WATCH: Volunteer restores classic car for Black Country Living Museum

Then, more than 60 years later, Keith Peckmore found himself back working on the 1100cc Kieft.

The 86-year-old has restored the classic car, which can reach speeds of more than 100mph, for the Black Country Living Museum.

The vehicle has a Coventry climax Engine, four speed gearbox.

Once a month, the group of volunteers at museum drive the cars around the site to wow and impress the visitors.

The car was specifically made for the 1954 motor show, and Mr Peckmore believes it was given to Kieft Cars founder, Cyril Kieft's daughter Anne, as a 21st birthday present, and was given the number plate AK 123.

Kieft Cars were a British car company that built Formula Three racing cars, with their headquarters being based in Derry St, Wolverhampton.

The cars were at the Motor Show because the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders), had offered the little company a free stand for, where Kieft cars had twice won their class in International races.

The two Kieft cars that were on display that year were interesting as their fibreglass bodies were reported to have been the first ever produced from a single mould as a complete unit, and the other was because they were the first cars to score an international win using a Coventry Climax engine.

But unbelievably, retired engineer Mr Peckmore, who has been part of the team of eight engineers for five years, only laid eyes on the model again in 2002 at Mr Kiefts memorial in Tettenhall, nearly fifty years since he first built it. It has since been donated to the Black Country Motor Group in 2008.

He previously worked for the Frisky and Kieft car companies.

Mr Peckmore said the helpers have scores of years of experience between them: "It was incredible to see the car again, after all of those years. It was originally painted red but was changed to a racing green for the motor show.

"It was a wonderful feeling to be reunited with the car again, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"At the Black Country Motor Group, couple of us are 85 or 86, then there are a few other around 80 and some a little bit younger," he explained.

"It's lovely to work together for one thing - it's different, it's interesting and sometimes it's a challenge.

"We've to test all the cars which can be difficult, particularly after the winter period.

"What we can't get we try to make ourselves which is difficult.

"We're lucky in the respect that some of our volunteers have got access to machine shops and are very good at making and repairing parts.

"We are very fortunate with the expertise between us."

On the first Saturday of each month the volunteers take the cars out for a spin around the museum site.

This helps keep them 'in good working order' according to Mr Peckmore.

"By doing this we can keep them ticking over," he said.

Otherwise the experienced squad of volunteers travel to the museum every Thursday to carry out work on the fleet of vehicles

But if any of the cars break down they all require different levels of TLC to repair.

"Each of the cars has got its idiosyncrasies - for wont of a better word - and they all need to be treated a little bit differently," he said.

Abby Bird, PR and marketing co-ordinator, said: "It's a unique privilege to have the insights and knowledge from the vehicle volunteers.

"Some of them even worked on some of the prototype cars we have here at the museum including the 1950s Frisky three-wheeler and the Kieft sports car when they were new.

"They have been instrumental in passing on this knowledge to younger generations, including our apprentice.

"Their hard work and dedication is invaluable and greatly appreciated by the museum."