I’ve got a car that’s ready to hit the track,” she says with pride.

“I want to add a body kit next—something with a less aggressive bosozoku style,” she says, already thinking ahead to future upgrades like custom rear springs, blast pipes, and perhaps a repaint.

Through all the ups and downs, Elizabeth’s story reflects the heart of the Supra community—one built on passion, perseverance, and a shared love for these iconic cars. As she continues to learn, grow, and drift her Supra, she’s grateful for the people who’ve helped her along the way and the cars that have defined her journey.

Owner: Elizabeth Yarbrough

The Car: 1982 Toyota Celica Supra

Photographers: s10.hud, Widau, Pops Media

Editor: Emily Soloman