Detailers breathed new life into the shed. Porsche 944 found after 15 years of decay | Taza Khabre

Key findings

• WD Detailing’s YouTube channel documented their journey from removing an abandoned Porsche 944 from the field and returning it to the workshop for restoration.
• Although the body of the Porsche 944 had been left on the street for 15 years, it was in decent condition and the engine could easily be turned by hand, giving hope for restoration.
• The WD team successfully cleaned the exterior, wheels, engine and interior of the Porsche 944, restoring its rare gold paintwork and giving the interior a fresh interior look.

Something barn finds may be too far gone by the time they are finally exhumed from their resting places, though this Porsche 944 found in a field was potentially a diamond in the rough. To find out if 944 was saved, the YouTube channel WD Detailing decided to document their journey by picking up the car and returning it to their workshop. They aimed to give the car a deep clean to find out what was hiding under the grime that had built up 15 years after it was abandoned.

Related: Here’s what makes the Porsche 944 a classic sports car for driving enthusiasts

The abandoned Porsche 944 turned out to be a difficult task

The video began with the WD Detailing team explaining how they came across the Porsche. They were contacted by a junkyard that was going to take the vehicle because they felt there was still value in it and believed the WD team could potentially retrieve it. WD had the option to purchase the sought after 944 if they wanted. They made it clear from the start that they would only consider it if the engine wasn’t impounded and the interior was in decent shape.

They started with a quick inspection of the body of the vehicle, which they thought looked pretty decent considering it had been left on the street for 15 years. The WD team then began the most difficult part of the operation, placing the 944 on their tow truck.

Their task was made difficult because the Porsche’s wheels were firmly clamped and the tires were completely deflated, making it difficult to move. First, they attached a cable to the back of the car and pulled it out of the grassy area where it had been left. They tried to pull it onto the truck, although the bumper soon began to tear.

They soon gave up and moved the venerable 944 to a more open part of the yard, though it still took over an hour of trying before they finally got it safely into the truck. They had to use jacks to get the car in place to finally tighten it up.

The old Porsche 944 had good potential despite the dirt

When they finally got the Porsche 944 back to their workshop for cleaning, the WD team explained that they had to keep it on stands to keep it mobile due to the stuck wheels. First they tried to open the rear hatch to gain access to the trunk. This was more awkward than expected since the 944 has two latches that hold the hatch in place. This meant they had to activate both at the same time by reaching into the cockpit of the car.

Related: 1980 Cayenne SUV Rendering – The Iconic Porsche 944 Turbo With Off-Road Intentions

They eventually got it free and got access to the trunk so they could inspect the rest of the car. WD found the interior to be quite durable, especially the steering wheel, which they said would shine if properly cleaned. Their final test was to see if the Porsche’s inline-four engine could be salvaged. They found that they could crank the engine by hand quite easily, and the team was very relieved at the result.

Engine characteristics

Source (automobile catalog)

The rare gold color begins to shine after cleaning the Porsche 944

The WD team began their quest to clean up the 944, first removing all the leaves and debris that had accumulated around the car over the years. They also took the time to run some power to the car to see if the retractable headlights worked. They found that it did, and perfectly smoothly too.

Next came the wheels and tires. The guys first used a tire and rim cleaner to loosen all the surface dirt and then washed it off with a car wash. They found the wheels to be in pretty good shape, except for a little age.

Next on the agenda was the body. A degreaser was used around the body and windows of the 944 to loosen the grime, which was then removed from the car with a washer. As the dirt was quickly removed, the car’s rare gold paintwork became clear.

There were a few areas that were beginning to rust, mainly the rear of the sills running down the sides of the Porsche. Finished cleaning the outside by washing the gas cap. They did this by shaking up the dirt with a brush and then removing the rest with a machine.

The 2.5-liter Porsche engine got rid of years of dirt

Then the guys at WD got to work on the hideous engine that was under the hood. The degreaser was used again to loosen the surface dirt before cleaning it with the washing machine. Brushes were used to remove any grime between the lettering of the 2.5-liter inline-four that powers the 944 before the entire unit was blow dried. They repeated the engine decal trick around the rest of the car, first using brushes and then microfiber cloths to remove any remaining dirt.

So far, work has been completed on 944

• The body is cleaned of dirt with a degreaser and an electric washer
• The engine has been hand cranked and deep cleaned
• The rear hatch was free when it was found
• Leaves and debris were removed from the body with a vacuum cleaner

The 944’s interior has been updated with elbow grease and a vortex machine

In the next phase of the project, the WD team attacked the brown interior of the 944. They quickly discovered that the seat rails were completely seized, so they could not remove the seats for a thorough cleaning. Instead of trying to cut them out with an angle grinder and potentially destroy them, they decided instead to deep clean them in hopes of freeing them.

They used a a special machine called Tornador. The device works by injecting pressurized air through a hose into a cone-shaped nozzle, which then creates a vortex effect. Tornado-like air breaks apart the fibers of carpet and other fabrics, removing any embedded dirt. Everything that remains is then removed with a vacuum cleaner.

The seat and carpet were then cleaned and waxed to remove any surface dirt. A round drill brush was then used to loosen any rubbed dirt, which was then removed with a power washer.

By topic: detailed review of the Porsche 944 Turbo

The last part of the interior that needed attention was the plastic areas. The all-purpose cleaner was combined with a magic eraser and a smooth-bristled brush to remove 15 years of grime. This method worked perfectly, leaving the brown plastic looking fresh in the cabin after the job was done.

Comprehensive Polishing The Cherry On Top For Barn Find Porsche 944

Pricing

(data from classic.com and JD Power)

The WD team finished the 944 using a machine polisher to restore the luster lost over the years to the beautiful gold paint. While the bulk of the paint had polished up well, the guys discovered that the hood had been damaged by the sun over the years as the clear coat had worn off. As a result, the paint began to fade and peel off.

Interestingly, they found that the clear coat on the roof remained strong and kept the paint in near-perfect condition, despite being the area most exposed to the elements. They treated the case with a microfiber cloth to remove the remaining dirt.

Project 944 shows how much of a hidden gem can be unearthed with just a wash and polish. With the engine seemingly fit for restoration, we hope it will soon be back on the road where it belongs.

Sources: classic.com, JD Power, automobile-catalog, Tornador