Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie’s 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer
Did you identify J. Walter Christie's Vanderbilt Racer for the last mystery photo of 2024?
Identify;
- The race car
The Christie front-wheel drive racecar
- Year
1905
- The designer
- Race(s) participated in and driver(s)
1905 American Elimination Trial- George Robertson
1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race- J. Walter Christie
In the 1905 American Elimination race, George Robertson charged into the Jericho turn, blew a tire and destroyed a wood-spoke wheel. Robertson telephoned the referees for permission to change the wheel, and after some deliberation he was allowed to do so – but the race was lost.
Instead of starting at his scheduled time of 10 past the hour due to mechanical problems the evening prior, Christie eventually sped past the starting line 30 minutes late at nearly 6:40 a.m. He was allowed a rolling start by the officials, but again, his race was lost before it was started.
Comments (6)
Congrats to Lee Stohr, Art Kleiner, Bob Barauskas, Steve Lucas, Peter Moore and Al Velocci for identifying the 1905 Christie racer.
Greg O.
Comments
1905 Christie front drive race car. Designer John Walter Christie. The car was a transverse, 4 cylinder front wheel drive automobile, first seen at the January 1905 Ormond Beach races. Between July 3 and September 8, Christie installed another transverse, 4 cylinder motor in the rear, driving the rear wheels, making it a 4 wheel drive racer. It had a claimed 120hp. Christie needed this extra horsepower to try and beat Webb Jay’s White steam race car. These two went head to head at Morris Park over the 4th of July celebrations. Webb Jay represented the Chicago Automobile Club. Walter Christie represented the Automobile Club of America. Webb Jay won 2 of the 3 races, including the Final.
Christie later reached 93mph on a beach race at Cape May, NJ.
September 8, he blew up the rear motor, and returned the car to it’s normal front drive configuration for the September Vanderbilt Cup Elimination Race. George Robertson drove the Elimination Race, but Walter took over for the main Cup event.
First front wheel drive car
1905
J. Walter Christie
1905 American Elimination Race, driven by George Robertson, finished 6th
1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race, driven by Christie, finished 17th after accident with Vincenzo Lancia in a Fiat.
J.W. CHRISTIE
1904
J.W. CHRISTE
FIRST RACE WAS ORMAND BEACK, FLORIDA. FINISHED 5TH AND LAST
1905 WON THE LOZIER TROPHY
1905 VANDERBILT RACE - DIRVER WAS GEORGE ROBERTSON
At one point in 1905 the car had a second engine in the rear, but it was damaged during one of the track or beach events Christie competed in prior to the Vanderbilt Cup Elimination Trial. As a result, it was removed
George Robertson charged into the Jericho turn, blew a tire and destroyed a wood-spoke wheel. Robertson telephoned the referees for permission to change the wheel, and after some deliberation he was allowed to do so – but the race was lost.
1906 Ormand Beach, after installing a larger engine, 13 litre - V-4 engine, Christe was again at the wheel. After hitting debris, damaging the engine, he was out of the race again.
1907 without using parts from his previous cars, he entered the French Grand Prix.
Making it to the starting line, engine and or clutch problems forced him out of the
race on lap 4. Although his race attempts were un-successful, he did introduce the front wheel drive early on.
That’s the 1905 Christie 4-cylinder front wheel drive racer designed by J. Walter Christie, which at one time had two engines, one in front and one in the rear. It participated in the 1905 American Elimination Trials with George Robertson driving and finished 6th. With Christie himself driving, it participated in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race, colliding with Lancia on I. U. Willets Road in Albertson, and was credited with 17th. place.
We have here the 1905 Christie 4 wheel drive race car. It featured two engines, one driving each set of wheels, they were both 4 cylinder, the front engine was 828 cubic inches and the rear engine was 471 cubic inches. The crankshafts were the drive axle, in the front there was a cone clutch at each end to act in place of a differential. The creator and driver was John Walter Christie who was a pioneer of front wheel drive. The car was debuted at Morris Park, NY where it proved a handful to drive. It then ran three times at Cape May, NJ where it won the Cape May Trophy on the third run where it covered the flying kilometer in 23.25 seconds at 96.2 mph. I wish some enthusiast with deep pockets would try to recreate some of his creations, especially the 19.6 liter V4 Grand Prix racer.
Greg, Think that is a one off Christie race car. 1905 ?
Greg, after reading the comments of others I seem to recall that Christie, after the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race, removed the front wheel drive axle engine and all, and moved it to a rear axle drive for the Morris Park Race, or was that somebody elsewhere.
Al,
Christie installed the rear axle drive for the July 1905 Morris Park races. That rear motor came from his earlier car. The 1905 racer always had a front drive motor.
Peter,
A reconstruction of the 1909 Christie racer is expected to be completed sometime next year.
Is J. Walter Christie a pioneer of ALL WHEEL DRIVE?
No, the 1898 “System Lohner–Porsche” was an earlier all wheel drive.
Lee, would that be with electric motors mounted on all 4 wheels?
Mark, yes, that was electric. There was also a Spyker and Benz. Cotta-Mobile and Twyford in the USA. Steam vehicles even earlier.
The Christie might be the first twin-engine, 4WD gasoline auto.
Like modern EVs with two electric motors for all wheel drive.