by Some barn finds can be way too far gone by the time they are finally unearthed from their resting places, though this Porsche 944 found in a field was potentially a diamond in the rough. To find out if the 944 could be saved, YouTube channel WD Detailing decided to document their journey picking up the vehicle and returning it to their workshop. They aimed to give the car a deep clean to find out what was lurking beneath the grime built up over the 15 years since it had been abandoned.
Abandoned Porsche 944 Proved To Be A Challenge To Extract
The video began with the WD Detailing team explaining how they had come across the Porsche. They had been contacted by a junkyard that was due to remove the vehicle as they felt it still had some use and believed that the WD team could potentially extract it. WD were given the option to purchase the sought-after 944 if they wanted. From the outset, they made it clear that they would only consider it if the engine wasn’t seized and the interior was in decent condition.
They began by quickly looking over the body of the vehicle, which they felt looked pretty decent considering it had been left outside in the field for 15 years. The WD team then began the hardest part of the operation, getting the 944 onto their tow truck.
Their task was made harder because the Porsche’s wheels were seized solid, and the tires were completely flat, making it tricky to move. They first attached a cable to the rear of the car and pulled it clear of the grassy area it was left in. They tried to winch it onto the truck, though the bumper soon started to rip as it went.
They soon abandoned the attempt and moved the venerable 944 to a more open part of the yard, though it still took them over an hour of trying before finally getting it safely into the truck. They had to use jacks to get the vehicle in place to finally pull it on.
Old Porsche 944 Had Good Potential Despite Dirt
Once they finally got the Porsche 944 back to their cleaning workshop, the WD team explained that they had to keep it on jack stands to keep it mobile due to the seized wheels. They first tried to open the rear hatch, so they could get access to the trunk. This was more awkward than expected, as the 944 has two latches that hold the hatch down. This meant they had to activate both at the same time, all while reaching through from the cockpit of the car.
They eventually got it free and got access to the trunk, so they could inspect the rest of the vehicle. WD found that the interior was pretty solid, especially the steering wheel, which they felt would shine when properly cleaned. Their final check was to see whether the Porsche’s inline-four engine could be saved. They found that they could spin the engine by hand pretty easily, with the team left hugely relieved by this result.
Engine Specs
1983 Porsche 944
Specs
Drivetrain
2.5-liter inline-four, three-speed automatic transmission
Power
143 hp
Torque
137 lb-ft
Weight
2778 lbs
Top Speed
130 mph
0-60 mph
9.8 seconds
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive
Source (automobile-catalog)
Rare Gold Color Begins To Shine As Porsche 944 Cleaned
YouTube @ WD Detailing
The WD team began their 944 cleaning quest by first vacuuming all the leaves and debris that had built up around the vehicle over the years. They also took the time to hook up some power to the car to see if the pop-up headlamps worked. They found that they did, and perfectly smoothly too.
Next up were the wheels and tires. The guys first used a tire and rim cleaner to loosen all the surface dirt before blasting it away with a power washer. They found that the wheels were in pretty good condition, other than a little age-related degradation.
The body was next up on the agenda. Degreaser was used all around the 944’s bodywork and windows to loosen up the grime, which was then removed from the car with a power washer. With the dirt coming off quickly, the rare gold paintwork specified for the car became clear to see.
There were a couple of areas that had begun to rust, mainly the rear portion of the sills that ran down each side of the Porsche. They finished cleaning the exterior by washing out the gas cap. They did this by agitating the dirt with a brush, before then removing the rest with the power washer.
Porsche’s 2.5-liter Motor Stripped Of Years Of Grime
The WD guys then tackled the disgusting engine contained under the hood. Degreaser was again used to loosen the surface dirt before a power washer blasted it clear. Brushes were used to extract any dirt between the lettering of the 2.5-liter inline-four motor that powers the 944 before the whole unit was dried with a dryer machine. They repeated the engine lettering trick with the badges around the rest of the vehicle, first using brushes before utilizing microfibre cloths to remove any remaining grime.
Work Carried Out On 944 So Far
Body cleared of grime with degreaser and power washer
Engine hand rotated and deep cleaned
Rear hatch freed having been stuck closed when found
Leaves and debris vacuumed from bodywork
Interior Of 944 Revitalized With Elbow Grease And Vortex Machine
YouTube @ WD Detailing
The next phase of the project saw the WD team attack the 944’s brown interior. They quickly found that the seat rails had completely seized, making it impossible for them to remove the seats for a thorough clean. Rather than try to cut them out with an angle grinder and potentially destroy them, they decided instead to deep clean them in the hope they could free them.
They utilized a special machine called a Tornador. The unit works by firing pressurized air through a hose into a cone-shaped end piece, which then creates a vortex effect. The tornado-like air splits the fibers in the carpet and other fabrics, which blasts any ingrained dirt out. Whatever is left is then vacuumed out.
The seats and carpeted areas were then coated with cleaners and vaxed to remove any surface dirt. Following this, a circular drill brush was used to loosen any ground-in grime, which was then removed with a power washer.
The final part of the interior that needed attention was the plastic areas. An all-purpose cleaner was combined with a magic eraser and a smooth bristle brush to remove the dirt that had settled upon it over 15 years. The method worked a treat, with the brown plastic left looking showroom fresh once the job was completed.
Comprehensive Polish The Cherry On Top For Barn Find Porsche 944
Pricing
Trim
Avg Market Price
New MSRP
1983 Porsche 944
$12,516
$18,980
(data from classic.com and J.D. Power)
The WD team finished off the 944 by using a machine polisher to bring back the shine lost over the years to the beautiful gold paintwork. While the bulk of the paint polished up well, the guys found the hood had been damaged by the sun over the years as the clear coat had worn off. The paint had started to fade and peel as a result.
Interestingly, they found that the clear coat on the roof had remained strong and had kept the paint in near-perfect condition despite being the area most exposed to the elements. They finished the body with a microfiber cloth to remove any remaining dirt.
The 944 project illustrates just how much of a hidden gem can be unearthed with no more than a wash and polish. With the engine seemingly good for restoration, it’ll hopefully be back on the road where it belongs soon.
Sources: classic.com, J.D. Power, automobile-catalog, Tornador
