94-year-old man reunites with his late father's cherished vintage car on an auction website

In a heartwarming story, Malcolm Stern from Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, stumbled upon his father's cherished classic car on an auction website, leading to a three-year restoration project. Initially, Stern had been trying to create a 3D model of the 1930s Talbot Darracq. However, he was astounded to find that the car being sold online was actually his father's, despite its sorry state. At 94 years old, Stern admitted that driving the vehicle again was a nerve-wracking experience. He expressed that this car held a unique significance to him because it belonged to his father. Stern had purchased a 3D printer before the lockdown and had planned to craft a replica of the bright yellow classic car that his father had driven during his childhood. During his search for reference pictures, he unexpectedly discovered the actual car being auctioned. Stern reminisced about his father, Alec Stern, who acquired the car in 1935. He shared that his father used the car as his daily means of transportation and often took the family on picnics. Manufactured in 1930, the vintage vehicle is nearly as old as Stern himself. Despite its dilapidated appearance when he first laid eyes on it, he and his wife decided to purchase it for £6,000 due to its sentimental value. The restoration process has been a laborious and costly endeavor for Stern. The original engine had been destroyed in a rally, so he estimated that the renovators spent around 2,000 hours working on the car while he contributed approximately 1,000 hours. Although difficult, Stern hopes to complete the project by renovating the car's interior within the next six months. Expressing his excitement, Stern revealed his surprise at being 94 years old and still able to undertake such a task. He believes his father would have been proud and excited about the restoration. The article concludes by encouraging readers to follow East of England news on various social media platforms and provides contact information for story submissions.