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An 83-year-old man was moved to tears after seeing his old car again, more than 10 years after he sold it.

The elderly man, surnamed Yeo, had the opportunity to be reunited with the car he drove for most of his life after a classic car enthusiast tracked him down.

Tracking Yeo down

The car's new custodian, classic car enthusiast Clarence Tan, told Mothership that he had recently been tasked to take care of a 1968 Mini Moke by its current owner.

The Mini Moke was originally produced by the British Motor Corporation. Production of the car ceased in 1993.

After the car came into his possession, Tan realised that the chassis number of the car — 501 — was very strange as chassis numbers on most cars, even on vintage ones, typically have a lot more digits.

He knew there had to be something unique about the car.

Curious to find out more, he asked around on various Facebook groups, and was told that the car was likely one of the first of its kind to be manufactured.

Another person recognised the car and reached out to Tan, telling him that it used to be registered under a different license plate number.

This led him to Yeo, the former owner of the Mini Moke.

Could not believe car was still around and in the same condition

Tan offered to meet and show Yeo the car on Aug. 17.

Yeo was in disbelief that the car was still around and in good shape, Tan shared.

The older man thought that given the age of the car, it would have long been scrapped.

"When he saw the car, he just went crazy man," Tan recounted.

According to Tan, Yeo very excitedly pointed out all the modifications he made to the car over the years: a hole he drilled to help with drainage, a secret compartment in the car to store belongings.

"I'm just shocked that [all the memories he had of the car] were still so fresh to him," said Tan.

"When Mr Yeo saw that his car was almost exactly the same 10 years ago, I think that was the most shocking to him."

Yeo had expected that the car's later owners would have changed its colour or would have done other modifications over the years.

Before its current copper colour, Yeo also remembered that he had once painted the car purple.

Evidence of the old purple paint was still visible underneath one of the carpets in the car.

Yeo's wife also had many fond memories of the car, given that she was Yeo's passenger for many years.

She said they used to drive the car out almost every other day for more than 40 years.

An emotional goodbye

Towards the end of their meeting, Tan took Yeo for a spin in his old car.

As Yeo alighted, Tan noticed the elderly man shedding tears.

Yeo said to Tan that seeing the car again was like "seeing a married daughter return to her maiden home after many years".

(Yeo said in Mandarin: "这个好像是嫁出去的女儿回来看我们一样.")

Tan promised Yeo that if the opportunity arises again, he would bring the car around again for more rides.

Yeo then thanked him for taking care of his former "baby".

Yeo shared with Tan that he regretted surrendering his driving license years ago due to his old age, and would have been happy to drive his old car again.

Owned the car for 44 years

Yeo shared that he had bought the car from the British army in 1968, when they were still stationed in Singapore.

As to how such a rare car arrived in Singapore of all places, Yeo explained that the car was sent to the British army from Australia, where it was produced.

Yeo kept the car for 44 years, and sold it in 2012.

Yeo said age was catching up to him then, and he did not want to own a car he did not drive often.

He also said he could no longer take such good care of the car like he did in his younger years, and decided to sell it to a dealer for a good price.

Tan came to learn that after Yeo sold the car in 2012, it was bought over from the dealership by a new owner.

However, the owner was often posted overseas, and never drove the car out in the 10 years it was in his possession.

The owner also did not make any modifications to the car during that time, which explained why the car was in almost exactly the same condition as Yeo remembered more than 10 years ago.

All photos courtesy of Clarence Tan