It’s been just a few months since I final up to date you on my AE86 endeavours right here in Japan, and what an eventful few months it’s been. We’ll kick issues off with a fast journey to Ebisu Circuit.
For years, I’ve been behind the digital camera, capturing drifting motion first in Australia and now in Japan. However getting behind the wheel? That was at all times a purpose, simply by no means a precedence. As a rule, I’d spend observe day cash on a brand new lens or digital camera accent as an alternative. However when the prospect to float my Levin notchback in Japan got here up, I’d have been insane to say no.
Don’t get it twisted, although. Taking Undertaking AE86 to the observe wasn’t a choice I made calmly. It took my mates months of arm twisting and reassuring me that the danger of placing the automobile right into a wall was minimal. Finally, they received.
Coming from Australia, the place observe choices are restricted and much from residence, I knew I needed to reap the benefits of Japan’s huge choices. For a lot of, drifting in Japan is synonymous with Ebisu Circuit – with seven tracks starting from newbie programs to D1GP and FDJ-level circuits, it was the plain place to start out.
I made the drive as much as Ebisu from Tokyo very first thing on a Monday morning with a superb good friend who’d simply completed constructing his AE86. For each of us, it was a little bit of a break-in testing journey – courageous, contemplating we had no trailers and had been a four-hour freeway drive residence after afterwards.
Aside from just a few enthusiastic corners right here and there, this was my first correct time on the observe. I had no concept what the automobile’s setup was like, and from the differential to the steering knuckles, it will be a studying curve.
To my reduction, the automobile did have a limited-slip diff in it. It felt like a TRD 2-way with the usual 4.3 ultimate drive ratio, although you wouldn’t discover it till you kicked the automobile sideways at pace. The road wheel setup, nevertheless, was a bit too grippy for Ebisu’s freshly re-paved College Course floor – to be anticipated from 195/50/15 semi-slicks.
After swapping on a pair of RAYS Volk Racing TE37Vs with some throwaway tyres inflated to 45psi, we had been in enterprise. One factor that makes Ebisu so nice is how quiet it’s on weekdays. We solely needed to share the College Course with just a few different vehicles, giving me loads of time to focus and work on my drifting method.
For essentially the most half, the automobile carried out excellently. I needed to put plenty of religion within the manufacturing unit gauges, although. Scorching-lapping the automobile in 10-minute periods started displaying the constraints of the Freedom ECU, which ran wealthy sufficient to sap the already minimal energy produced by the lightly-tuned 4A-GE 16-valve engine.
Right here’s a fast video of some laps at Ebisu College. As you’ll see, it’s a critical exercise for the clutch, however with a bit extra pace and confidence, I’m hoping I can provide it a little bit of a break. Massive due to Dino for catching all of the out-of-car pictures!
The Transformation Begins
After my day at Ebisu, the automobile’s subsequent vital outing was to JBeat Customs, a physique store simply exterior Tokyo in Saitama. This journey had been a very long time coming. Over the previous few months, I’d been gathering components and concepts for the Levin.
While you purchase an AE86, except you’ve received cash to burn, there’s at all times going to be a compromise. For me, that compromise was the automobile’s paint. It’d’ve regarded okay in photographs, however in actuality, it was removed from nice. The paint job was a yard DIY effort, with overspray in every single place and an absence of primer that led to chips throughout a number of panels. However most of all, I simply didn’t love the salmon pink.
Strolling into JBeat, I didn’t even know what color I wished to repaint the automobile. The shortlist included silver, gunmetal gray, darkish inexperienced, blue, and black, so it was truthful to say this was going to be an impulse choice.
Jun, the proprietor of JBeat, steered we combine up a customized black base with a blue pearl. He was assured it will be the only option and distinctive in Japan, the place each AE86 color combo has been carried out.
After a fast combine and check spray, we made the decision. From most angles, the paint seems black, with only a trace of blue reflection. However when the sunshine hits it, the blue shines. This refined impact was precisely what I used to be after.
Together with the brand new color, I had earlier picked up a Goodline FRP bonnet and a set of Group A-style mirrors. These had been each AE86 ‘grail’ items for me, so getting to place them on the automobile was thrilling.
Two Weeks In
Two weeks later, I discovered myself again at JBeat, checking on the progress.
Seeing the automobile in items gave me an opportunity to take a look at some hidden surprises, primarily within the type of rust spots. Fortunately, the crew at JBeat was fast to chop them out and substitute the affected areas with contemporary steel. Additionally they sealed up the antenna gap, giving the driver-side fender a a lot cleaner look.
We’d additionally determined to take away the gold from the RS Watanabe wheels, leaving the uncooked, silver anodised end. A small change, however one which’s made a world of distinction to the automobile’s total look.
By this level, primer had been utilized to the still-unknown physique package, and I used to be simply in time to see some color laid down. Seeing the paint on bigger surfaces would give me a greater concept of how it will look on the automobile.
Evidently, I used to be stoked with the consequence! As meant, the automobile regarded black from most angles, with the blue solely turning into seen underneath direct gentle, particularly within the fluorescent glow of the store. I stepped again and let the JBeat crew end their magic.
The Ultimate End result
Quick ahead 4 weeks, and I picked up my freshly refinished AE86 from JBeat. To rejoice, I did what any self-respecting automobile fanatic in Japan would do: a comfort retailer photoshoot.
Then I took the Levin out to a neighborhood rice area for some extra quintessentially Japanese pictures, sitting again and admiring the automobile because the solar dipped under the Shinkansen tracks. The JBeat crew did an incredible job – not solely on the paint however on the general end. The panels that had as soon as been a bit wavy had been now completely straight, the wheels had been silver, and the mirrors and bonnet had been in place. Better of all, the rust was gone.
I’ve efficiently turned the AE86 I meant to be taught drifting in right into a automobile I’m virtually too scared to park on the outlets. However actually, I couldn’t be happier.
Present Day
A few months have handed since I received the automobile again from JBeat, and after leaving Japan for some time, I’m now again and placing the automobile’s new look to good use. I’ve racked up just a few thousand kilometres on the odometer in just some weeks.
I even threw collectively a video from a fast night time run by Tokyo. Test it out!
It’s not simply Tokyo that’s been graced by the sound of 8,000rpm and 4A-GE ITB goodness. I additionally took the automobile as much as Hakone Turnpike and Skyline – simply an hour from residence.
The view from the highest of the Turnpike is definitely certainly one of my favorite spots in Japan, particularly at sundown. That’s when you don’t get swallowed up by the clouds, which occurs very often while you’re over 1,000m above sea degree.
And that’s the place we are actually, all caught up on my Undertaking AE86 journey. Enormous due to Jun and his crew at JBeat Customs for his or her unbelievable work on the automobile. I’m trying ahead to the subsequent replace, hopefully from one of many dream circuits I’ve to drive right here in Japan.
Alec Pender
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