REAL CAR CULTURE

AUTO MESSE WEB

REAL CAR CULTURE

AUTO MESSE WEB(オートメッセウェブ)

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Charm of Imperfection: Hand-Painted Fiat 600 Wins Hearts and Awards

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TEXT: 奥村純一(OKUMURA Junichi)  PHOTO: 奥村純一(OKUMURA Junichi)

  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D
  • Fiat 600D

DIY Fiat 600 from painting the entire body to re-upholstering the seats

This year marks the 20th “Italian Job 2024”. This is the eighth time Aiko Harada has participated in this meeting where Italian cars gather, and her car is a Fiat 600D. We asked her to introduce her beloved car, which the dexterous owner finished as a DIY project.

“I want to do everything myself.

From early morning, Italian cars of various makes gather in the parking lot of Fujihashi Castle in Ibi-gun, Gifu Prefecture. This is the venue for the “Italian Job,” an event showcasing Italian cars that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024. As expected, the majority are Fiat 500s and Giulia Alfa Romeos, but a Fiat 600 (Seicento) made in 1966 stands like a foxglove in the area where a minority group is formed.

The matte paint is exquisitely accented by the stripes on the hood. A closer look reveals brush marks on the surface of the body paint!

“I brushed the paint myself, if you want to take a picture, please take this one. The hood is not clean because I painted it first.”

Aiko Harada, the owner, said to me with a smile.

“It’s not because it’s a matte paint job, it’s because we left it painted and didn’t polish it (laughs)

Since there was a little damage to the paint on everything, she used tin roof paint from a home improvement store and painted the entire body with a 2cm wide flat brush. Indeed, the doors and other parts are so beautifully painted that one would not notice that the paint had been applied with a brush without being told.

“I like to do everything myself, so I sewed the seat covers myself,”

she said, opening the door. He says he is good at sewing.

She won the grand prix at the Fiat Picnic with his beloved car

What’s even more amazing is that the seats were originally fixed, but this one has been modified with the help of a friend to allow the passenger seat to recline. He says that he takes his car not only to events but also to distant places that are about 1,000 km round trip. He smiles again, saying that the reclining seat has made it more comfortable for him to take a break or stay overnight in the car, which he does frequently.

The carpet, also handmade by Mr. Harada, has been finished in a nice atmosphere with stitching in different colors on the seat belts and handbrake. Mr. Harada acquired his beloved car because he fell in love at first sight with its cute face.

After the engine was overhauled a short time after he acquired the car, he says the car is in such good shape that he has no worries about going anywhere, but when the water pump broke on the New Tokyo-Nagoya Expressway, he was able to get to the event venue while adding 2 liters of water. Incidentally, the car won the grand prize in the “MY FIAT Decoration Contest” held at the “FIAT Picnic” event at that time, making the event even more memorable.

“I’ve been to this Italian Job about 8 times, so I enjoy getting to know a lot of people, and I participate in various events all over the country,”

she says. If you see her at any of the events, why don’t you ask her to join us? She is sure to respond with a smile.

translated by DeepL

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