The SpeedHooked Meet: Back At It In Finland

You may have read of SpeedHooked (SPD HKD), a pitstop facility in Porvoo, Finland run by automobile enthusiasts Roni Collin and Toni Salminen. I have showcased this place on Speedhunters a few of instances in the earlier, and it was great to be back again for a meet lately.

During the pandemic, some functions have long gone on in Finland, but restrictions stored numerous folks at home. So these gatherings by no means felt like they did in pre-Covid instances. But as limits raise, this is starting to change. If I required any proof of that, the to start with SPD HKD fulfill of 2022 – promoted below the ‘Back At It’ slogan – was it.

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Foremost up to the occasion, social media channels had been abuzz. Folks had been bringing out automobiles from the much reaches of Finland, numerous earning their to start with road trip in two several years. I, together with a couple of mates, jumped on the initial ferry of the morning from Estonia, arriving early to shoot a several autos prior to the occasion kicked off.

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Each and every time I read an incoming vehicle, I received thrilled, but right after a pair of hrs the floodgates truly opened and these particular person exhaust notes gave way to a whole-on cacophony. The organizers experienced the endeavor of buying the creme of the crop to park in a selected area subsequent to the SPD HKD garage, a thing challenging at the ideal of periods, enable by itself when so lots of awesome cars ended up seeking to get into the location.

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I quickly stopped counting the variety of acquainted faces and fist-bumps exchanged (shaking arms is nevertheless unpleasant to lots of listed here), but I did maintain tabs on the number of cars and trucks that I’ve highlighted on Speedhunters right before – 9.

For me, the best element of any car display is seeing how projects have progressed above the many years. This restored Opel Kadett, which I spotlighted in 2020, appeared the same at first glance, but on closer inspection it has new aspect skirts, an added splitter, modified bumpers and an Air Lift Efficiency suspension kit. The operator likely rattled off at least a dozen a lot more modifications much too.

There were various standouts for me, together with a bonkers Ford Escort, Subaru Impreza WRX STI Type R wearing carbon-Kevlar overalls, and a rather rare rear-engined Škoda. But my absolute beloved was a monitor-spec Suzuki Samurai with a rotary engine. I will be bringing you a nearer glance at all these builds in the extremely in the vicinity of long term.

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When the rain started the spectator numbers did skinny a tiny, but that just manufactured it easier to grab a clean image, so I wasn’t complaining.

The satisfy didn’t have a topic and everybody was welcome, which for me is the very best scenario as I appreciate a little bit of anything. A sizzling rod subsequent to a stanced Miata doesn’t irritate me in the slightest it’s how it ought to be when everyone and all automotive tastes are revered.

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Consider a appear at the general customer place too – Finland really has so many automobile enthusiasts.

The most important takeaway from SPD HKD for me was this: Very long dark winters in Northern Europe can make you truly feel a small frustrated, but as quickly as you lift oneself up and commit a day with like-minded people today, you immediately truly feel much better. “It’s fantastic to be back again,” Roni and numerous of his friends were chanting in the course of the party, and I could not agree with them additional.

Vladimir Ljadov
Instagram: wheelsbywovka
due to the [email protected]
www.wheelsbywovka.com