if you follow my instagram i mentioned 2 weeks ago today that i would be residing in japan over the next few months to come to somewhat of a conclusion if this is the country for me to live in full-time or not. with Australian residents we’re granted access to a working holiday visa which initially allows you 6 months in japan which can be renewed 3 times, totalling 1 and a half years. 

2 weeks later and i am somewhat grounded and straight back into my daily routines. the past 1.5 weeks have been spent up north in the tokyo region traveling and shooting as much as possible. this time of the year in japan is usually flourishing with car events and practice days at many circuits on the weekends along with week days too. i traveled as far north as fukushima to link circuit, utsunomiya for nikko circuit and sports land yamanashi in yamanashi prefecture which is located somewhat behind mt fuji. in-between events i have just been enjoying driving around with andrew date in his blue 180SX and this little S14 i picked up to drive for a few weeks to then be sold to a fellow Australian too moving over to japan late next month.

for now im awaiting a few more things to arrive from home and i’ll be able to get into some more editing and frequent blog posts (hopefully once a week). firstly will be my coverage and vision from D1GP last weekend in odaiba. casey xxx

cool pair in ecopa, shizuoka – SR all stars meeting 2018 x

shirtstuckedin meeting, daikoku parking area late 2018 x

R30 perfection at kyusha expo event in maishima late twenty-sixteen x

in the night of DAIKOKU FUTO parking area. early 2015 x

the only other day i managed to get some in-car footage. onboard at tokushima kart land free practice. ¥4000 to drive the entire day. enjoy xxx

first day at motorland mikawa in the new car xxx

Building or renovating a house is an expensive proposition as every little thing adds up, whether it’s the material or labour costs. It pays to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve so that your budget is not wasted on redoing elements. Recycling old material or opting for D-I-Y features is another way to keep the costs as low as possible.

We’ve highlighted 9 tips in this ideabook to help you build your house on a not-so-big budget.

​1. Masonry furniture

Whether you want to build a bar counter indoors or fixed seating outdoors, masonry furniture that uses bricks, stone or cement as a base is not only economical but also durable. It’s especially a good idea for the outdoors where the furniture is exposed to the natural elements.

2. Flooring

Instead of stone or ceramic tiles, consider using cement flooring to keep costs down. It’s easy to maintain and is a perfect option for a rustic home. Besides being easy to install, a concrete floor can also be decorated with mosaic tile borders or a coat of paint to brighten up the home. You can easily improve your landscaping curb appeal and property value by using artificial turf.

3. Walls with cement

Concrete can also be used on walls to give a room a modern industrial look. It’s an affordable option compared to ceramic tiles and is maintenance-free too.

4. Pallets for walls

In recent years, wooden pallets have gained popularity as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional wood cladding on walls. Besides being cost-effective for a low budget house, they come with the advantage of matching classic and contemporary homes alike.

i miss this car. fujiyama deep 2015 x

You might remember a few weeks ago some videos going viral from Nakamura Naoki’s newest S15 being tested for the first time. Being there and driving with Keisuke, Jamie and Nishio I decided to have a small break when Naoki and Miki showed up just to get some shots of the car prior being loaded to Australia for this years WTAC drift challenge next week in Sydney Australia in which he will be competing in. The initial plan was to head down to Okayama Prefecture to Bihoku Highland Circuit so the car could get up to speed and under some pressure properly however due to the multiple typhoons that hit Honshu over the last few months it was Motorland Suzuka that managed to stay mostly dry.

The newly painted S15 chassis – a 3 color fade painted by Naoki himself welcoming red up front for his newest and largest sponsor VALINO tires fading into pink and purple for the true N-Style feel. This is the same body that he has previously been driving in such as Kansai All Stars in 2017 etc. A few months prior to this day the SR20DET was removed and a 1000HP T88 2JZ that was purchased straight out of a Toyota Aristo, backed up with a holinger gearbox all tuned and set by Garage REMS.

Enjoy the images

This was the first time Nishio from Otokichi Family in Mie had seen the car also.

Shane Bingham from Stacked Inc always by Naoki’s side helping wherever and whenever he can maintain and prep cars.

A strong combination of grippy Valino tires, soft and forgiving Stance coilovers and Naoki’s insanely aggressive, snappy driving this car  lifting wheels off the ground everywhere.

Apart from a water hose popping off after 3-4 sessions and whatever tires were bought there car was somewhat faultless. I have been shooting and spectating Naoki drive for around 8-9 years now and this was one of the fastest and grippiest cars I have probably seen run, period. I wish him all the best at WTAC! If you didn’t get a glimpse of the videos check them out on the SHIRTSTUCKEDIN instagram x