Charlie Elliott snapped up the smashed motor at an auction back in 2017, prompting some to call him ‘mad’.
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When Charlie, from South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, got hold of the 1937 Talbot BI 105 Airline Saloon, it hadn’t been driven in over 40 years and had suffered severe damage.
There were no windows or roof and the whole thing was held together with cable ties.
Now, though, it has won multiple awards and is a highly-prized collector’s item in showroom-ready condition.
Charlie told Sun Motors: “I was working in the motor trade at the time, for BMW, and then I saw this dream car for sale.
“It was a complete wreck.
“I actually saw it in The Sun after, it was literally cable tied together.
“Everyone thought ‘what are you doing, this will cost thousands’.
“But I just hoped maybe one day it will get an invite to Pebble Beach, which is sort of like The Oscars of the classic car world.”
Not only did the car receive such an invitation just two years late, but it also took third place in its awards class, leaving Charlie overjoyed.
He added: “To get to Pebble Beach and take on all the multi-billionaires with their restoration teams, it was a pretty crazy experience.
“We were in the sports car class and we were the only car with four doors and a roof.”
The 28-year-old also revealed the heartwarming inspiration behind the project – his dear departed grandad.
Charlie credits him with inspiring his love of vintage vehicles and that the pair used to restore cars together before he tragically passed away.
Indeed, the Talbot was his dream car when he was young so when Charlie got the chance to buy one and restore it in the same garage he had such fond memories of, it was too good to miss.
Over the years, he has spent over £100,000 restoring the Talbot to its original glory, on top of the original £30,000 purchase.
But that’s small change compared to the estimated £400,000 it is worth now.
So the half-a-million pound question is whether he would ever sell it.
To that, Charlie laughed: “Do you know what? I don’t know.
“It would have to be someone as passionate as me.
“I’ve always said if someone came and offered me the cheque I might feel differently but I don’t think I’d want to put it up for sale.
“I care about it too much for that.”
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