Back when I first visited Japan in 2018, there was a specific car and setting that sparked a deep interest in a particular AE86 tuning shop.
It was one of my first times visiting Daikoku PA, and just as we were about to leave on the quiet weekday night, a Trueno pulled in and parked up. Looking like it had come straight from an Attack meet at Tsukuba, Oda-san’s AE86 is the epitome of a circuit-spec Hachiroku in Japan.
Seeing time attack-spec AE86s at the track is already an experience, but on the street they have an unrivalled presence. Oda-san had simply stopped in at Daikoku for a coffee and was then right back on his way, but ever since I’d been obsessed with the way he managed to create a road-going race car to this extreme. He’s also no stranger to a Daikoku stop, as Dino captured Oda-san’s car almost 14 years prior.
Fast forward five years from my encounter, I find myself living in Japan, and getting the chance to check out Oda-san’s shop, Crystal Body Yokohama (CBY).
Nestled away in the back streets of residential Yokohama, CBY is a one-man operation that solely focuses on AE86 tuning, in particular circuit cars. On arrival, I was met by Oda-san’s personal Trueno being reversed out of the shop; the very same car I saw back in 2018.
What sets this shop apart from others is the range of work and products that comes from it. CBY not only develops mechanical parts, motors and tuning, but has also built out a range of body panels and kits, that are now some of the most popular for AE86 owners and builders across the world. Oda-san does all of this himself, using his personal car to develop the parts, then creating moulds for both fiberglass and carbon kits.
Like most shops here in Japan, there is a sense of organised chaos at Crystal Body Yokohama. With space at such a premium, even significant operations like this one operate out of around the equivalent of four double garages.
Tucked in the paint booth sat a customer’s Levin notchback, another circuit-spec car receiving a full refresh by Oda-san. Of course, the car already hosts a number of CBY signatures, including +50mm flares, carbon touches and a v-mounted radiator setup.
This very familiar-looking Trueno hatchback sat in another corner of the shop. You’ll notice that there isn’t much that differentiates this car from Oda-san’s personal demo AE86, and this because it’s not uncommon for customers to request similar builds. Oda-san told me there are a handful of them out and about in Tokyo, also street-registered like his.
Much like any other Japanese tuning shop, there is absolutely no shortage of new and used parts at CBY. You’ll find them stashed away on any spare remaining shelf or floor space.
As I mentioned above, CBY really is a one-stop-shop for anything AE86. This area of the building is dedicated to machining and manufacturing of new parts.
I could have spent all day in the shop, but there was another reason for my visit. You don’t think I could visit Crystal Body Yokohama and not take a closer look at Oda-san’s iconic AE86, did you? Stay tuned for that spotlight coming very soon.
Alec Pender
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