William Chrystal, 44, has just completed the restoration of the striking yellow 1975 Corvette Stingray as a tribute to cancer victim Graeme Porter, who passed away in 2012.

Dad-of-two Graeme, formerly of Paisley, had always dreamed of carrying out the motor works but lost his battle with cancer shortly before he could finish the task.

Now, in June this year, close friend Willie is to unveil the vehicle at a Classic Car Festival being held in aid of St Vincent’s Hospice.

Willie, a former firefighter for Glasgow Airport, told The Gazette: “I knew Graeme because he was married to a previous next door neighbour, but I also worked with his brother when I was a lecturer at Reid Kerr College.

“Graeme and I got back in touch through Facebook a few years ago and we regularly discussed the work he was carrying out on the car when he had time off work.

“Over a short period he wasn’t online for a while and when I spoke to him next he informed that he had terminal cancer. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he died late 2012.

“His wife, Marie Porter, lived next to me in Paisley and told me she had a lot of problems with car dealers once Graeme passed away.

“I offered to buy the car and finish fixing it up the way he wanted.” Graeme, wife Marie and his two children moved to California during the 1990s but always kept in touch with Willie, who they’d known for 14 years.

Marie purchased numerous car parts for her husband over the years. Sadly, Graeme’s condition deteriorated and he was too ill to complete the car renovations.

“It’s taken me one and a half years — but now it’s looking fantastic. Marie seems very pleased,” dad-of-three Willie continued.

“The evening Marie emailed me, I looked into shipping the car here to complete it.

“I bought the car from Marie and paid £2,000 to have it shipped here from Long Island.

“It arrived in September 2012 and I had planned to have it complete the following June. It took me a wee while longer that I anticipated.

“Graeme had done a fair bit of work and had collected spare parts that he never got a chance to fit.” On completion of the project, Willie, owner of health and safety training company MaxSafe Solutions, then came up with the idea to start a charity car festival.

Around 40 yesteryear cars are expected to be at the summer event, which is being held at the St Vincent’s Hospice in Howwood.

“Once I finished the car that gave me the idea for the festival at St Vincent’s,” Willie said.

“My company has done a lot of fundraising for the local hospice but we wanted to do something a bit different.

“Graeme’s wife Marie popped over a few months ago while over for a visit and loved seeing all the parts that she had bought as Christmas or birthday presents for Graeme that he never got the chance to fit. His name has also been inscribed into the rear panel under a vent.” The Car Festival and Summer Fair event will be held on June 28 from 10am until 4pm. Entry is free but donations are welcome.

Willie continued: “There has been some spooky goings on with it as well.

“The evening I arrived back at the house — which was around 10pm — Graeme’s brother actually passed the house and saw me pushing the car into my garage.

“I hope the festival will be a success. This is my sort of tribute to Graeme.” For more information on the event visit www.stvincentshospice.co.uk