Some of you guys might think I'm crazy for doing this, but here goes. Last Tuesday (election night), one of my closest friends committed suicide. He was only 19, super smart, great with people, funny, great group of friends and a loving family. His mom said that I had been his best friend since 6th grade, so this has been really hard on me. I went back to Crestwood to go to the visitation and funeral, as well as spend some time with family and friends. I found out right before I went into town that he had committed suicide in his car. So I didn't want to see it or anything, and I hoped the family was just going to junk it. But instead, they told me that they were okay with the car, and that they were going to give it to my friend's cousin, who was 17 and needed a car. And once I found that out, I felt alright with the car. And I offered to detail it for them. There was only one problem. I had NONE of my detailing stuff with me. So this was a huge improvisational detail for me. I had some microfibers, some Megs Car Wash soap, a microfiber mitt, and some Stoner Invisible Glass. That was all, as far as "normal" detailing stuff. So I dug around in the garage and unearthed some Greased Lightning degreaser, which I used on all the plastics and the stains on the carpet. I used a random brush from under the sink to scrub carpets, and Goo Gone to remove sticky residue. The car in question is a 1998 Ford Taurus, with 147K on it. We never really cared about the car, we'd run and jump up on the roof or hood or whatever, we were always allowed to smoke inside it, etc. The zebra print duct tape was put on by his dad before we went to Bonnaroo. The duct tape on the mirror was put there by me. The tape residue on the dashboard was also me, the iPod adapter broke so I taped some USB speakers on the dash and we plugged them into his laptop. Funny memories, I guess. His cousin liked the exterior duct tape, which is good because it's the only thing holding on the passenger mirror, and there's no way in hell the zebra print stuff is coming off. I'm gonna stop now, but I've got so many fond memories riding around in and driving this car, and it was really nice to get to clean it and pass it on to someone else. The goal was not perfection, but to get the car looking presentable. The car was, as my friend's dad said, "sticky." My friend never did keep a clean car...at least his dad got out all the garbage first, as well as removed the bumper stickers. Before: His mom and I always hated that steering wheel cover...it was so nasty. Glad it's gone. At least he got all my cigarette butts outta the ashtray...I think it took him like 6 months though This is after wiping off just the top of the dashboard... Just thought I'd post this picture in memory of my friend, this is him smoking hookah while driving his car It worked pretty well too, cleaned the nastiness right up. Okay now, on to afters...I've got some more and afters of the exterior (just washed) but unfortunately my iPhone filled up, and I had to use my other camera...which I again, left at my parents' house. So more afters will be posted after Thanksgiving when I go home next. Sticky spot on the left removed after this picture was taken. Duct tape stains on the dashboard...lol So that's all I've got for now. More afters will be posted once I get my camera back. His cousin was thrilled to see the car looking better, and that made me happy as well, because I hadn't got the car as perfect as I like to. But I guess given my situation, it looks pretty damn good. It gave me some closure as well...I'm not really a religious person or anything, but I felt like he was, I dunno, there or something, when I was driving the car back to his family's house. It was nice. Please don't call me crazy. haha. Clark
I am sorry to hear what happened to your friend. My thoughts are with his family and friends. Nice work cleaning up the Taurus with hardly any proper materials. I can safely say that this is the first car that has been detailed on DB that someone comitted suicide in. Hopefully also the last.
That thing cleaned up well with what you had at your disposal. Good work on detail and I think what you did was a very nice gesture.
Super job Clark especially given that you did not have your detailing supplies. I'm sure you had a lot of thoughts and memories while performing this job and I'm very sorry and extend my condolences to his family and you.
Thanks for all the supportive posts, guys It means a lot. I was actually really happy to do the detail, and the car's new owner (my friend's 17 year old cousin) was absolutely thrilled to get the car. And my friend's parents kept telling all the relatives to come out and look at the car once I'd brought it back. I left the new owner a little note, so they laminated it, along with a rose petal from the casket and a guitar pick and put that in the dashboard. I thought that was nice. So now that the car is clean, it can start a new life...all the way out in Arkansas.
great work and gesture Clark! pretty strong of you to detail that car and spend time inside of it after your friend's passing. sorry for the loss.
so he found out Obama made it for a second term and he commited suicide? Obama is obviously not my choice, but WOW! I'm speechless... Great job cleaning that nasty interior!
I think that one of the stickers that was on his car was an Obama sticker...I can't remember 'cos there were so many and there were always new ones.
your friend probably said thank you after you cleaned up his car. sorry for your loss. you did a great job cleaning it up.:applause:
Alright guys, I'm home for Thanksgiving and finally got my hands on my camera. By the way, Kodak makes one helluva camera, I've had mine for 6 years and it still mostly works. Here's the rest of the after pics that I promised. Car washed with Megs car wash soap and tires dressed with some silicone-based stuff I found around the house. Windows cleaned with the Stoner Invisible Glass that my dad uses. Could not be removed due to the fact that it's the only thing holding that mirror on... That's all I got. The car made it to Arkansas with my friend's cousin. Had an overheating issue but they got it sorted out. I hope it serves her well.
Sorry for your loss. You did a great job with what you had to work with. Very nice gesture to clean the car for them. Also pretty sure your friend was smokin weed not hookah haha
Haha nah it was hookah he sent me another pic from that day and there was a hookah in the center console. What I don't remember is whether or not there was weed IN the hookah, lol.
