Vanderbilt Cup Races

Arthur M: "Howard, I remember going to a great party and tour of the museum in the mid ‘60s when it was alive and well. We were racing at the Bridge and we were invited over. It was a spectacular museum."

Roberto Rodriguez: "Seeing you extraordinary now photos… I can’t help thinking, there for the grace of God… The same thing came so close to happening with the Seal Cove Auto Museum and Richard Paine’s collection. So many great museums and collectors from the past now gone. I think of this daily as I look at our Knox and Thomas Flyer from Henry Austin Clark, Jr’s collection, the American Victoria Underslung from Briggs Cunningham’s museum, the F.R.P. from Harrah’s and the Peugeot from James Melton’s Autorama. Do hope you can come for a visit."

Frank W:"“Thanks for posting more pictures of the old museum. The one I really want to see is the one of the inside during the 1978 auction which I attended. I can’t believe how overgrown the site has become. I have always wondered why the family didn’t sell the land when real estate prices were up.”

Earl Gandel: "A lot of people remember Austin Clark, and I remember him well as a board member of BRRC, Bridgehampton Road Races Corp., who ran the street races 1949-53 and built the race circuit in 1954-5. My group, Bridgehampton Racing Group, leased the track from them in 1971 and ran it until 1984. They were our “landlords” and were happy to see someone else keeping it alive. Austin had the biggest private automotive library (in his own home) I’ve ever seen. There are some of his cars in OwlsHead, Maine. Other BRRC members included BJ Corrigan, Alfred Momo, and Hewlett Treadwell. Thanks for the memories. And don’t forget our Rally October 1! There are some people out here who haven’t yet had a ride in The Beast."

Harry C. Reynolds: "Just a note to thank you for your always interesting blog. It brightens my day."

Lou K: "Just viewed the then & now pictures and film about The L.I.Automotive Museum. I enjoyed the trip back but not the ‘now’ journey. Do you know what exactly happened that allowed such decay to occur? Did the proprietor pass away ? Who owns the land now? I enjoy your letters every week.”

Steve:"thank you so much for this artical. brings back so much. One of the first things my family saw after moving to the Island in 1962 was stop at the LIAM on the ride to Montauk.How well I remember the Flyer,the Jolly Fiat and especially the little baby blue Bugatti that looked like it just pulled in with it’s dust and worn,cracked leather.Once we even saw a little mouse scurry across the floorboard of that Bug! We went there as a family an I continued with my family when I raced at Bridge.One day it was closed an it was like a death.Probably made me the car nut I am today.Always got a kick ‘cause we lived on Sandy Hollow Rd (in Northport).Anyone know where the Bug went?

Jeff Notabartolo: "Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Thinking back to my childhood when my family visited the museum in the mid sixties made me realize the influence the museum had in my life. It fostered a real love in me for the automobile and its history. How sad that this Long Island treasure has been lost these thirty years."

Walter Jamieson, Jr.: "The writer claims that Clark owned a Bugatti Royale, but doesn't say which one. He could never have owned 41100, 41121, 41131, 41141, or 41150. The only possibility then is 41111, unless 41150 was briefly with him between Peck and Nethercutt. Did he ever really own either one, or is that just local lore combined with wishful thinking? Does anyone out there know for sure?"

Paul Emmert: "We have so much history here on Long Island, the LIMP is part of it. If You want to see more, come out to the LIEF, Long Island Early Fliers picnic at the Bayport Aerodrome on Aug 14. Thank U Howard."