EXCUSE ME WHAT'S THIS PORSCHE

@eilistoties

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SoundTikTok sound · original sound - eilistoties

Why it worked

The video combines a compelling human interest story with the satisfying visual transformation of a neglected classic car. The emotional narrative of Thomas's struggles and the car's connection to his past, coupled with the detailed cleaning process, creates a strong emotional and visual hook that resonates with viewers.

Summary

The video tells the story of a 1983 Porsche 944 that was left neglected in a junkyard for 15 years due to its owner, Thomas, falling on hard times after his wife's illness and death. The creator of the video, initially looking for parts, discovered Thomas and his situation. After cleaning and documenting the car, the creator posted about it online, leading to interest from a potential buyer who recognized the car's significance and offered to help Thomas, turning the car's fate from scrap metal to a potential restoration project.

Structure

1Encounter with Thomas and the neglected Porsche
2Thomas's backstory of loss and hardship
3The car's history and its significance to Thomas and Margaret
4The car's discovery in the junkyard and the initial cleaning
5The car's potential for restoration and the creator's decision to document it
6Interest from a buyer and the hope for Thomas's future

Product placement

Porsche: This is the car that is being restored. Its interface is not operated, but its appearance and condition are central to the video's narrative. Removing it would fundamentally change the video. 1983 Porsche 944: This is the specific model of the car being restored. Its appearance and condition are central to the video's narrative. Removing it would fundamentally change the video.

Original caption

This 1983 Porsche was about to be crushed while its homeless owner watched... until one detail changed everything#carcleaning #cardetailing #carwashing #storytime

More from @eilistoties

On-screen text

EXCUSE ME WHAT'S THIS PORSCHE THIS OLD MAN'S SHORT PAY UP TODAY THIS PORSCHE I LOST MY HOUSE ALL I HAVE LEFT I DON'T RUN A CHARITY IT'S BEEN SITTING HERE 15 YEARS BACK OFF I BUT LET ME AND SEE WHAT IT'S REALLY WORTH I JUST DON'T DESTROYED FOR THE THIS 1983 PORSCHE 944 HAD BEEN DISAPPEARING BENEATH WEEDS IN AN OLD JUNKYARD FOR 15 YEARS BUT ITS HOMELESS OWNER WAS ABOUT LAST THING CONNECTING HIM TO ONCE HAD BEFORE WE CONTINUE YOU'RE WATCHING FROM BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW FAR THIS STORY I ORIGINALLY STOPPED AT THE YARD LOOKING FOR VINTAGE PORSCHE PARTS INSTEAD I FOUND AN ELDERLY MAN NAMED THOMAS ARGUING WITH THE NEW OWNER BESIDE A NEGLECTED 9 44 THOMAS HADN'T ALWAYS BEEN HOMELESS YEARS EARLIER HE HAD A WIFE NAMED MARGARET A MODEST HOME AND THIS PORSCHE NINE 44 IN THE 1980S BUT MARGARET QUICKLY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT TOO SUNDAY DRIVES ANNIVERSARY TRIPS AND QUIET EVENINGS ON COUNTRY ROADS TURNED THE LITTLE PORSCHE INTO PART OF THEIR MARRIAGE THEN MARGARET BECAME SERIOUSLY ILL MEDICAL EXPENSES DRAINED THEIR SAVINGS THOMAS'S SMALL BUSINESS COLLAPSED AND AFTER SHE DIED HE EVENTUALLY LOST THE HOUSE TOO WITH NOWHERE TO KEEP THE PORSCHE WHO OWNED THIS JUNKYARD ALLOWED THOMAS TO THE BACK WITHOUT CHARGING HIM THOMAS BELIEVED HE'D IT ONCE HE REBUILT HIS LIFE HE NEVER DID FIFTEEN YEARS PASSED HIS FRIEND EVENTUALLY SOLD THE PROPERTY AND THE NEW OWNER WANTED EVERY ABANDONED VEHICLE GONE THOMAS WAS SUDDENLY HANDED YEARS OF CHARGES HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY PAY AND TOLD THE PORSCHE WOULD BE DIDN'T REMOVE IT WALKED IN THOMAS WASN'T ANYONE TO RESTORE THE CAR FOR HE KNEW HE ANYMORE HE JUST COULDN'T WATCH THE LAST WITH MARGARET BECOME SCRAP METAL OWNER TO GIVE TIME AND HAULED THE PORSCHE BACK TO ALL FOUR TIRES WERE BADLY DETERIORATED THE BODY WAS BURIED BENEATH DIRT AND ORGANIC GROWTH HAD SEVERE PAINT DAMAGE WE CAREFULLY WASHED AND DECONTAMINATED THE EXTERIOR BEFORE POLISHING EVERY SECTION OF PAINT BE SAVED DUST SAND RODENT DEBRIS AND OVER SO WE REMOVED THE CONTAMINATION AND DEEP CLEANED THE CABIN WERE BADLY CORRODED THE INTERIOR UNDERNEATH STILL THERE WE DIDN'T HAVE A KEY SO I WASN'T GOING THE PORSCHE WAS SUDDENLY A RUNNING RESTORATION BUT AFTER CAREFULLY SUPPLYING POWER SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT THOMAS HADN'T SEEN IN 15 YEARS THE POP UP HEADLIGHTS SLOWLY ROSE THE FIRST TIME THAT DAY MORE IMPORTANTLY OUR INSPECTION SUGGESTED THE ENGINE WASN'T OBVIOUSLY SEIZED SUDDENLY THIS WASN'T A JUNKYARD SHELL DESTINED FOR A CRUSHER LARGELY COMPLETE EARLY PORSCHE 9 FORTY FOUR DESERVING A PROPER MECHANICAL INSPECTION I PHOTOGRAPHED EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED ITS CONDITION AND POSTED THE CAR HONESTLY TO PORSCHE ENTHUSIASTS HOPING SOMEBODY WOULD VALUE IT AS A COMPLETE PROJECT INSTEAD OF A PILE OF PARTS THOMAS ONLY ASKED FOR ENOUGH MONEY TO GET HIMSELF SAFE TO SLEEP AND START REBUILDING HIS LIFE PHONE STARTED RINGING ONE CALLER ASKED ME TO PHOTOGRAPH A SPECIFIC NUMBER ON THE PORSCHE I SENT HIM THE PICTURE A FEW MINUTES LATER HE CALLED BACK AND SAID DON'T SELL THAT CAR TO ANYONE THERE THE NEXT MORNING ENCLOSED TRAILER PULLED INTO THE SHOP A MAN STEPPED FOLDER WALKED STRAIGHT PAST US TOWARD THOMAS'S PORSCHE CHECKED THE NUMBER AND IMMEDIATELY ASKED THOMAS ALONE COMMENT PART 2 IF YOU WANT HE CAME FOR THE PORSCHE AND WHAT HE OFFERED

