A RUBERY man who rescued a rare classic car from oblivion is set to see it on display at a national motor show.

Maurice Palmer, of Rea Road, painstakingly rebuilt the 1953 Morgan Plus Four over 12 months from a collection of parts.

The car is distinctive because it is among the last of an old Morgan design, and until recently, it had all its original parts.

Because of this, the Plus Four was shown three years ago at the International Classic Motor Show at Birmingham's NEC, where it will return this weekend.

The car was owned by an estate agent friend of Maurice's but the ash frame that Morgans are famously built on was decaying so it was taken to a dealer for restoration.

When it was stripped, the dealer's business collapsed.

The car lay in bits, £3,000 had been spent and the suppliers had not even been paid.

"It's a sad story. The owner didn't even know where all of the bits were," Maurice said.

But the former engineer, who has restored several vintage bikes, bought the car and went about putting the pieces together.

He said: "The Morgan is the first car I've ever restored. You could say it was a labour of love.

"There were parts all over the house and fuel tanks in the bathroom -- my wife went spare."

Thanks to Maurice's efforts, it will be back on the podium by the all-new Morgan Aero 8.