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It’s been a few months since I last updated you on my AE86 endeavours here in Japan, and what an eventful few months it’s been. We’ll kick things off with a quick trip to Ebisu Circuit.
For years, I’ve been behind the camera, capturing drifting action first in Australia and now in Japan. But getting behind the wheel? That was always a goal, just never a priority. More often than not, I’d spend track day money on a new lens or camera accessory instead. But when the chance to drift my Levin notchback in Japan came up, I’d have been insane to say no.
Don’t get it twisted, though. Taking Project AE86 to the track wasn’t a decision I made lightly. It took my friends months of arm twisting and reassuring me that the risk of putting the car into a wall was minimal. Eventually, they won.
Coming from Australia, where track options are limited and far from home, I knew I had to take advantage of Japan’s vast offerings. For many, drifting in Japan is synonymous with Ebisu Circuit – with seven tracks ranging from beginner courses to D1GP and FDJ-level circuits, it was the obvious place to start.
I made the drive up to Ebisu from Tokyo first thing on a Monday morning with a good friend who’d just finished building his AE86. For both of us, it was a bit of a break-in testing trip – brave, considering we had no trailers and were looking at a four-hour highway drive home after afterwards.
Other than a few enthusiastic corners here and there, this was my first proper time on the track. I had no idea what the car’s setup was like, and from the differential to the steering knuckles, it would be a learning curve.
To my relief, the car did have a limited-slip diff in it. It felt like a TRD 2-way with the standard 4.3 final drive ratio, though you wouldn’t notice it until you kicked the car sideways at speed. The street wheel setup, however, was a bit too grippy for Ebisu’s freshly re-paved School Course surface – to be expected from 195/50/15 semi-slicks.
After swapping on a pair of RAYS Volk Racing TE37Vs with some throwaway tyres inflated to 45psi, we were in business. One thing that makes Ebisu so great is how quiet it is on weekdays. We only had to share the School Course with a few other cars, giving me plenty of time to focus and work on my drifting technique.
For the most part, the car performed excellently. I had to put a lot of faith in the factory gauges, though. Hot-lapping the car in 10-minute sessions began showing the limitations of the Freedom ECU, which ran rich enough to sap the already minimal power produced by the lightly-tuned 4A-GE 16-valve engine.
Here’s a quick video of a few laps at Ebisu School. As you’ll see, it’s a serious workout for the clutch, but with a little more speed and confidence, I’m hoping I can give it a bit of a break. Big thanks to Dino for catching all the out-of-car shots!
The Transformation Begins
After my day at Ebisu, the car’s next important outing was to JBeat Customs, a body shop just outside Tokyo in Saitama. This trip had been a long time coming. Over the past few months, I’d been gathering parts and ideas for the Levin.
When you buy an AE86, unless you’ve got money to burn, there’s always going to be a compromise. For me, that compromise was the car’s paint. It might’ve looked okay in photos, but in reality, it was far from great. The paint job was a backyard DIY effort, with overspray everywhere and a lack of primer that led to chips across several panels. But most of all, I just didn’t love the salmon red.
Walking into JBeat, I didn’t even know what colour I wanted to repaint the car. The shortlist included silver, gunmetal grey, dark green, blue, and black, so it was fair to say this was going to be an impulse decision.
Jun, the owner of JBeat, suggested we mix up a custom black base with a blue pearl. He was confident it would be the best choice and unique in Japan, where every AE86 colour combo has been done.
After a quick mix and test spray, we made the call. From most angles, the paint looks black, with just a hint of blue reflection. But when the light hits it, the blue shines. This subtle effect was exactly what I was after.
Along with the new colour, I had earlier picked up a Goodline FRP bonnet and a set of Group A-style mirrors. These were both AE86 ‘grail’ pieces for me, so getting to put them on the car was exciting.
Two Weeks In
Two weeks later, I found myself back at JBeat, checking on the progress.
Seeing the car in pieces gave me a chance to check out some hidden surprises, mainly in the form of rust spots. Thankfully, the team at JBeat was quick to cut them out and replace the affected areas with fresh metal. They also sealed up the antenna hole, giving the driver-side fender a much cleaner look.
We’d also decided to remove the gold from the RS Watanabe wheels, leaving the raw, silver anodised finish. A small change, but one that’s made a world of difference to the car’s overall look.
By this point, primer had been applied to the still-unknown body kit, and I was just in time to see some colour laid down. Seeing the paint on larger surfaces would give me a better idea of how it would look on the car.
Needless to say, I was stoked with the result! As intended, the car looked black from most angles, with the blue only becoming visible under direct light, especially in the fluorescent glow of the shop. I stepped back and let the JBeat team finish their magic.
The Final Result
Fast forward four weeks, and I picked up my freshly refinished AE86 from JBeat. To celebrate, I did what any self-respecting car enthusiast in Japan would do: a convenience store photoshoot.
Then I took the Levin out to a local rice field for some more quintessentially Japanese shots, sitting back and admiring the car as the sun dipped below the Shinkansen tracks. The JBeat crew did an amazing job – not only on the paint but on the overall finish. The panels that had once been a little wavy were now perfectly straight, the wheels were silver, and the mirrors and bonnet were in place. Best of all, the rust was gone.
I’ve successfully turned the AE86 I intended to learn drifting in into a car I’m almost too scared to park at the shops. But honestly, I couldn’t be happier.
Current Day
A couple of months have passed since I got the car back from JBeat, and after leaving Japan for a while, I’m now back and putting the car’s new look to good use. I’ve racked up a few thousand kilometres on the odometer in just a few weeks.
I even threw together a video from a quick night run through Tokyo. Check it out!
It’s not just Tokyo that’s been graced by the sound of 8,000rpm and 4A-GE ITB goodness. I also took the car up to Hakone Turnpike and Skyline – just an hour from home.
The view from the top of the Turnpike is easily one of my favourite spots in Japan, especially at sunset. That is if you don’t get swallowed up by the clouds, which happens quite often when you’re over 1,000m above sea level.
And that’s where we are now, all caught up on my Project AE86 journey. Huge thanks to Jun and his team at JBeat Customs for their incredible work on the car. I’m looking forward to the next update, hopefully from one of the dream circuits I have to drive here in Japan.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco