First Wash in 6 Years - Ferrari 328 GTS Disaster Detail

Hey everyone, on this week’s episode we detail a 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS barn find and give it the works featuring Kevin Brown (buffdaddy), Jason Rose (Rupes USA), and Dan Miele (Turn 7 Auto Care). Dan gave me the lead on the Ferrari a few weeks back and since the boys were flying in to detail for the week, it made sense to bring this Italian Classic back to the AMMO Studio. After we pushed the 328 onto the flatbed, we bid the owner farewell, and made our way back to the Studio to start the detail. 

Barn Find Ferrari 328 GTS


Jason and Kevin arrived that morning and to their surprise were greeted with 6 disaster details parked in the Studio. Now all of us work on exotics and show cars so I wanted to push the envelope with this series and detail cars that need it the most. So with the guys on board we inspected the 328 and developed a game plan. Step 1 was to remove the wheels and power wash the paint. Next, fill the foam gun with Boost and Foam so Kevin could lay down a thick layer of suds to soak the exterior.

AMMO NYC team detailing Barn Find Ferrari 928

With Foam/Boost Anti-Salt cleansing the paint, the boys worked the tight spots with a brush and Brute Soap while I washed the larger areas with a microfiber towel. With the 328 on the lift and my safety glasses on, I soaked the undercarriage in Boost and we all went to work scrubbing the undercarriage, wheel wells, brakes, and suspension components. Following the scrub down, Jason gave the undercarriage a healthy rinse and Dan used compressed air to dry it off. Team work for the win!

Larry from AMMO cleaning bottom of Ferrari 328


Next Kevin turned his attention to cleaning the classic 5 star wheels that were in desperate need of some love. First he cut up some scotch brite scrubbers into small strips to agitate the worst of the embedded grime. Now if you’ve never seen Kevin clean really dirty wheels…it’s quite a sight. He doused the rubber and rims with Plum Wheel Cleaner and scrubbed with a methodical precision. The face of the rims shined right up and even the tire tread got cleaned with Kevin’s masterful technique. Exactly 26 minutes later, the wheels looked good as new but Kevin didn’t stop there… Kevin scrubbed each individual lug nut on the detail cart. 

Pro Tip: When you’re working with the wheels off, it’s helpful to screw in the lug nuts to the hub to protect the threads during cleaning.

Kevin Brown details dirty 328 GTS Ferrari wheels

 
Now that the exterior clean was complete, we lowered the 328 so we could inspect the paint for polishing. Now the paint had obviously seen better days and Jason pointed out some UV damage in the rear 3/4. Even though the Ferrari would eventually get a repaint, the goal was to to motivate the owner to get it back on the road. Jason performed a test spot and determined the Rupes Blue Compound with the yellow wool pad would be the 1st step to take out the imperfections. To further refine the finish, he completed a 2nd step with a yellow foam pad + yellow polish which came out amazing, so we used this 2 step system for the rest of the car. 

Jason Rose and Kevin Brown polish the paint of the Ferrari 328 barn find


As we were wrapping up the polishing, Chef Dan whipped up an amazing Carbonara dinner for everyone as we still had a lot more detailing to go. What better way to compliment the detail of this Italian classic with an homemade Italian meal, thanks Dan! We reconvened energized after our meal, and I addressed the faded trim with Frame Pro. The mirrors and side louvres came out incredible! It was rewarding to show Kevin the finished product we had conceptualized on our previous 996 C4S detail. The black trim now had a great contrast with the freshly polished Ferrari red paint. 

Dan from Turn 7 cooks Italian dinner as Larry Details barn find Ferrari


We turned our attention to the engine bay which seemed to have a rusty latch. After Kevin and Jason gave it a good wiggle while I simultaneously pulled the release, we finally got it to open. The engine had seen better days and the manifold was coming loose so I used the upcoming Flow-thru woolie instead of the power washer. The flow thru woolie attached to the Aerator/Frothe combination allows a constant stream of lubricated foam which was perfect for this cleaning application. After a quick vacuum of the trunk, the bay was clean/safe for a mechanic to fully restore the glorious V8 Ferrari Engine. 

new AMMO flow thru wheel whoolie on Aerator

The inside of the 328, well it was a hot mess to be frank. Parts disassembled, mold, dirt… you name it, it was in there. Still, Dan went it with a vacuum while I worked the interior surfaces with Lather + an Interior Brush. In the meantime, Kevin and Jason worked on the windows with Obey Glass Cleaner, Microfiber Towels, and a Final Wipe Glass Towel for a streak-free finish. The interior looked and smelled much better after the cleanup, but most importantly would be safe for a future restoration. 

late night finishing touches on the barn find Ferrari 328 GTS detail


Finally, Kevin reinstalled the clean wheels, and Dan applied Mud Tire Gel to “frame” the gleaming five star “Campagnolo” rims. For protection, I’m using the new Reflex Pro Finishing Wax which is carnauba infused with the Reflex Pro formula. I applied it the freshly polished paint while Jason followed with microfiber towels to buff it off. Super easy on and off! The coveted “wet look” of the carnauba transformed the red paint and added additional protection. With the detail finished, the boys and I couldn’t help but admire the transformation as the Ferrari 328 GTS looked stunning. Big thank you to Kevin, Jason, and Dan for their assistance with the detail. Always a privilege to work alongside the best in the business and learn from their experiences. Stay tuned for more amazing detailing restorations and more educational detailing content. 

Freshly detailed 328 Ferrari GTS at AMMO NYC Studio

 

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