The driver's side seat is positively shrivelled. Dust is caked on its once famously gleaming exterior. But the Ferrari Daytona Spyder custom built for the hugely popular 1980s Miami Vice television series soon will be restored to its former splendour.

The Daytona Spyder Don Johnson drove as Detective James "Sonny" Crockett will be a polished and especially prized piece of Volo Auto Museum in the USA's remarkable collection of more than 300 collector and Hollywood cars. A holiday season debut of the Spyder is planned. Right now, professional restorers at the Rainbow Collision Center in Volo are painstakingly bringing it back to a pristine state. "This is the car that was driven throughout two years in the series," says Greg Grams, museum owner. "It was used by Don Johnson and abused by Don Johnson. They used the car up and it was left out to pasture. We got it and we're bringing it back to life."

Johnson as Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs set fashion trends (think pastel suits and loafers with no socks) during the 1980s as they stylishly dealt with various nefarious drug dealers. Meanwhile, the Daytona Spyder Crockett drove became notorious among Ferrari aficionados and executives because the car gaining all that attention from viewers wasn't really a Ferrari, but a replica built on a Corvette chassis. With only 165 real convertible Daytona Spyders ever made, it's not difficult to comprehend the economics behind the faux car for the faux cops.
 

The on-going restoration of the Daytona Spyder replica comes just as the Ferrari connection with Miami Vice has been re-ignited this summer with the feature-length cinema film remake of the TV series. This time though Detective Sonny Crockett is ably played by Colin Farrell and the role of Ricardo Tubbs is filled by Jamie Foxx. However the pair drive a Ferrari F430 Spider as the do battle with the bad guys.

In later years of the original TV series Ferrari North America, realising the value of the publicity generated, provided two Testarossa sports cars to the show. But Crockett, whose cars were always a part of his drug-dealing cover, loved his Spyder. The visitors the museum believe will love it, too, when it is unveiled shortly.