AFTER 40 years gathering dust in a farmer’s barn, an 87-year-old classic sports car took the three men who brought it back to life on a trip to the seaside at Porlock Weir.

Only one of three in existence, the 1929 Model P Lea-Francis was making its first appearance after a three and a half-year restoration project by Porlock motor museum owner Stephen Johns and friends Bill Meacham and David Hoad.

Owner of the Oily Motor Museum in Porlock, Stephen bought the car at auction in 1913. It needed massive restoration, but he is now finally back behind the wheel of his prized acquisition.

Stephen closed his previous museum in Porlock in 2012 after eight years and sold his collection of ten historic cars and 13 motorcycles plus a massive amount of motoring memorabilia, for £667,000.

He has now reopened the museum on a smaller scale and will continue to do a limited amount of restoration.

Stephen said that Lea-Francis partners, Richard Lea and Graham Francis, first produced expensive cycles in 1885, followed by motorcycles and light cars.

Despite racing success, the company went into receivership in 1930, but was revived in 1937 and continued to produce classic cars until the early 1960s.

Photos: Maureen Harvey.