Hartley Hay retired last week after 51 years in the workforce.
The 67-year-old officially retired on Thursday but on Friday he drove his 1937 Chevrolet Coupe into the Regional Ford Gore workshop one last time.
Mr Hay brought the car in 1973 and drove it to his first job with his tools in it.
"Now I’ve picked my tools up on my last job and taken it home 51 years later," he said.
He was quite sad to finish working but acknowledged it was the right thing to do, he said.
"I’m staring to get too old and the body is starting to feel the age coming on.
"I was a bit apprehensive about retiring because it’s the unknown. But I just thought I just have to. You can’t work forever."
He had worked at Regional Ford twice, he said.
"I’ve done six years this time and I worked here before that for a few years way back in the 2000s."
During his career he also worked at Curson Motors and MGM Auto repairs and on his own collection of cars, he said.
A lot had changed in the mechanical industry in his time, he said.
"The cars have become a lot more reliable and efficient but a lot more complicated. The computer age has done that."
The work had become significantly different, he said.
He looked forward to getting some relaxation in, he said.
"You’re on the next phase. You don’t know how long you’re gonna last so you gotta take the chance while you can.
During his retirement he planned to build a racing car, he said.
"I call it the Hartley special. It’s a front-engine open wheeler."
He had a collection of vintage cars to look after, he said.
"That will be a lot of time and a lot of money."
He also planned to spend time fishing at his crib, he said.
