By now, many of us have seen the excellent YouTube channel developed by New York-based detailer Ammo NYC. The detailing shop has earned a reputation for not only being entrusted with multi-million dollar collections, but also for reviving long-stored cars and forgotten barn finds. In this episode, Ammo founder Larry Kosilla uncovers a 1987 Buick Grand National with just 56 original miles that – amazingly – was crammed into a dilapidated one car garage in Brooklyn, New York. The full episode can be viewed here on YouTube, which follows the Grand National after its discovery in Columbus, Ohio.
As you watch the video, take note of the driveway that leads up to the garage: my God, get out of cities. Well, you don’t have to, but if you’re a car guy/girl, it looks miserable. Anyhow, this Grand National was supposedly found covered in dust and dirt in an Ohio garage, and the current owner raced up there with trailer in tow and dragged it home. It just goes to show you that it doesn’t require a ton of connections or huge bank accounts to snag desirable cars and trucks. It certainly helps, but it’s more important is to be the guy who can hook up a trailer and go, whether it’s three in the morning or Christmas Eve, and snag that barn find before anyone else does. As you can see here, the interior is still quite fresh, with Larry noting it just had some light mold and spiderwebs to clean out.
That being said, the Ammo process goes way deeper than just dragging a damp cloth over the dashboard. The car needed a deep clean and paint correction, with the passenger side showing the effects of a dog that shared space in the Ohio garage with the Grand National. The good news? The dog evidently kept the mice at bay, because Larry found very little evidence of rodent infestation. The bad news? Said dog scratched the hell out of the door, an issue Ammo was able to resolve as part of its paint correction process. There’s some great insight in this video about how far is too far when correcting paint, as Larry took care not to strip away the factory orange peel, or to burn through the already-thin OEM paint. Losing those details can cost you big time in a concours competition, which is undoubtedly where this Grand National will be staged.
The owner didn’t plan on keeping the revitalized Grand National for the long-term, and despite the low miles, it was a no sale on eBay before selling for $63,000 in December. That’s a fair price for a Grand National, even one with low mileage like this. The market has softened a little bit on these 80s icons, mostly because of how many still pop up for sale with low miles – and a 20,000 mile Grand National can at least be driven every now and again without fear of immediately reducing its perceived market value. For my money, I’d spend a bit more and pony up to a GNX; in the meantime, we hope to see one of those get the Ammo NYC treatment in the near future.
I never could understand someone ponying up the money for a new car then packing it away. That just leaves it up to the next owner to enjoy it.
Probably made more money 💰 on the car than putting it in the Bank! He should have bought 2.
Oh no. The stock market was 700 in 1987 (32,000 today). He would be dirty filthy rotten stinking rich (if I may be so bold as to paraphrase a song from Stop The World I Want To get Off) if he had put the money there. A lot more than 63K. You could still get double digit CDs even in those days, and I bought one at 7% in the mid nineties. No, if you want to invest, go to the financial markets, leave the poor cars alone, they want to be driven, esp a car like this. Corralling a car is like cruelty to animals, there should be a law. (Lets form the ASPCC)
This is exactly why people buy and store new cars. Unfortunately, the reality is… you will have lost money if you had invested the cash wisely. However, you have the bragging rights of owning a 56 mile Grand National.
So, wait…was it in Brooklyn, NY or Columbus, OH??? I’m thoroughly confused.
New York is where the detailed is. Cars go to him, not the other way around. The video of him detailing this car has garnered over 2,200,000 views so far. That’s a great marketing tool by both the owner if the car and the shop that did the work, there should be no confusion over that.
Steve R
Yeah, but it says it was found in a “delatidated” garage in Brooklyn, NY
What are you talking about? He makes videos to get views to earn Adsense revenue. Get with the times.
Greg, if you ever watch one of his videos, he pitches the hell out of his own products. They are basically infomercials, that’s where the real money is, not the Adsense.
Steve R
A video with 2.2mm views earns more Ad revenue than you think. You old guys don’t understand the new model. I’m 46 and even I get it. It’s all about content production and ads. Not detailing products.
Greg, I’m not much older than you. I think you are wrong. He’s using these videos to promote his business in order to selling more product and bring in more customers. The ad revenue is the cherry on top. Look at his social blade statistics, his monthly views are all over the place, it’s probably not a reliable revenue stream. Look at his website, his detailing supplies aren’t inexpensive, nor is his various apparel.
Steve R
Okay, since you’re so smart, explain this…
“Ammo founder Larry Kosilla uncovers a 1987 Buick Grand National with just 56 original miles that – amazingly – was crammed into a dilapidated one car garage in Brooklyn, New York.”
…now, just what is there to NOT be confused about?
I agree, it was not worded in order. Should have read “guy finds/buys a 56 mile GN in Ohio, and trailers it back to Brooklyn to have it professionally detailed”
Rerun.
No matter where it came from, it’s good to see one in this shape.
Aren’t, pretty much, all of them in this shape? Fun cars to drive but, no shortage of more, boring examples.
I just don’t understand why someone would just trailer a car around and not enjoy it IDC if it had o miles on it your going to die anyways and u spend 80000 dlrs on a car to just look at it u have to be out of your mind im driving it no matter what it is the majority of men who buy them are like almost 70 yrs old u might as well enjoy it u only have like maybe 10 more yrs to live u better drive that dam thing unbelievable some people
the most recent grand nationals on this site have either been super low milage or basketcases that were rode into the ground and put away at the bottom of the ocean.
god i hate to sound like an old man “back i my day” but where have the average cars gone that arent priced at 25k and up. you used to be able to find them in the mid teens just a few years back.
the absolute state of these carse right now i swear.
You can find cars not…”priced at 25kand up.” if you leave BF, BAT,CL, et.al. and check local advertising papers, some used car lots, and signs by the side of the road. There are lots of sellers looking to just sell their vehicle, get some money for it and move on. (If that weren’t true, how would flippers make a living?)
Not sure about this posting – is the car up for resell (flip)?
I dont get the attraction of this model. Slushbox mid eighties GM……….and..what exactly?
He was a stock broker and got fed up with Wall Street. Got into detailing and made it a big deal. But he got lucky as his clients are former colleagues who think nothing of dumping $1,000 for him to wax their 930 Turbo. He is a multi millionaire from ckeaning cars. Smart guy. Met him at a detailing seminar. I have detailed cars 40 plus yea4s and turn work away. No one wants to do it. I am not rich, but made $200 cash the other day buffing out scratches on a 68 GTO show car.
Hey George, go after the same type of clients as this competitor and you can make the same kind of $. ie: Fish where the fish are.
Ok everyone, get your coffee, wake up n pay close attention….If you are average ,middle class like most of us,.. looking for a deal with a chance of getting one, this is not the road to travel,…start looking local, I know that exact car and where it was, they would never even talk to you if u asked about it, gotta have a pocket full o cash to wave in their face or no go, I think original buyer passed a few months after buying, that’s story neighbor guy told me, true or not? Love BF and what yall do, but can never afford most cars on here or they are not worth messin with because it’s too far gone! Real car guys are getting VERY rare these days,…most are just buyers with an ego to support, the only future in classics is people with money to blow ,or be one of the few mechanics with knowledge to repair them for clueless millenials that buy them and cant work on them!…I work on a few nice mustang’s, but most who ask get sent away because they are clueless and I cant deal with it and dont want any charges filed on me for shutting one up! Face it, as most of us already see, classic car sales are getting stupid because of all the greedy dishonest idiots involved today. Sad,sad,thing it is!!
WOW, another low mileage ,black Grand National with a grey interior !!! You dont see these everyday……….