RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
I would just take off the seals or shields when the bearings came in. I think that substitute bearings get shipped all the time judging by what people say.
$38.80 is totally too high. Do you have a parts store in town that may stock them? I would call several and use the numbers that W8YE gave you. If not, there are other places to find them at decent prices. I just ordered a set from Advantagerc.com.