At CDLC.CO’s recent 2024 Installed Party event, four cars stood out from the sea of stunning structures and captured my heart.
Although they weren’t necessarily the most flashy or expensive creations on display at the Sibelius Concert Hall and the scenic Vesijärvi Harbour in Finland, their unique stories and personal touches appealed to me.
Replica of Henri Haimakainen’s Fiat Abarth 1000TC
Small, lightweight race cars have always made me laugh, and Henri HaimakainenThe Fiat Abarth 1000TC replica was no exception. When the car made its entrance, everyone welcomed it with a happy face. I bet it was the same in the 60s and 70s when the original Abarth race cars dominated the track against much bigger competitors. They were so competitive that the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) banned the 1000TC Berlina Corsa model from participating.
Henri’s story with this car – a Fiat 600 – began in 2020 when he rescued it from a garage where it had been sitting since 1994. Despite the extensive rust damage to the Fiat, Henri’s previous experience with project cars and his welding skills turned this challenge into an opportunity.
While reviving the chassis, Henri searched for fiberglass panels to transform the Fiat 600 into a 1000TC replica. The wide rear fenders, the prominent rear spoiler and the large front bumper with integrated radiator evoke the spirit of authentic Fiat racers. The Abarth-themed paint, together with Cromodora CD66 wheels – 13×7-inch at the front and 13×8-inch at the rear – complete the classic racing look.
The permanently exposed engine – an Abarth modification primarily intended for cooling – beautifully combines form and function.
It’s a genuine A112 Autobianchi Abarth engine that produces 70-80 hp from a displacement of 1,050 cc. That’s the same power that Abarth won races with back in the day.
The racing interior features a roll cage, Sparco racing seats with harnesses and a classic three-spoke Abarth steering wheel. Underneath it all, the little Fiat is fitted with coil springs up front and Abarth shock absorbers at the rear to refine the handling.
Jan Hulkko’s Mazda RX-7 FD3S
This 1994 Mazda RX-7 R2 has as much character as its owner, Jan HulkkoJan is a professional bodyworker and car painter and enjoys buying damaged cars at auctions and bringing them back to life. His RX-7 was no exception.
The FD3S was imported directly from Japan and the review form showed more faults than features. “I have never seen such a bad data sheet at an auction,” Jan says. And adds: “Everything was marked in red.” It had a crash history, electrical problems and the engine wouldn’t start. Despite this and the fact that it came from Fukushima and was possibly damaged by flooding, Jan says he felt good when his Japanese agent messaged him to say his bid had been successful.
After shipping the FD3S to Finland, Jan got to work. Inspired by Initial D’s Red Suns FD3S, he sourced and installed a RE Amemiya bodykit, but with several custom modifications to give it a unique look.
The Desmond Super Longchamp XR3 wheels came with the car, but have now been completely reworked. They have been converted to a three-piece, from 17 inches to 18 inches, fitted with wide outer lips and their centres painted in an old-fashioned champagne silver colour.
Under the hood, the RX-7’s original 13B-REW engine has been fully nailed, ported to Pineapple Racing specs and fitted with a Holset HX40 Super turbocharger. Tuned via an Emtron SL-4 engine management system, Jan says the 13B produces 512 hp and 589 Nm (460 lb-ft) with 1.5 bar (22 psi) of boost. To make the most of the extra power, the RX-7’s suspension has been upgraded with JIC Magic shocks and Mazdaspeed components.
The Toyota Lightning Yellow paint, combined with carbon fiber accents and an early 2000s Squared Design-inspired color scheme, make Jan’s RX-7 a striking car, both in terms of performance and aesthetics.
Antti Eskeli’s BMW E21 Group 5 tribute
Antti Eskelione of the organizers of Fitted Fest, also owns this BMW E21 Group 5 tribute. Before starting the project, Antti had thought about building a Le Mans-style race car for the road. However, the complications of getting a home-built machine street legal in Finland threw a spanner in the works. Antti eventually found what he was looking for in an E21 ex-ice track racer that was for sale with a Pesch Motorsport Group 5 bodykit. After several phone calls to the seller of the BMW, Antti drove to Teerjärvi to pick it up.
That Teerjärvi location is important to this story as it is the birthplace of Nils-Gustav Wiik, who used to race a Group 5 BMW for Team Schnitzer. It turns out that Nils’ neighbour had bought the E21 from the nearby city of Vaasa and was planning to build a replica of Nils’ race car, with Nils lending his expertise. The project didn’t get very far, hence the sale with the Group 5 kit delivered unassembled, but it was the perfect starting point for Antti to build.
The car’s original M10B20 engine is still under the hood, but whether it will remain is anyone’s guess. It’s not running at the moment, so it could be swapped out straight away – a Mazda 13B rotary that Antti has in his garage could be an option.
The car features BC Racing suspension and a set of rare Japanese 3-piece FET Zisa wheels – 16×10 inch front and 18×13 inch rear.
When I first saw the E21 at Fitted Fest 2024 during setup day, the huge front bumper was missing. But over the weekend it was fitted and other modifications were made to the car, which was interesting to see.
A highlight was seeing local designers Joonas ‘Koponee’ Koponen hand-painting a paint scheme that celebrates his graffiti roots and the history of BMW Art Cars. Koponee’s style is unique; he deliberately tries to draw complex letters, omitting spaces and punctuation, making them difficult to read. The intricate calligraphy spells out CDLC.CO’s motto: “Death Before Driving Stock.” By the time I left the show, Koponee was nearly finished. The driver’s side has been left blank for another piece of art that Antti himself plans to create.
Ex-Akira Nakai’s RWB 964 Stella Artois II
Stella Artois II – also known as Stella II or Stella Boost – is a 964 evolution of Akira Nakai’s personal 930, the Stella Artois. Nakai-san built the car in 2018 and unveiled it at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, but always planned to sell it.
Other than Stella Artois, which of course kept breathing, this 1992 964 model features a 3.6-liter turbocharged engine producing 500-600 hp from Front Row – the same tuner that built RWB RattanThe engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and RWB-spec Aragosta suspension.
Sold directly by Nakai-san to an anonymous Finnish owner, Stella Artois II has retained its appeal since its arrival in Scandinavia. The unique details, including batwing vents, GReddy turbocharger and hand-made exhaust pipes, and its history as a personal Nakai-san creation, continue to draw people in for a closer look.
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The chipped paintwork from the Idlers Club track days and races in Japan only adds to its charm.
If these four cars can teach us anything, it’s that automotive beauty isn’t just about perfection, it’s about the stories behind the builds. To be honest, there were actually six cars I fell in love with at Fitted Fest 2024, but the last two require full features, so keep an eye out for those soon.
Vladimir Lyadov
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