Vanderbilt Cup Races

No, the 1898 “System Lohner–Porsche” was an earlier all wheel drive.

From Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie's 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer

Amazing high resolution photo! Looks like the winning ‘Old 16’ during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race with George Robertson at the wheel and mechanician Glenn Ethridge at his side. Appears a 90 degree left turn was just executed but photos can be deceiving. There’s 3 possibilities on the counterclockwise course. I’ll guess it’s Woodbury, the left turn from Woodbury Rd onto Jericho Tpke heading west. If true, the photo is facing Southeast. Dangerous curve because the intersection today is still approximately 70 degrees, 117 years later. Vantage point likely from the top of a 2nd story house or business. The roadway seems wide enough for Jericho Tpke ca. 1908. The 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race was held on October 24, 1908

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: The Dangerous Woodbury Turn on the 1908 Course

Is J. Walter Christie a pioneer of ALL WHEEL DRIVE?

From Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie's 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer

Nice - you never know what cars will end up in the Kroplick collection.  I might just put my 2012 Toyota Camry up for auction one of these days.

From Looking Back at the 2016 Keeneland Concours d'Elegance

Woodbury turn, Woodbury Road and Jericho Turnpike
Photographer was on the steeple of a nearby church
October 24, 1908
Locomobile, George Robertson, Glenn Etheridge

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: The Dangerous Woodbury Turn on the 1908 Course

Howard as a board member and former chair of the Carriage Association of America showcase committee I have judged the carriage portion of the Keenland concours. I wasn’t there in 2016 but each year it draws some top class cars and carriages. Congratulations on your well deserved award and good luck in 25! JeRita

From Looking Back at the 2016 Keeneland Concours d'Elegance

The photographer is looking east (or maybe slightly south-east) on Jericho Turnpike at the famous Woodbury turn intersection with Woodbury Road. The photo was taken from the second floor window of the steeple of the local Methodist Church (built in 1852; now the Historical Chapel wedding venue). The date is October 24, 1908 during that year’s Vanderbilt Cup Race with the eventual winner, George Robertson driving the “Old 16” Locomobile with Glen Etheridge as the mechanician.

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: The Dangerous Woodbury Turn on the 1908 Course

Ah, you can’t fool ME on THIS awesome photo of the Woodbury Turn from the 1908 race!  Taken from the Woodbury Methodist Church entrance on Jericho Turnpike, facing southeast.

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: The Dangerous Woodbury Turn on the 1908 Course

Ah, you can’t fool ME on THIS awesome photo of the Woodbury Turn from the 1908 race!

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: The Dangerous Woodbury Turn on the 1908 Course

A guess.  Before moving to Boca in ‘04, we lived in the “Gates” in Woodbury, the entrance to which is about 1/8 of a mile East of the intersection between Jericho Tpke and Woodbury Rd.  The SE little hill at the corner looks like the hill where the old Whitman school building is still extant near the top, with today’s modern school behind it. I think Woodbury Rd (whatever it was called before) existed even during colonial times.

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: The Dangerous Woodbury Turn on the 1908 Course

In today’s money, the entry fee for a “simon - pure amateur” would be $665. $50 prize - $1660, and $100 - $3320. Nice sums of cash then and now : )

From Kleiner's Korner: The 1910 Inaugural Sweepstakes: The Motor Parkway Races that Weren't

Interesting find! But maybe not exactly 10 miles. “...from near the Great Neck Lodge to the Grandstand on the Hempstead Plains,” I measured 10.0 miles west from the Grandstand and landed just west of the IU Willets bridge. Nearest points of entry to the parkway were Roslyn Lodge 1.9 miles east, and Great Neck Lodge 2.1 miles west. I’m guessing the intent was to enter through Great Neck being closest to the city, with a starting point where?

From Kleiner's Korner: The 1910 Inaugural Sweepstakes: The Motor Parkway Races that Weren't

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.

From Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie's 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer

Just came across a pristine brochure from the museum and two ticket stubs from circa 1953.  For the past 41 years, I have lived next to the Ronkonkoma Motor Parkway toll house.  I purchased my house from Eric Ericson (was 88 at the time) in 1983.  He was the toll collector for William K Vanderbilt Jr..  His brother rode on a horse with a shotgun during prohibition.

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

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.

From Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie's 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer

Greg, Think that is a one off Christie race car. 1905 ?

From Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie's 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer

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.

From Mystery Friday Foto #51 Solved: J. Walter Christie's 1905 Vanderbilt Cup racer

Snapped a photo of a passage from my Levittown History Book. Describes crossing a one lane bridge over the Motor Parkway as a route to a school off of Hempstead Turnpike. This would have to be the Bloomingdale Rd Hwy Bridge. They would also have to cross the Central RR. That probably wasn’t an issue, being that train traffic was occasional.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #41: The Bloomingdale Road Bridge in Hempstead Plains

Never seen these Levittown videos before Greg. They’re priceless. Thanks for sharing

From Video of the Week: Newsreel; Levittown in the 1950's

David Miller, a link to a map including LIACC, Crocus Ln and Orchid Rd

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1396j0_672hYkvbcNFJInbc1mXNJspD9f&ll=40.73859842404668%2C-73.51865098723539&z=17

From Video of the Week: Newsreel; Levittown in the 1950's