Rare Dodge Phoenix gets first deep clean after 15/20 years abandoned
- A Michigan YouTuber picked up a rare 1960 Dodge Phoenix
- It had been sitting abandoned in a barn for between 15 and 20 years
- However, its thorough cleaning inside and out was seriously impressive
Published on May 03, 2025 at 10:07 AM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Apr 29, 2025 at 5:54 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A Michigan-based YouTuber traveled to Interlochen to pick up a rare 1960 Dodge Phoenix that’s been sitting abandoned in a barn for between 15 and 20 years.
The car’s owner, Jerry, explained the car’s history and how his father bought it long ago and did bodywork with his brother.
Its semi-Hemi motor from a 1959 Dodge is a nice surprise hidden beneath the hood.
However, its transformation when it’s cleaned is even more amazing.
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Abandoned and rare Dodge Phoenix
After inflating the tires, Detail Dane and his team were able to roll the vintage muscle car out of the barn and load it onto the trailer to take it back to the detailing shop.
Dane noted that the car resembles the 1958 Plymouth Fury that was virtually the protagonist in the 1983 Stephen King film, Christine.
While the engine bay was dirty, it was remarkably clean under the carburetor, featuring unique Spitfire valve covers.
An interior inspection revealed that the seats, carpet, and dash were mostly in good condition, with the original hubcaps found in the trunk as an added bonus.
“I know this is going to be one heck of a transformation,” Dane said excitedly about the vintage car.
The clean up
The makeover began with a full and satisfying exterior wash, starting with the wheels and engine bay, preparing the car for deeper cleaning steps to follow.
It was then treated with an iron remover and ceramic spray to decontaminate the surface, then clay-barred to remove bonded contaminants.
Afterwards, there was an extensive paint polish, and the YouTuber noted that the car had been repainted at some point, but he expected the paint to shine up significantly.
He then planned to clean the chrome accents, including its large rear fins, dual headlights, and jet-inspired styling, using fine steel wool.
As for the interior, despite the front seat and convertible top being stuck, Dane was able to vacuum and scrub the carpet, dash, and door panels thoroughly.
Despite minor stains remaining, the classic scrubbed up a treat.
Even Jerry was seriously impressed with the ‘beautiful’ content creator’s efforts, and promised to bring more of his collection to the shop in the future.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
