If you ever find yourself driving through the quiet, tree-lined roads around Ermelo in the Netherlands and hear the unmistakable sound of an air-cooled flat-six echoing through the morning air, there’s a good chance it’s coming from Rico Customs.
From the outside, the workshop doesn’t scream for attention. But step inside and it immediately becomes clear that this is not a typical restoration shop. The atmosphere feels calm and deliberate. There’s the smell of oil and metal in the air, old rugs scattered across the floor, warm lighting overhead, and Porsche 911s sitting in various stages of transformation. Everything has its place without feeling overly clinical.
At the center of it all is Rik ten Napel, founder of Rico Customs and the person responsible for shaping every build that leaves the workshop. Interestingly, Rik didn’t begin his career in the automotive world. His background was in fashion design, specifically denim. But the same eye for proportion, texture, and detail that once went into clothing now finds its way into his cars.
The real spark happened much earlier though, during childhood trips to Circuit Zandvoort with his father. The sound of race cars, the smell of fuel, and the atmosphere of the circuit clearly left a lasting impression. Years later, that passion slowly pulled him away from fashion and toward Porsche
Like many enthusiasts, he started small. An old BMW became his first serious project car, rebuilt into something suitable for track days. But after repeatedly being overtaken by air-cooled 911s, Rik realized where his attention was heading.
The first Porsche he built changed everything. It wasn’t just fast, it had character. The combination of lightweight performance and styling immediately stood out. Before long, another driver offered to buy the car on the spot. Rik sold it, built another one, then another after that. Gradually, Rico Customs began to grow through word of mouth.
During my visit, I got to see how personal the process really is. While I was taking photos around the workshop, a potential customer arrived to discuss a future build. Rik sat down with him and immediately started sketching ideas and specifications.
Wide body or narrow body? More road-focused or track-oriented? Something subtle or something aggressive? The process felt collaborative, but there was still a very clear vision guiding it.
Most Rico Customs builds begin with a G-series Porsche 911, usually an SC or Carrera 3.2 from the late 1970s or 1980s. Those cars provide a strong foundation thanks to their galvanized chassis and robust mechanicals. Occasionally, earlier long-hood cars are used for special projects, but the G-series remains the preferred starting point.
Once the donor car arrives, the real work begins. The car is stripped down completely to a bare shell. Every component is inspected, catalogued, and either restored or replaced. Some parts can still be sourced new, while others require repair work simply because replacements no longer exist. Rik pointed out an old brake booster during my visit, explaining that certain original parts have become almost impossible to find.
The shell then undergoes wet blasting, which removes paint, rust, and years of grime without damaging the underlying metal. What remains is essentially a blank canvas.
Rico Customs specializes in backdating later 911s to resemble the earlier F-series cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s. The process involves reshaping body panels, modifying lock panels for early-style hoods, removing sunroofs, and fitting wider ST-style arches depending on the customer’s preferences.
Lightweight carbon-fiber hoods and decklids are commonly used, not just for aesthetics but also to reduce weight. Every panel is test-fitted repeatedly before paint, and panel gaps are adjusted with incredible precision.
The color choices are equally deliberate. Rik tends to favor classic Porsche shades from the late sixties and seventies: Slate Grey, Irish Green, Bahama Yellow. Colors that suit the character of the cars rather than overpower them. Modern supercar paints are generally avoided.
Structural reinforcements are added where necessary, particularly when customers opt for modern coilover suspension instead of the original torsion-bar setup. Suspension mounting points are strengthened, and the chassis is prepared to handle the additional performance.
From there, attention shifts toward the driving experience itself. The suspension systems are built using components from Bilstein and Motion Control Suspension, tuned depending on whether the car is intended primarily for road driving or track use. Adjustable suspension arms allow precise geometry settings, while polybronze bushings improve feedback and durability without making the cars feel harsh.
The braking systems are upgraded as well, often using calipers from the later 964 or 993-generation 911s combined with floating rotors and stainless-steel brake lines. For Rik, pedal feel matters just as much as outright stopping power. “You should immediately understand what the car is doing,” he said. “It needs to feel natural.” At the rear sits the centerpiece of every build: the flat-six engine.
Most are based around 3.2 or 3.8-liter air-cooled units that are completely rebuilt, balanced, and tuned in-house. Depending on the specification, power output usually lands somewhere between 300 and 350 horsepower. Individual throttle bodies from Jenvey are often paired with programmable fuel injection systems, while custom exhaust setups give each car its own distinct sound. The goal isn’t simply maximum power. It’s responsiveness, drivability, and character.
Inside, the same philosophy continues. The interiors avoid unnecessary distractions completely. No oversized screens, no flashy gimmicks, no attempt to modernize the experience beyond recognition. Instead, the cabins focus on materials and tactility: leather, metal, simple gauges, and clean switchgear.
Seats are custom upholstered based on the customer’s preferences, while the instruments are restored or redesigned with subtle retro-inspired details. Even the pedal placement is carefully adjusted for proper heel-and-toe driving. A surprising amount of time goes into the interiors alone. Stitching patterns, bolstering, trim materials, and small details are refined over the course of weeks until everything feels cohesive.
Demand has grown quickly, and the waiting list now stretches well into 2028. But after spending time inside the workshop, it becomes obvious why people are willing to wait.
These cars aren’t built around trends or social media attention. They’re built for people who genuinely love driving and appreciate the details that most modern performance cars have started to lose. And when you finally get the keys, I imagine that wait suddenly feels very short.
