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The shiny SUVs and passenger cars parked in his neighbors' driveways remind him that he lives in 2008 but it feels like the early 20th century inside his 1922 Model T — 1,200 pounds of popping, squeaking, rattling automotive history.

"It's a hoot to drive," Adams said. "It's fun. Getting younger people to appreciate it is what's difficult."

Youthful drivers may be more attracted to newer cars "speed, flash, color and chrome, but that's speculation on my part," Adams said.

Adams, 68, is enjoying the car more than usual this year, the 100th anniversary of the first Model T to roll off an assembly line in Detroit. An estimated 250,000 remain of the 15 million made before production stopped in 1927.

Adams celebrated the centennial in style two weeks ago as he joined hundreds of other Model T owners in Richmond, Ind., for a rally touted by some participants as the largest such gathering in Model T history. The event's Web site says more than 970 owners from 47 states and nine countries participated.

Adams towed his Model T to the event, a concession to the risks of driving such a car in heavy traffic on high-speed roads. Adams said he typically takes the Model T out once a week to special events and activities. Insurance rules prevent most Model T's from being used for daily activities such as commuting and running errands.

The Model T is no modern day intimidation-mobile designed to humble other drivers and onlookers with heroic size and performance. The tires are thin and it would take seven of the car's four cylinder engines to equal the 140 horsepower output of the compact 2008 Ford Focus. The gas mileage of 16 to 20 mpg is lower than that of many SUVs and trucks.

But Adams was looking for a piece of history, not the latest in automotive engineering when he bought the Model T almost 20 years ago. His car had already been restored to near flawless condition by the previous owner and it remains mostly unchanged today, except for some new wheels.

Model T's carry 10 gallon gas tanks and burn fuel at a rate of 16 to 20 miles mpg, meaning they typically travel 160 to 200 miles on a tank of gas, a figure that Adams said may have been diminished by modern fuels blended to reduce air pollution.

Bob Russell, 68, of Bethesda has driven his 1921 Model T to the Detroit area and Canada.

"Once you get them in pretty good shape, they'll run pretty good," Russell said.

Russell and Adams are board members of the Nation's Capital Model T Ford Club Inc., a chapter of Model T Ford Club International. The chapter promotes Model T ownership and events in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.

Adams said his Model T draws varying reactions from other drivers on the road. Some people apparently object to its slow speed, he said.

"Some will give you the finger as they pass, others will wave at you, all kinds of things," he said.

Adams grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania where he sometimes tinkered with Ford Model A's, the successor to the Model T. He bought his first Model T in 1979 and has remained a fan ever since.

Adams said he takes the opportunity to evangelize about the pleasures of Model T ownership whenever he gets the chance. At the Model T gathering in Indiana, he took two boys, ages 11 and 14, plus their parents and grandparents for a ride.

"I'm always looking to introduce the youth if we can," he said.

The car has three pedals to control the transmission and brakes. The gas flow is regulated through a hand throttle and choke wire within reach of the driver. Adams expertly worked the pedals and levers as he drove, tasks that are easier than they appear, he said.

Adams said it took him five minutes to learn how to drive the car.

"You can teach someone to drive it in five to 10 minutes," he said. "It's just a matter of coordination."