Showfest brings out the best

Ricky’s Custom Car Shop represents the pinnacle of automobile customisation in Namibia.Last month, the young detailing enthusiasts staged an impressive display at Showfest 2K23 on 14 October at the top level of the Wernhil Parking arcade.There, My.Na Cars own &#039;Passenger Princess&#039;, Diana Master, was in attendance and had her heartbeat revved by the incredible customised motorcars on display.Master spoke to Dena Coetzee, manager and builder at Ricky’s Custom Car Shop, about his favourite builds on display. ‘Star of the show’ One of the eye-catching blasts from the past was a beautiful, popping blue 1965 Mercedes Benz. Restored and enhanced for an owner who inherited the automobile, the Mercedes sports a new paint job, air suspension, custom-made alloy wheels and full interior improvements made by a passionate team who evidently understood the assignment: ‘Make it bling but keep it authentic.’Custom doors and a classically elegant rack-sunroof are new features that accentuate the appeal of the fully restored original design steering wheel, complete with shiny chrome accessories. The engine swap brings the raw power of a Lexus V8 beautifully to bear, with sprayed covers to correspond with the striking body colour. ‘Old but new’, and &#039;It looks good and it drives good&#039; are some of the phrases that Coetzee used to describe the masterpiece that took Ricky’s Custom Car Shop almost four years to complete.When the abandoned wreck was first brought to the shop, Coetzee&#039;s first reaction was simply: “No.”He explained: “At first, I thought it was too much, but soon you start creating it in your mind and ideas start flowing. We managed to finish it properly, and I am glad that we took up the challenge,” he says with pride.Some parts were fabricated from steel, others, like the dashboard, were covered with colour-matched vinyl leather, antique gauges were polished, suspensions and fully installed sound was fitted in the boot, and a central console was custom-made while old-style buttons were fitted. The sumptuous result was the star of the show.&#039;More flavour&#039;Master also took a closer look at a lovely red VW Beetle, which has had its roof cut off and work done on the interior and exterior to make it look like a factory finish. The dash has been coloured to complement the seats, the engine has been beautified with a dress-up kit, and the boot in front has been accessorised with the owner’s name. “It is all stock stuff with a little more flavour,” Coetzee explains. Beetles are among the most popular cars brought to Ricky’s Custom Cars Shop for their attention.Many of the shop’s works, as well as private vehicles, were on display on the day. Among the invited judges who voted on the very best was Cody Stafford from CS-Air Worx in South Africa. He drove all the way to Windhoek to apply his eye to the squeaky, clean automobiles on display. According to Stafford, a system starting from 100 and subtracting for less perfect features was applied, and the outcomes were very satisfactory.

Showfest brings out the best

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Republikein 2025-04-30

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Showfest brings out the best

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Republikein 2025-04-30

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