MODEL: Maserati Biturbo Spyder i by ZagatoYEAR: 1990SERVICE: full detailing
I’ve always liked Maseratis, the biturbo ones very much, the spyder even more.More compact and sharp, a real slim little Cavallina (even if we all know that the Cavallino has another address). This car is a compendium of materials borrowed from high-end furniture that forces me to never give in to the standard method of care, pushing me to proceed by trial and error to find custom solutions. My goal for this car? Aesthetic rehabilitation and a “back to 1990” effect.
Giorno 1The car arrives at the studio, the signs of aging are immediately evident, amplified by the pastel black of the bodywork that highlights every tiny mark – imagine the dirt of a car with more than 30 years on its shoulders.I arm myself with a microfiber and steam the car down to the smallest detail, but before using any moisture I check that the paint isn’t cracked. Check done, let’s start the hand-wetting.
Giorno 2Today I start polishing, but first I do some tests, and I immediately realize that the layer is not very high. It will be a slow polishing with a long finish; in a few words, none aggressiveness and a lot of delicacy, also because the car has surfaces that end in sharp edges and mounts that are sometimes perfectible, so the pre-polishing taping is mandatory!In the morning I manage to finish only the front hood, in the afternoon it’s the turn of the butt, the wonderful third volume that has always distinguished the biturbo family.At the end of the evening I finished both the horizontal and vertical parts, the wheel arches.
Giorno 3The car is waiting for me in the polishing room and I am struck by the clear difference between the polished parts and those still to be done. The surface, once the polishing is completed, regains a deep and dense tone and immediately satisfies the eye. It’s so true that black is the most beautiful color in the world, if it is well maintained.I go back to polishing, today I focus on the vertical parts, which are quite tiny, in fact that genius of Zagato has re-proportioned the whole body of the car by “squashing” it to emphasize the wedge line and make it even more slight and sporty.The polishing took me two full days, also because, as a convertible, the roof and pillars are made of fabric. But it’s time to knock off, I quickly tidy up the studio and head home.
Giorno 4The day begins with a re-wash of the car to remove the polishing dust.I avoid wetting the top of the car because it will get its own treatment.I first vacuum with a soft bristle nozzle, then I put on a fabric brush a sufficient amount of ox gall based product that does not bleach the color: I brush gently, remove the excess with an extractor and let it dry.In the meantime, it’s time for finiture, which on pastel colors takes always a lot. While the metallic hides imperfections, the pastel highlights them!
Giorno 5The little black horse starts looking very neat on the outside, but today my first gesture of care is a long vacuuming of the cabin to prepare the car for the interior detailing.You have to know that dealing with Maseratis it’s not always a walk in the park, partly because they are fragile creatures daughters of 80s quality, and partly because the materials are expensive. A melting pot of leather, peccary, wood, Alcantara and velour carpeting: in short, a nice Italian living room set. Considering that each material requires specific care, my day doesn’t end until 9 pm! The result is definitely satisfactory but I have to postpone the waxing of the exterior to the next day, but the detailing can be said to be completed. A la prochaine!
