Cleaning a car, in most cases, is a leisurely activity. It might be an hour on the driveway with a hose on a quiet Sunday afternoon, or it could be a quick trip down to the local car wash. In this case it was a little different.
This instance required safety suits, masks, gloves, and a full day's work for two men. The car is a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL which has been standing untouched inside the owner's garage for 37 years. A vehicle that requires a lot more than just a quick clean, and specialist cleaners AMMO NYC are on hand tackle it.
The owner's son wanted to surprise his 83-year-old father by having the car detailed. A car that his father used every day for ten years when he commuted from New Jersey to the Bronx, before stowing it away in his garage in 1982. Where it has sat completely untouched, until now, nearly forty years later. The video below reveals what happened.
The Mercedes's Big Clean
When the guys first open the garage door they find the old car buried amongst a bunch of old household items, and they're shocked by the amount of mouse droppings littered all over the car's bodywork.
Getting the car out of the garage is the first challenge. They have to remove everything that's piled up around it. And then they have to make space for it on the driveway, by cutting some overgrown bushes back which are obscuring the drive.
Once inside the garage, they inspect the car. Its tires are flat, there are cobwebs all over it and it's unclear what state the undercarriage is in. They don't want to damage it in any way, so they carefully jack the car up and place it on wheel skates. Then they slowly push the classic Mercedes SL out into the daylight.
Most of the paintwork is heavily oxidized and off-color. When they open one of the doors they're greeted with a strong musky smell of decay inside. The interior is in a poor state, but the seats and carpets appear to be in good condition. Apart from years of dust and grime. Under the hood they locate the source of the droppings and the bad odor, a long dead mouse that's nestled in the engine bay.
Wearing safety suits and masks to protect themselves from any bacteria, they set to work on the interior. First they lather off the seats and the door cards, and then brush them down. They use a vinegar and water mix to remove stubborn stains. Then vacuum out the whole car and steam clean it, including the dash, steering wheel and gear cover. They use a small drying machine to dry off the interior before they start work on the exterior of the car.
After blowing off most of the surface grime and mouse poop they take a power washer to the exterior. The whole car, including the sub-frame, is soap washed and jet sprayed. Then they get to work on the paintwork. Restoring it back to its original shine is not an easy task. The guys carefully polish it using different types of hand-drill attachments and sanding tools. Aiming to only take off thin layers of paint until they get the right finish. The finish is superb.
The Big Reveal Captures The Father's Reaction
After cleaning under the hood and polishing up all the chrome-work, the car is ready just in time for the big reveal. David's father shows up and throws a huge smile. "Holy cow, it looks just like it used to. Wow!" he says as he admires the gleaming Mercedes. As lots of fond memories come flooding back, he agrees with his son that it's time to get the car fully restored. Ready for passing down to the next generation. Soon one very happy grand child will be riding around in this lovely German sports car.