Finding a rare, limited-edition muscle car abandoned in a barn is a gearhead's dream. But when that car is covered in a hazardous layer of toxic bat guano and infested with mice, the dream quickly becomes a biohazard.The team at WD Detailing recently tackled one of their most intense jobs yet: rescuing a 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt that had been sitting in an 1860s barn since 2015. The goal? Clean it up, get it running, and surprise the owner, Sean, who had parked it years ago when "life got in the way.""This is one of the rarest cars we've ever found, a Bullitt Mustang from 2001," the team explained right away. But it wasn't just a simple wash and wax.A Bizarre Spec: Nitrous and SVT BadgesBefore the team could even bring the Dark Highland Green Mustang into their shop, they had to deal with the exterior. The barn's resident bats had used the Bullitt as a drop zone for nearly a decade.AdvertisementAdvertisement"This car is covered in bat droppings, which is highly toxic and highly dangerous, especially when it gets wet," they noted. To keep their shop safe, they had to blow the hazardous material off in the parking lot before tackling the exterior wash.The interior wasn't much better. After running an ozone machine to cut down on the stench, the team pulled the seats and found exactly what they feared: three massive mouse nests. One was hiding where the nitrous system used to sit in the trunk, another under the rear seats, and a third packed tightly into the spare tire well.Ford only produced around 3,000 Bullitt Mustangs in 2001 as an homage to Steve McQueen's iconic 1968 ride. But this specific car was hiding some bizarre secrets.For starters, it was covered in SVT and Cobra badges—on the wheels, the fenders, the trunk, and even under the hood. The Bullitt was never an SVT product, leaving the detailers scratching their heads over whether it was simply "up-badged" by the owner or a bizarre dealer anomaly.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut the real shocker was sitting in the engine bay."This Mustang has nitrous hooked up to it, which I did not expect because I thought this car would just be a plain jane car," one of the detailers said after spotting the braided lines and solenoids. Clearly, Sean didn't just baby this collectible; he built it to run hard.Firing the Mustang up After 9 YearsAfter a thorough wash, a deep clay-bar decontamination, and an intense interior extraction to remove the mouse damage, the Dark Highland Green paint was shining like it did in 2001.But a shiny car is useless if it doesn't run. The team checked the oil (which looked shockingly fresh), verified the coolant levels, hooked up a new battery, and dumped five gallons of fresh fuel into the empty tank.AdvertisementAdvertisementDespite sitting for nine years, the 4.6-liter V8 didn't even hesitate."As easy as that. Let's go, dude, fire right up," the team cheered as the exhaust roared to life. No misfires, no terrifying ticks—just a smooth-running V8 ready for the road.The WD Detailing crew towed the revived Bullitt back to the property, only to find the 1867 barn had already been completely dismantled for reclaimed lumber. They met up with Sean, who assumed his car was long gone.When they dropped the trailer gate, Sean was speechless."Had it since I was 18, 20 years. Oh, no way. No way. No way. Dude, you guys are magicians," Sean laughed as he saw his pristine Mustang.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe best part? He didn't just put it on a trailer to take it home. Within minutes, Sean was behind the wheel, ripping a massive, tire-smoking burnout down the country road.
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