Why Mitsubishi ‘Eclipse’ Customized To “The Fast & Furious” Movie Specs

It was the movie that sparked his interest in cars

There are many ways to become interested in cars, but many people become car enthusiasts because of the influence of cartoons and films. For example, in terms of films, many people must have watched “The Fast & Furious” and become interested not only in the cars that appear in the film but also in customizing them. In this issue, we introduce some car guys and their favorite cars that were influenced by such films.

In admiration of Brian from “The Fast & Furious”

FUELFEST is famous as a world tour where you can experience the world of the film “The Fast & Furious”. Since its first arrival in Japan in 2022, it has become a big event, with over 2,500 show cars said to gather at the venue in 2023.

The event is scheduled to take place at Fuji Speedway on Saturday 31 August 2024, and the long-awaited night run is expected to add to the excitement.

The organizer of FUELFEST JAPAN, which is sure to excite custom car fans, is Kamiwaza-Japan representative Ichiraku. This sporty Mitsubishi Eclipse was built by Ichiraku, who loves the movie “The Fast & Furious” and wanted to pay tribute to the late Paul Walker.

A new film will be released in 2023 and a follow-up sequel is expected in the hit “The Fast & Furious” film series. The film is full of highlights, including the cast, world-class cars, old cars, and supercars, and scenes featuring customized cars, which will keep us car enthusiasts hooked.

Looking back at “The Fast & Furious” series, the first film featured many Japanese domestic sports cars and popularised the sporty customization trend. This customization, with its flashy coloring, vinyl graphics, and neon tubes for added light appeal, is said to be the origin of the JDM (Japan Domestic Market), where Japanese cars sold in the US were fitted with Japanese-spec parts.

And the car that sparked the boom was the Mitsubishi D32 Eclipse, which appeared in the first “The Fast & Furious” film as the favorite car of ‘Paul Walker’, played by Brian O’Connor.

In the story depicted, the Eclipse, which underwent an $80,000 modification for undercover work, was fitted with a RoboCar full-body kit and an APR GT2 spoiler. The engine was equipped with a Chrysler 420A fully tuned engine NOS system, and the car was engaged in a drag-race battle with Dom’s Mazda FD3S ‘RX-7’.

What was the reason for the air suspension set-up? Ichiraku's car, which he built out of respect for such a special machine, is not strictly speaking a full replica of the car in the film. The special parts for the Eclipse, which is now an old car, are now almost obsolete, with only a small number being traded at present. Therefore, the model was built as close to the Brian O'Connor specification as possible. The livery is signal green with Vinalgraphics sponsor stickers applied about the car in the film, and the front bumper, side steps, and rear bumper are fitted with a KRC body kit. As a more developed model, it is fitted with wide wings to match the current car. Also, to match the wings, the wheels are custom-made models made with the help of Super Plus. Not only the size but also the design of the discs were specially ordered for this car. As for the suspension, a standard air suspension is set up and can be raised or lowered as required. In reality, we would have preferred to stick to the raw suspension with a coilover kit installed, but since this car is used mainly for events with almost no daily driving, we decided that the air suspension would be more convenient for transport and loading. In the play, the car is shot at by a machine gun and explodes, but if it had remained without being wrecked, it would surely have developed into this kind of custom ....... It was with these thoughts that Ichiraku proceeded with the customization of this Eclipse. And along with that thought, there is also the hope that the late Paul Walker, who played the role of Brian O'Connor, will not be forgotten. ※ ※ ※ The FUELFEST in 2024 will feature a replica of the character in the film, and even a real one (!?). The FUELFEST will be held in 2024 and will also feature a replica of the car from the film and a surprise appearance by the real thing (?). Why not enjoy a day of "The Fast & Furious"? How did you get the particular ride height for the event?next