In 1982, while filming the television series The Spoils of War Granada Television approached Keswick painter and sculptor, Peter D Nelson and asked if they could borrow his MG TC for use in their production. It was as a result of this that several years later Mr. Nelson conceived the idea of building a motor museum, featuring celebrity television and film vehicles. After purchasing the Royal Oak Garage in the centre of Keswick, which required total refurbishment, he began a two year search for cars with film and television connections and the dream finally became reality when this unique museum opened to the public on 1st May 1989.

The Mercedes Staff car from Raiders.

As Cars of the Stars developed, more and more famous cars were gradually added to the collection, it reached a point where the establishment could not physically house all the vehicles in the Keswick museum, at Ingliston outside Edinburgh. The building, sited at the Royal Highland Show Ground had been the Scottish Agricultural Museum some ten years previously, therefore it had a basic museum infrastructure, however to house jet fighters, submarines and cars some extensive modifications were needed. Work was finally complete in May 2003 and the museum opened that month.

Early in the planning stage of the museum's Nelson decided that presentation was paramount. Row after row of gleaming cars squashed together was not what he intended. He wished to show off each of these rare cars to its maximum advantage and in context with its film and television career. Therefore each vehicle is displayed in its individual film set, with atmospheric lighting and sound playing a part. Houses and mountains were constructed; muddy battlefields and bomb sites were built, all giving a further dimension to the display. The result is a feat of nostalgia for the visitor and a glimpse into the fantasy world of television and film.

Part of this exquisite museum is the actual Mercedes Staff car that appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The vehicle had also appeared in Space and Jenny's War although it is its role in Raiders for which it will be forever remembered.