Time itself, however, has revised its errors by bringing cars like the Oldsmobile back into the limelight. For, the automobile, still decked in its taxi attire of black-and-yellow, and currently under the care of Nitin Dossa, will be among the record number of 104 vehicles at display in The Indian Express-VCCCI Vintage Car Rally that will officially open formalities at Hotel Blue Diamond on Saturday.

``There are a record number of 104 cars participating in the rally,'' informed Nitin Dossa, honorary secretary of the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India (VCCCI). ``This is remarkable for a rally that is only in its second year. (The inaugural edition last year had 60 cars),'' he added.And the pedigrees are as enviable as the quantity. Among the 30 vintage cars(manufactured between 1910-1940), making its first rally debut will be the 1928 Rolls Royce belonging to Fali E Dhondy. One of the most difficult cars to resurrect from the junkyard, it will come down from Mumbai for the Pune run on Sunday.

The oldest car in the fray for the trophies will be Peter Travasso's 1919 Fiat, while the person attracting the most attention is expected to be Pramod Talera, whose 1947 Ford was the sole Indian car in the 6,400 km Jewel of India Classic and Vintage rally recently. Talera will be entering a 1949 De Soto here.

Among the motorcycles, it is the city's Sam Solomon's collection which accounts for the maximum number in the field of 27. Triumphs will hold sway for the Oldest Motorcycle title with Jacob Verghese's 1909 Triumph Trusty and Dossa's 1910 Triumph which runs on a chain instead of a belt.

The rally is divided into three categories, Vintage (1910-1940), Classic (1940-60) and Recent Classics (1960-1970), for sake of the titles and trophies.