When Robin Shepherd spotted this 1972 Toyota Crown 2600 De Luxe outside a repair shop in the U.K. countryside around Dunsfold, he did what all proper car enthusiasts do when they see a rare ride sitting at a shop – he stopped in to ask about buying it. Shepherd had no idea his close friend Nick Garrick was a grandson of the Crown’s original owners, Percy and Ethel Cole.
At this point some of you might be wondering what the heck a Toyota Crown 2600 De Luxe is. That’s a legitimate question, because Toyota stopped sending these cars to the U.S. in 1974, and the U.K. a few years later. However, the Toyota Crown has the distinction of being the longest running nameplate in the manufacturer’s stable, having entered the arena in 1955 and still serving the Japanese market today. Outside that market, the current Crown’s underpinnings are found in the Lexus GS series.
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