When Cliff Byfield was a boy growing up in Northam in the 1930s, his grandfather gave some advice he has followed all his life.

"Everyday, before you go to sleep, stop and consider: What have you learned today? What have you done today? Has the day been productive? And are you satisfied with your effort?"

"If you can't answer those in the affirmative then your day has been wasted," Mr Byfield told 720 ABC Perth's Alex Hyman.

It is advice the 92-year-old has always heeded.

His first job after leaving school was working for an undertaker, making coffins.

"That didn't impress me one little bit so then I was offered a job as an apprentice coach builder in Perth and duly came down and signed up for an apprenticeship," he said.

"I learnt more than the one trade — glass cutting, fabric work, oxywelding, panel beating, spring making to name a few."

However his apprenticeship was interrupted by World War II.

He ended up in the Air Force and became a gunner on Lancaster bombers, flying 31 missions.

No cars for 'love nor money' after the war

When he returned to Perth he completed his apprenticeship and found there was a serious shortage of cars in the city — and that is how he came to build his first car.

"The first car I built came out of necessity because in those days you couldn't buy a car for love nor money," he said.

"Well certainly not love anyway.

"A chap I knew in the insurance game told me there was a burnt-out Citroen that had a motor in reasonable condition.

"I got it for a song and set about building a body.

"It became quite a feature round the city at the time."

15 cars and counting

That was just the start of what would become a lifelong pastime — building cars almost from the ground up and fabricating many of the parts himself.

Cliff Byfield lifts the hood on his favourite car, the one he calls the Green Machine. ( 720 ABC Perth: Alex Hyman )

Mr Byfield estimated he had built around 15 cars and restored many others.

He became particularly well known in the 1950s for a Repco Holden he created, which became one of the best known racing cars in the state.

His pride and joy is a car called the Green Machine — a heritage Jaguar he built by hand himself, apart from the engine.

"It's the one I get the most pleasure out of," he said.

His latest project is a plum-coloured 1930s-style sports car.

"It's an old Riley that followed me home one day and sat outside the gate looking very forlorn, just like a dog that follows you home," he said.

"I couldn't resist it and so I bought it with the idea of restoring it.

"But when I opened the doors to examine it, the thing literally imploded.

"So I took the body off, right down to the chassis."

Building the dream car

That has meant designing and building everything — the dashboard, the headlights, the panels — himself.

"It's nearly finished and I am quite pleased with the way it's turned out," he said.

My Byfield said there was huge satisfaction in finishing a car after years of work — but in reality the work is never really over.

"You can always find something to do on them," he said.

"No-one ever gets near to the perfect car."