In its day, the gleaming white car sitting in the Cruise-In's Concours D'Elegance was considered something of a speed demon.

"I don't go over 35 [mph]," said owner Mark Fettback, of Langley.

In a pinch, it might reach 50 mph, or about 80 km/h, he believes.

The 1915 Model T Speedster has been fully restored more than once in its nearly 100 years of life.

Fettback said it was first restored 35 years ago, and it was driveable when he bought it.

It's made previous appearances at the Good Times Cruise-In, but until this year it had a green paint job.

Now Fettback has added some new elements and changed the paint scheme. It has machine-carved wooden plaques on the side and glowing brass fittings.

He bought a wood-carving machine and learned how to use it just to recreate the plaques, he said. He's done pretty much all the work on the car himself.

The latest re-build has absorbed the last nine months.

"I tore it down in December, and put it on the road last night," he said Saturday.

After hundreds of hours of work, Fettback has a simple answer for why he loves driving the car.

"Seeing the smiles on some of the older faces, of some of the people that actually drove them," he said.

"I have more fun going to a coffee shop, and having the kids come up to have their picture taken, than going to a car show," Fettback said. "Cars are meant to be driven."

Fettback is a longtime car lover, with a current collection of four classic automobiles, including the Model T and a British Ford Prefect.

"I've been in this car show since the day it started," he said.

The week after the Cruise-In, Fettback is taking the Speedster on a Can-Am tour through North America. He and his wife will be driving with 49 Model Ts across the continent.

mclaxton@langleyadvance.com