On Friday 19th after work I popped into Up-Garage on R129 - Up-Garage is a used car parts shops. I spotted a set of wheels that I liked in the size I wanted, the correct tyre size and a good price too, almost too good to be true...
On the saturday I got up and went to Up-Garage. I just wanted to buy the wheels but they insisted that I have them trial fitted to make sure they did infact fit the car. I conceeded and I'm glad I did as the wheels would fit on the front due to the huge 4-pot caliper. We even tried with a 5mm spacer but it still wasn't enough. Damn! So I bought a HKS flywheel for my AE86 and headed off.
I decided the go home via Part-off, another used car parts shop, this time on R246 in Atsugi. I saw a set of wheels I liked in the correct size made by Impul, a well known Nissan tuner. I got the guy to trial fit them and they only just fitted, they was about 1mm clearance between the front caliper and the wheel. So I bought the wheels and a set of 3mm spacers. It was only after I had bought them that I realised the wheels were infact brand new (they even had the all the stickers on the inside of the rim) and the rubbish tyres that came with them were new also so it made the dealer even better!
In fact since I've had the wheels fitted I have totally change my view of the tyres. They are Nankang NS-1 tyres, marked on the sidewalls as "M+S" - meaning mud and snow i.e. all season tyres - so had very low expectations of them. However they are one of the best sets of tyres I've ever had on a car - tyre/road noise is reduced, ride comfort has improved despite a shorter sidewall, vehicle response is still good in normal driving conditions (not taken it to a track). And to think they are half the price of the Yokohama tyres I have on the original wheels.
On the Sunday we went to Shinjuku to pickup Emi's engagement ring, order the engraving on our wedding rings and pay the balance. After this Emi met up with her friends and I went off the MAP Camera and Yodabashi Camera shops. I ended up walking away with a Sigma 10-20mm lens (used, from MAP - 20~30% off new price), Nikon SB-400 Speedlight flash (used, from MAP - 15% off new price) and some lens filters (from Yodabashi) - Konka UV in 77mm (Sigma lens) and 55mm (Nikon lens) plus a CPL in 55mm (Nikon lens). Thankfully after all the expense of the day I got the filters free as I had so many Yodabashi points saved up!
Sunday, 4 January 2009
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