You can't keep a good car down.

Last year, Bob Heroux's Scat Rat, a 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass race car, was stolen from his autobody shop. The thieves stripped the car of its parts, destroying it.

Eventually, Heroux and police managed to slowly find pieces of the car, including its engine.

And now, nine months later, the car has been rebuilt, repainted and is ready to drive.

"We did a complete restoration on the car in nine months," Heroux said. "That's insane. It usually takes years. But, with the help of friends and great people and a lot of hours, it's there. It's back."

The Scat Rat is no ordinary car. Heroux worked on the vehicle for years, getting it into racing condition and personalizing it down to the last detail.

"It's been part of our family," he said. "My daughter took it to her graduation. She raced the car, I raced the car, and now my son Braden races that car."

Around 90 per cent of the car's parts had to be replaced. As a result, it's going to take a while before it gets in racing condition.

"I am so happy," he said. "I am so relieved. I have never worked on something so hard to finish."

The Heroux family hopes to start test driving the car when Saskatoon International Raceway opens for the season. They also hope to bring the car to this year's Draggins Annual Car Show.