It may be a car but it is more to the select few who have been lucky enough to sit behind the wheel.

The Jaguar XK120 rolled off the production line shiny and new in 1950, but 64 years on, it’s just as shiny and new-looking. It’s hood has never even been used.

After being in the hands of Hollingbourne man Donald Diprose for more than 50 years up until his deathI don’t know exactly when he died although trying to find out, it has moved to its next safe pair of hands.

New owner Alex Mamas and his wife Maxine, from Orpington, now want to hear from anyone who remembers it over the years, from neighbours who saw it out on sunny Sunday afternoon runs, to mechanics who gave it its annual service.

Classic car collector Mr Mamas, would like to piece together the entire history and find out as much information as possible.

He said: “It is not just a car to us. It is really nice to get all these bits together - they are like putting a jigsaw together, so that we can get the bigger picture.”

When Mr Diprose bought the three-and-a-half-litre sports car in 1960, he paid the princely sum of £360. That had appreciated to £53,000 when Mr Mamas bought it from a dealership.

Wife Maxine added: “He had been looking for another car for quite a while - we have got quite a few. The history is as important as the vehicle to him. To hear those little anecdotes about a car and things that have happened to it over the years, they are lovely to have.”

Mr Diprose, who featured with his beloved Jag in a 2003 edition of the KM, never put the hood up on the car in the time he had it and Mr Mamas is following in his footsteps.

He added: “My cars only go out on sunny, dry days.”