The first car ever registered in Mattapoisett is up for sale.

Rochester resident Richard Cutler spent the last five years restoring the 1908 Buick Model 10 S/N 166.

A member of the Dexter family who managed the now defunct Dexter’s Garage on Mechanic Street was the original owner. Brand new, the car sold for $900.

Nicknamed “The White Streak” for its color and speed, Cutler said the car likely turned a few heads.

“It was Buick’s version of a Mustang at the time. It was sportier then most cars,” he said.

With brass accents, gas-powered headlights and hickory wheels, the Buick is more horseless carriage than modern automobile, which Cutler says is part of its appeal.

A former Rochester Selectman, Cutler and his wife Virginia took up the hobby of restoring and touring in horseless carriages soon after he retired from the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole.

A friend and former boss, John Layport, got him interested. Layport had invited Cutler to a car rally on Martha’s Vineyard. On the island, they took a cruise in Layport’s 1908 Maxwell.

“Afterwards I said, 'God, that was a lot of fun,'” Cutler recalled.

The couple’s first purchase was a 1914 Model T that, out of the five antique cars they own, is their favorite.

Stored in garages and trailers, the other cars include a 1911 Maxwell previously owned by the man who founded The Rockettes.

“This car has been on stage at Radio City Music Hall,” Cutler said.

The red roadster is now parked inside his barn where he’s working to fine tune the engine.

But once it's fixed, it won't stay in the barn for long. Since the hobby started, Cutler and his wife have quickly immersed themselves in the world of horseless carriages, which have an enthusiastic following that surprised them.

“Since we started we’ve found this massive, hidden subculture,” Cutler said. “We had no idea how huge it is.”

The Cutler’s have attended rallies in New Zealand and all over the country. This summer, they will travel to the Midwest for a tour around Lake Erie with other members of the Horseless Carriage Club of America.

There are 4,500 members in the club, which defines a horseless carriage as any automobile with a gasoline, steam or electric motor manufactured before Jan. 1, 1916.

In 2011, Cutler served as the club’s president, just a few years after purchasing his first Model T.

“Once we got started we got into the hobby pretty heavily,” he said.

For whoever purchases the Buick, Cutler said he will pay for a one-year membership in the club.

Cutler is the Buick’s fourth owner. When Dexter passed away, an active member in the antique car community, Dean Zwicker, purchased it from the estate. The car ended up in Rochester when Layport bought it. After Layport passed away, Cutler bought it from his friend’s estate.

At the time the car was in pieces. With help from club members, Cutler had it repainted and restored.

For Cutler, learning about the cars is as interesting as tinkering with them.

In the Buick, the driver’s seat is on the right hand side of the car. Cutler said Henry Ford is responsible for the switch.

“He didn’t want women exiting the car into the street,” Cutler said. Without pavement, the roads were mud pits after rain.

Because Ford had more cars on the road at the time than all other auto manufacturers combined, his rivals followed suit.

“If you’re a history buff, it’s a great hobby,” Cutler said.

The old cars aren’t without their problems though.

State inspections and registrations have confounded mechanics and Department of Motor Vehicle employees through the years.

In an effort to make the state more friendly for horseless carriage drivers, Cutler filed legislation through state Rep. Bill Straus two years ago. The bill, if passed, would waive state inspection of vehicles 75 years and older.

Ultimately, Cutler wants to ensure that the cars that paved the way for modern automobiles stay on the road and aren’t forgotten.

For more information about the Buick for sale, call 508-763-2735.