Again once I first visited Japan in 2018, there was once a particular automobile and surroundings that sparked a deep pastime in a selected AE86 tuning store.

It was once one in every of my first occasions visiting Daikoku PA, and simply as we have been about to depart on the quiet weekday night time, a Trueno pulled in and parked up. Having a look love it had come immediately from an Assault meet at Tsukuba, Oda-san’s AE86 is the epitome of a circuit-spec Hachiroku in Japan.

Seeing time attack-spec AE86s on the monitor is already an revel in, however in the street they’ve an unrivalled presence. Oda-san had merely stopped in at Daikoku for a espresso and was once then proper again on his means, however ever since I’d been obsessive about the best way he controlled to create a road-going race automobile to this excessive. He’s additionally no stranger to a Daikoku give up, as Dino captured Oda-san’s automobile nearly 14 years prior.

Rapid ahead 5 years from my come across, I to find myself residing in Japan, and getting the risk to try Oda-san’s store, Crystal Frame Yokohama (CBY).

Nestled away within the again streets of residential Yokohama, CBY is a one-man operation that only makes a speciality of AE86 tuning, particularly circuit automobiles. On arrival, I used to be met by means of Oda-san’s non-public Trueno being reversed out of the store; the exact same automobile I noticed again in 2018.

What units this store except others is the variability of labor and merchandise that comes from it. CBY now not handiest develops mechanical portions, motors and tuning, however has additionally constructed out a spread of frame panels and kits, that are actually one of the hottest for AE86 house owners and developers the world over. Oda-san does all of this himself, the usage of his non-public automobile to expand the portions, then developing moulds for each fiberglass and carbon kits.

Like most department stores right here in Japan, there’s a sense of organised chaos at Crystal Frame Yokohama. With house at any such top rate, even vital operations like this one perform out of across the an identical of 4 double garages.

Tucked within the paint sales space sat a buyer’s Levin notchback, some other circuit-spec automobile receiving a complete refresh by means of Oda-san. After all, the automobile already hosts a variety of CBY signatures, together with +50mm flares, carbon touches and a v-mounted radiator setup.

This very familiar-looking Trueno hatchback sat in some other nook of the store. You’ll understand that there isn’t a lot that differentiates this automobile from Oda-san’s non-public demo AE86, and this as a result of it’s now not unusual for purchasers to request identical builds. Oda-san instructed me there are a handful of them out and about in Tokyo, additionally street-registered like his.

Similar to another Eastern tuning store, there may be completely no scarcity of latest and used portions at CBY. You’ll to find them stashed away on any spare last shelf or ground house.

As I discussed above, CBY actually is a one-stop-shop for anything else AE86. This house of the construction is devoted to machining and production of latest portions.

I can have spent all day within the store, however there was once one more reason for my seek advice from. You don’t suppose I may seek advice from Crystal Frame Yokohama and now not take a more in-depth have a look at Oda-san’s iconic AE86, did you? Keep tuned for that focus coming very quickly.

Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco