Last modified: Monday, July 14, 2008 2:39 AM EDT Nancy Wall and Dave Loving of Mansfield are headed to Indiana with their 1910 Model T in late July to mark the centennial celebration of Henry Ford first producing the Model T. (Staff photo by Mike George) In love with a Tin Lizzy BY MATT KAKLEY SUN CHRONICLE STAFF MANSFIELD - The combination of $4 per gallon for gasoline and a car that only gets 15 miles per gallon might keep many people home this summer. But for Nancy Wall and her husband, Dave Loving, the chance to take their 1910 Model T out is just too good to pass up. Wall and Loving will be taking their classic car to Richmond, Ind., in late July for a week-long centennial celebration of Henry Ford first producing the Model T. Wall says she is excited about the event, which is expected to draw up to 1,000 Model Ts, some from as far away as Australia. The couple said they will be towing the Model T to the event, but driving it once they are there. "We've been to a lot of events," she said. "But we've never been to one with this many cars." The event, called a tour, will allow Model T lovers to drive around the Richmond area, showcasing their antique cars and seeing the sights. "They're basically like planned vacations," Loving said of the tours, which occur across the country. "They give you a set of directions, and then let you go at your own pace." "They have you go see museums," Wall said. "They have specific places for you to go to lunch." The centennial event will include tours of the Wright Brothers museums, Indiana Hoosiers basketball and the Underground Railroad. Model T collectors from around the globe will be able to meet and socialize at dinners and other activities. Possible Guinness record According to Vintage Ford, a magazine produced by Model T Ford Club of America, if the 1,000 expected Model Ts show up, the event could set a Guinness World Record for the longest single-model car line. The Mansfield couple has been a part of the Model T circuit for the past seven years - ever since, Loving said, a twinge of jealousy inspired him to by his first Tin Lizzy. "My college roommate bought one," he said. "He was having so much fun, I had to have one, too." Since then, the couple has bought another Model T and joined the Central Massachusetts Model T Club, a group that will be sending 17 members to Indiana. The club will have its own tent at the event for other New England groups to stop by and socialize. On their tours across the country, Loving says the car has gotten them into places they wouldn't have been able to without it. "We were on a tour in Savannah, Ga., and plantation owners were inviting us in," he said. "They were feeding us and showing us around just to get a look at the car." With it's convertible top, kerosene lamps and lack of doors, the couple's Model T looks like it belongs in an old black and white movie - not driving around Mansfield, being waved at by people in pickup trucks and SUVs. In one of the few bows to modernity, Loving installed an electric ignition on the car, although it can still be fired up with the hand crank on the front of the engine. "When you're out on a tour and making a lot of stops, cranking it all the time can be a hassle," Wall said. An early version of the Model T, the car has brass era headlights that use acetylene. The car has three pedals, but once the car is moving, the driver can take his foot away altogether. The throttle is controlled by a lever on the steering wheel. The car's gas tank is under the passenger seat and relies on gravity. "If you're low on gas and at the bottom of a hill, it can be difficult," Loving said. "Sometimes, you have to turn around and back up the hill." "It's happened on more than one occasion," Wall said with a chuckle. Loving says he is planning to a big birthday party when their car turns 100 on April 2, 2010. The car's 3 liter engine creates 20 horsepower, a far cry from the 300 produced by the latest Ford Mustang. Despite the low speeds, Loving and Wall say the Model T only gets about 15 miles per gallon of gasoline. The low gas mileage, however, doesn't deter the couple from going on tours, which can include up to 80 miles of driving in a single day. "For us, there wasn't a doubt," Wall said. "Perhaps some older people who depend on a fixed income might have to cut back. Maybe they can only do tours close to home." Only doing tours close to home doesn't seem to be an issue for the couple. On their way to the Richmond celebration, they will be taking part in a tour in Kalamazoo, Michigan. "We're excited," Wall said about their upcoming trips. "They're so much fun."