In 1967 Owen Wyn Owen decided to excavate and restore Babs.
The site of the burial was identified from old photographs, but it was found to be within the perimeter of the present-day rocket establishment.
The military authorities granted permission for the excavation on condition that Parry-Thomas's next of kin did not object.
It took Wyn Owen two years to locate a living relative, a nephew living in Walsall, and finally the wreck was recovered.
This recovery was controversial at the time, less so after the successful restoration.
The prevailing opinion was that the wreck would be unsalveagable for anything more than a pitiful museum display.
Few expected that the wreck would ever resemble a car again, let alone be restored to running order.

The car was in very poor condition.
Much of the bodywork had corroded, so a new body had to be constructed, melding in where possible any existing original material.
The mechanical running gear though was in good condition.
Even where components could not be used, they were sufficiently preserved to act as a pattern.
The engine was salvageable, but many new replacement parts had to be made from original designs.

The car was first successfully tested on The Helyg straight in the early 1970s.
The test consisted of being towed by the local garage owner's Land Rover (Dafydd Hughes and his mechanic Allan Hughes), to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and then Babs was bump started.
The gearing was so high that being towed was the only way to get Babs moving under its own power.
The car was later successfully demonstrated in front of the world press and television on an airfield near RAF Valley, Anglesey.

The restoration work took place in Owen's garage in Capel Curig, and Babs is now displayed in the Pendine Museum of Speed during the summer months.
The car was run at the Brooklands Centenary in 2007.

In 1999, Owen was awarded the Tom Pryce trophy, engraved with the words Atgyfodwr Babs (English: Resurrector of Babs).
Following Owen's death in 2012, the car is driven by his son Geraint.
In 1967 Owen Wyn Owen decided to excavate and restore Babs. The site of the burial was identified from old photographs, but it was found to be within the perimeter of the present-day rocket establishment. The military authorities granted permission for the excavation on condition that Parry-Thomas's next of kin did not object. It took Wyn Owen two years to locate a living relative, a nephew living in Walsall, and finally the wreck was recovered. This recovery was controversial at the time, less so after the successful restoration. The prevailing opinion was that the wreck would be unsalveagable for anything more than a pitiful museum display. Few expected that the wreck would ever resemble a car again, let alone be restored to running order.
The car was in very poor condition. Much of the bodywork had corroded, so a new body had to be constructed, melding in where possible any existing original material. The mechanical running gear though was in good condition. Even where components could not be used, they were sufficiently preserved to act as a pattern. The engine was salvageable, but many new replacement parts had to be made from original designs.
The car was first successfully tested on The Helyg straight in the early 1970s. The test consisted of being towed by the local garage owner's Land Rover (Dafydd Hughes and his mechanic Allan Hughes), to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and then Babs was bump started. The gearing was so high that being towed was the only way to get Babs moving under its own power. The car was later successfully demonstrated in front of the world press and television on an airfield near RAF Valley, Anglesey.
The restoration work took place in Owen's garage in Capel Curig, and Babs is now displayed in the Pendine Museum of Speed during the summer months. The car was run at the Brooklands Centenary in 2007.
In 1999, Owen was awarded the Tom Pryce trophy, engraved with the words Atgyfodwr Babs (English: Resurrector of Babs). Following Owen's death in 2012, the car is driven by his son Geraint.
Babs (land speed record car)