Vanderbilt Cup Races

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.

Art

Thanks for sharing 1951 Bridgehampton race film, Howard. My new wife and I attended to cheer for Jim Stiles, who won his first ever event driving an MG TC in the novice race after passing Fritz Koster’s HRG during the final lap. Believe I saw a few glimpses of his car in this film, so will re-run a few more times.

Lost track of Jim and have been searching theIinternet for years…no luck so far.

Thanks again!

Rog
8-7-2011

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.

From 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.  However, there’s a problem with the link and I can’t open it. 
Many thanks!

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.”

Frank:

Link has been fixed. Thanks!

Howard

From East Gandel:

“Howard,
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.
Earl”

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

From Millie M:

“Hi Howard, Great Pix! Why was the museum closed? 
best regards,
mil”

Thanks everyone for all the the LIAM comments and memories!

Millie, like most museums, it was difficult to turn a profit.

Howard

From 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.”

Hi Lou:

I believe the property is still owned by the Clark family. Due to zoning problems, the property has not been developed since it closed over 30 years ago.

Howard

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?

Howard
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.
Jeff Notarbartolo

From Richard W:

“I look forward to the info you send out….the video of the Long Island Automotive Museum was both sad and uplifting at the same time…...I fear that America’s infatuation/ love affair with the automobile is waning…...I try to instill the wonder of the auto in my kids, but…..... I have a fully restored 1930 Model A Ford Cabriolet and an unrestored 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4 door edan that was owned by my grandfather…...absolutely beautifully engineered vehicles with personality. I look forward to your next newsletter!”

Since I was a boy, I wanted to visit Henry Austin Clark Jr’s Long Island Automobile Museum, but it was a long way to there from Middle Tennessee.  One of the reasons, of course, is the we love antique automobiles.  The other important reason I wanted visit there:  My uncles’ and dad’s names were Henry, Austin, Clark, and (F.C.) Jr. !  So, I felt an emotional attachment to this great museum and man who I never got to see in person.  I like to think that Henry Austin Clark Jr. and my uncle Henry, dad Austin, uncle Clark, and uncle Jr. finally got together in Heaven and had a good laugh about their common names and love of the old cars.

Hi Larry:

Thanks for the memory. Much appreciated!!

Howard

Howard I remember going out to the museum when I was in my early teen’s If I’m not mistaken my Mom might still have photo’s. I’ll try to get them and see you get to share my exciting visit before I was able to drive