I don’t really find joy in cleaning my own cars. It’s an annoying mess that always takes way longer than I think it is going to, and the results are never as good as I hope. While I’m perfectly fine taking my cars through a drive-through car wash, I do find Larry Kosilla’s car detailing videos on YouTube to be calming and informative. I’m never going to actually use any of this washing advice, as I’ll just spend the $US10 to have a car wash do the job for me, but it’s fun to know anyway.
Some of the better AMMO NYC videos, like this one, involve Larry uncovering a derelict car in a garage or under a cover somewhere and trying to bring the shine back as much as he can. This bright yellow 1978 Porsche 911 Targa is the perfect scenario, as the owner actually took some steps to preserve the car, including removing the wheels and setting it on jack stands so it wouldn’t sink into the dirt and rust away. I still don’t recommend parking a Porsche in the woods for twenty years, but if you’re going to do it, this is a decent way of keeping it as best you can.
The car wasn’t ever going to turn out perfect, given the large splotch of lifted paint on the car’s front trunk lid, but the finished product presents as a perfectly patinated Porsche. With an application of fresh fuel, spark, and air, this car is well on its way to becoming a driver-grade machine once again, even after sitting for twenty years.
I don’t recommend letting your sports cars sit outside for twenty years, but if you have to, put a tarp and jackstands down first, then get Larry to clean it up for you when you decide to get it back on the road.