A Michigan man has finally been able to start restoration on a 1969 Buick Skylark, almost three decades after he was originally told that one day the car would be his.

Mike Simons first saw the Skylark when he was just 13, as it belonged to his aunt and uncle, with these generous relatives telling him that it would one day be his.

It was only driven for 10 years after it rolled out of the factory and since then has largely spent the time in storage, since his uncle could never find the time to complete the restoration project.

Mr Simons said that while there was certainly a decent amount of work required to bring the Buick Skylark back up to a presentable condition, the body and the interior had remained largely intact over the years, which makes his job a little easier.

His intention, according to TCTimes.com, is to get the car ready for the Back to the Bricks cruise and he seems to be on target to achieve this aim.

He intends to head to the cruise with his father, who is just as fanatical about classic cars as his Buick-loving son.