Simplex #17 (1904)
The American #17 Simplex Filled with Holes (1904)
Courtesy of The National Automotive History Collection at the Detroit Public Library
Only the American 75-hp #17 Simplex driven and owned by Frank Croker, son of the Tammany Hall boss Richard Croker, approached the power of the European machines. During the pre-race weigh-in, the Simplex failed to meet the race weight limitation of 2,204 pounds. Croker reduced the weight by drilling holes throughout the chassis, which can be seen below the engine’s hood and on the mechanician’s seat.
Featured Cars
- Alco #8 (1909)
- Alco #18 (1910)
- Benz #16 (1910)
- Chalmers-Detroit #7 (1909)
- Christie #11 (1905)
- Christie #17 (1906)
- Clement-Bayard #12 (1904)
- Darracq #18 (1905)
- Darracq #10 (1906)
- De Dietrich #2 (1904)
- FIAT #4 (1905)
- FIAT #16 (1905)
- FIAT #4 (1906)
- FIAT #8 (1906)
- Frayer Miller (1906)
- Hotchkiss #6 (1906)
- Isotta #6 (1908)
- Knox #20 (1908)
- Locomobile #7 (1905)
- Locomobile #9 (1906)
- Locomobile #1 (1908)
- Locomobile #16 (1908)
- Lorraine-Dietrich #18 (1906)
- Marquette-Buick #29 (1910)
- Mercedes #1 (1904)
- Mercedes #5 (1904)
- Mercedes X (1905)
- Mercedes #3 (1908)
- Mercedes #5 (1908)
- Packard #16 (1904)
- Panhard #7 (1904)
- Panhard #14 (1904)
- Pope-Toledo #4 (1904)
- Pope-Toledo #6 (1904)
- Pope-Toledo #3 (1905)
- Simplex #17 (1904)
- White Steamer #19 (1905)
Feature
The 128-page book by Howard Kroplick, a researcher and lecturer on the races, contains rare images of the races from the archives of major museums, libraries and private collectors. The book Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island will be available from Arcadia Publishing in March 2008.
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