The Celica GT-Four is a cool car, no doubt. But for John Mamone, it’s honestly not about the car. It’s about the friendships. Interesting cars are just the common thread here… the glue. Yeah-yeah I know that sounds cliché. But when you break it down, it’s everything.
Take it from Daddy-O here…
When you’re young… in your teens & 20s… epic friendships seem to come easily & effortlessly. But as you get older (and it happens faster than you’re prepared for I promise) your down friends have the tendency to become… less down. And more distant. In other words, adult friendships need to become more deliberate & intentional. Start thinking for a minute & be honest… at what point are you at here? Because…
Solid friendships are critical to a fulfilling lifestyle…
I’ll say it again: Solid friendships will enrich your life beyond measure. I’m not talking about drinking buddies, tailgate bros, or country-club hobnobbing. I‘m talking about your tribe.
Point blank: I’m figuring out that having solid, down-to-earth friends is the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth. And probably in large part to my (debatable) immaturity, I’ve somehow surrounded myself with people who do really cool things. I’m TRULY GRATEFUL for friends like that, as I understand how rich I am in that aspect. And I just hope I’m as good of a friend… as the friends I have. Because…
Solid friendships have a way of…
Keeping your spirit young, healthy, energetic, inspired, and on your True North.
On any given weekday, I have friends that’ll hit mountain bike trails with me… or load-up the stand-ups (jet skis) & head-out to the lake on about 15-minute’s notice. I have Honda-friends out-of state, that’ll fix another church-friend’s broke-down Honda while they’re traveling. Straight-up Honda ninjas that come out of the shadows to help the friends-of-friends. You know how cool that makes me look lolol?!
I have friends with Jeeps I can get lost/stuck in the woods with. And people I can bounce ridiculous ideas off of, and they’re right there with it. And I don’t take that for granted. I know legends in their mid-60s still pulling backflips on jet skis. And guys that same age that’ll easily outride 99% of y’all on a mountain bike… and then drive it back home on his Lotus Exige. Those are the kinds of people I aspire to be.
Think about your hobbies & passions & pastimes…
Hopefully you’ve developed some strong ones. And hopefully, you’ve made good friends along the way. Hell I bet if you trace it back – a friend was probably your entry-point in the first place. Meaning, you got the original exposure to something you love, because a friend (or friends) exposed you. Now on the flip side, think about how not having those friends… would have created a natural barrier to that exposure. How that hobby, passion, or pastime… would likely just be an empty cubby hole in your life today.
People don’t just modify their car on accident…
And/or – they don’t make a wrong turn & bring home an Eagle Talon TSI project car. Nah – they do it because someone inspired them. And probably also lied & told them how easy it’d be lol. Likewise – you probably don’t go buy a stand-up jet ski if you don’t have friends from that world to get your feet wet (slight pun intended). Just like you probably wouldn’t go buy a damn horse & try to climb on its back… you get the point. What I’m saying is: It takes enthusiasts to make enthusiasts. And it takes a passionate person to make someone passionate about something. Surround yourself with passionate people!
Because if/when you let those dynamic friendships fade away…
You allow unforeseen doors close, and you begin to let the old man in. It’s a domino effect, because the more distant you become, the harder it becomes to ever get back to who you were. Trust me I see it all the time. I walk into a room of cookie-cutter adults… and I’m envious of their finances while they’re envious of my freedom. And that’s the truth.
I guess there’s a thin line that separates wisdom from immaturity. And in all honestly, I trip all over it. But at the end of the day (your days), you can’t take any of this with you. All you have – is the memories, your impact, & mental/spiritual peace.
I’m not saying NOT to put your family first, or your career, or responsibilities… or any of that. But I am saying that an enriched life, rather than a depleted one… will make you more potent, refreshed, energetic, magnetic, inspired, and inspiring in other aspects of life.
So the reason you’re seeing this particular Toyota Celica GT-Four…
Is because analog worthwhile cars have a way of snapping you outta this 21-century digital-overstimulation matrix… and bringing you into real life & being in the moment. John had a natural ‘in’ and or connections for importing cars, so it became his hobby & his passion. He works out of a nondescript shop in the Atlanta area… on more of a personal, case-by-case basis if you’re looking for something specific. Anyway, this Celica GT-Four was just a wildcard that he stumbled on. Coincidentally & awesomely, his aunt owned one in California back in the day. So when he saw this car for sale in the UK, it struck a chord & he scooped it up pronto & brought it over. The GT-Four is often a slightly overlooked/forgotten platform… aka not a Supra, 86, or MR2. But the Celica GT-Four incorporates a lot of the cool, innovative enthusiast energy that Toyota had going in this era.
Fact: John Mamone didn’t grow up in car culture…
His college dorms/apartments weren’t scattered with Super Street posters & NOPI banners like ours were. But even back then, car culture always seemed like an intriguing world to him. A world of people who traveled the same roads as he did everyday… but did so with such an entirely different level of intention & vibrance… that it could be called ‘a lifestyle’. So in John’s case, while friends didn’t gateway him into car culture… solid friendships have been born out of stepping into it. Find ways to break down the barriers.
1995 Celica GT-Four
This is a UK-imported car.
All-wheel-drive
3S-GTE engine making 240hp
Toyota Team Europe (TTE) played a big role in the development of the 3rd-generation (ST205) GT-Four.
TTE was Toyota’s factory-backed team in the World Rally Championship (WRC).
However in 1995, TTE got busted for cheating with brilliantly-designed turbo restrictors.
Technically ‘illegal’ per the rulebook… but brilliant nonetheless.
Then FIA president, Max Mosely, said it was, “the most sophisticated device I’ve ever seen in 30-years of motorsports.” (Source: Wikipedia)
TTE got a 1-year ban, and it really messed-up a good thing.
It was that highly competitive spirit of the ’90s, that gave us (the enthusiasts) such a great landscape of driver’s cars.
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