Vintage cars roll out a rush of memories

CHENNAI: If you had happened to catch a fleeting glimpse of the tiny car that Eddie Albert drove in ‘Roman Holiday’ on the streets of Chennai on Sunday morning it was not a dream sequence. The convertible Topolino 500B car was making one of its rare appearances with 30-odd vintage and classics for display as part of the Madras Week celebrations at the Taj Connemara Hotel.
Stories come easily for the owners of these cars some of whom have acquired the taste of a collector, while others have a legacy that ensures their tryst with fine automobiles continues. It was the Dinky toys of his childhood which sparked the interest in cars for S Srivadhan, a former airlines cargo professional. He now has around 11 cars and four motorcycles in his collection.
The gathering also dispelled the myth that these mean machines could only be a man’s arena. For Anita Subramaniam, the only woman car owner at the show who has taken part in several car rallies, her grandfather’s sole-owner Austin 16 is her cherished heirloom. “The car is special not just for its vintage look but its emotional value. I remember being taken to school by my grandfather and so has many memories associated with it,” says Anita, while her teenage daughter nods in agreement, hoping to continue the family tradition.
The oldest metal on show was the 1926 Austin Chummy, the others included the 1930 Chevrolet Phoeton, Mercedes classics from 1959, 1962, 1968, 1970, Chevrolet Fleetmaster and Dodge Kingsway. The show on Sunday was a precursor to the bigger rally to be held on August 30 at Don Bosco School, Egmore.
The manufacturing process of some of these cars was a feat in itself and changed the face of small cars at that age. “Designed by an aircraft engineer the Topolino has the smallest engine at 500cc and has its engine in front of the axel and the radiator was put as an afterthought behind the engine,” says V S Kylas, secretary of the Madras Heritage Motoring Club, who owns seven other cars.
As part of the culmination of the show, members took the cars to the Free Masons Hall on Ethiraj Salai for exclusive display to a group underprivileged children.