Transcript

Excuse me, what's this Porsche? This old man's short. Pay up today. This Porsche. I lost my house. All I have left. I don't run a charity. It's been sitting here 15 years. Back off. I... but let me and see what it's really worth. I just don't want her car destroyed. This 1983 Porsche 944 had been disappearing beneath weeds in an old junkyard for 15 years. But its homeless owner was about... last thing connecting him to... once had. Before we continue, you're watching from... because I'd love to know how far this story... I originally stopped at the yard looking for vintage Porsche parts. Instead, I found an elderly man named Thomas arguing with the new owner beside a neglected 944. Thomas hadn't always been homeless. Years earlier, he had a wife named Margaret, a modest home, and this Porsche. Nine 44 in the 1980s. But Margaret quickly fell in love with it too. Sunday drives, anniversary trips, and quiet evenings on country roads turned the little Porsche into part of their marriage. Then Margaret became seriously ill. Medical expenses drained their savings. Thomas's small business collapsed. And after she died, he eventually lost the house too. With nowhere to keep the Porsche, the owner of this junkyard allowed Thomas to keep it in the back without charging him. Thomas believed he'd... it once he rebuilt his life. He never did. Fifteen years passed. His friend eventually sold the property, and the new owner wanted every abandoned vehicle gone. Thomas was suddenly handed years of storage charges he couldn't possibly pay. And told the Porsche would be... didn't remove it. Walked in. Thomas wasn't anyone to restore the car for. He knew he... anymore. He just couldn't watch the last thing he shared with Margaret become scrap metal. Owner to give time and hauled the Porsche back to... All four tires were badly deteriorated. The body was buried beneath dirt and organic growth. Had severe paint damage. We carefully washed and decontaminated the exterior before polishing every section of paint... be saved. Years of dust, sand, rodent debris, and moisture had taken over. So we removed the contamination and deep cleaned the cabin. The seat rails were badly corroded. The interior underneath... still there. We didn't have a key, so I wasn't going... the Porsche was suddenly a running restoration. But after carefully supplying power, something happened that Thomas hadn't seen in 15 years. The pop-up headlights slowly rose. The first time... that day. More importantly, our inspection suggested the engine wasn't obviously seized. Suddenly, this wasn't a junkyard shell destined for a crusher. Largely complete early Porsche 944 deserving a proper mechanical inspection. I photographed everything, documented its condition, and posted the car honestly to Porsche enthusiasts, hoping somebody would value it as a complete project instead of a pile of parts. Thomas only asked for enough money to get himself safe to sleep and start rebuilding his life. That evening, my phone started ringing. One caller asked me to photograph a specific number on the Porsche. I sent him the picture. A few minutes later, he called back and said, 'Don't sell that car to anyone. I'll be there.' The next morning, an enclosed trailer pulled into the shop. A man stepped... folder, walked straight past us toward Thomas's Porsche. Checked the number himself and immediately asked Thomas alone. Comment Part 2 if you want to know why he came for the Porsche and what he offered.