About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
Website by Eric Miller Design
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Recent Comments
From Simon Favre:
The car is a 1949 Buick Roadmaster with the straight eight 320 CID engine.
The car is famous because it appeared in the movie “Rain Man” with Tom Cruise.
The car was sold at auction in December 2012 for $170,500 to “an anonymous collector.” NASCAR racer Ryan Newman owns one of the cars from the movie, but it is now green.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
Back when the Clearview was completed, the plan was to continue it further south. Had that been done my aunt and uncle’s house on 212th St. would have been part of eminant domain
From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure I: Clearview Expressway-Queens
Nice job Dave. Growing up in Queens Village in the 60’s meant many bike trips to Alley Pond, Cunningham, and Pe Pond. We rode our bikes on what we called “The Old Motor Parkway” many times from Winchester Blvd. finding our way to Flushing Meadow Park, the Worlds Fair Grounds. Back then we could faintly see the white centerline on the road. Glad it’s still there. Thanks for making the trip especially with your son.
From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure I: Clearview Expressway-Queens
Paul DiNatale - It sounds like you biked all the way to the Great Neck school without ever leaving the parkway. If this is true, do you or friends have any pictures doing these trips? Those would really be neat to see!
From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure I: Clearview Expressway-Queens
Oh wait! It says Buick Eight on the grill. Also love the directional lighting above the headlights.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
Don’t know the 50s? car/owner but it looks like it just came off the showroom floor. Amazing! The circles on the fender is ‘Buick’ I believe, that later changed to rectangles.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
That looks like the 1949 Buick Roadmaster that was in the movie “Rain Man” starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. It is currently owned by the director of “Rain Man”, Barry Levinson, who had it restored by Wayne Carini of the Velocity Channel’s “Chasing Classic Cars” show.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
From Hugh Nutting:
The 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible is one used in the Rain Man movie. It is one of 4 like cars used. One of the 49 Buicks was in the Bob Pond car collection until 2014. It sold for $180K. If you look closely you can see script on at least one – front fender below the port holes. It is too short to be the Roadmaster script – must be a Super with a 4th port hole added. For filming a Super and Roadmaster would not look much different on several angle shots.
One is owned by NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and has been repainted light green and has a red leather interior.
BTW, my cousin had a new one in the movie color. She traded it in for a new 55 Chrysler. In 1959 she got her second new Buick convert, a new blue 1959.
Hugh
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
A ‘49 Buick Roadmaster, owned by Barry Levinson, the Hollywood movie director who directed the film “Rainman” in which this auto was prominently featured being driven by Tom Cruise with his brother passenger, Dustin Hoffman.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
hmmm. it is a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible. I’m guessing it is the car from Rain Man.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
“Rainman” Buick?
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
Tom Cruise’s 1949 Buick Roadmaster from ‘Rain Man’
even the plate is the same !!
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
what do you think it was for? a exit for access to a farm or a main road? have you access to any old road maps for research? i have walked and biked many times growing up in the 60’s on the old parkway and remember where it had many exits with wrourd iron fencing near the springfield gardens areas. also by lakeville rd it ran behind the great neck school and went east to a golf course.
From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure I: Clearview Expressway-Queens
I think it is a 1949 Buick Roadmaster. Was in the movie “RAINMAN” with Dustin Hoffman & Tom Cruise. I believe Len Carini of Chasing Classic Cars show is now the owner. Bob A
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
Hi Howard,
It’s the 1949 Buick Roadmaster from Rainman owned by the director of the movie, Barry Levinson.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
1949 Buick Roadmaster Convertible
This is one of 2 ‘49 Roadmasters used in the filming of the movie Rain Man
The photo was taken at the 21st Annual Amelia Island Concours in March of 2016
The current owner is Barry Levinson he was the director of the movie and recently had the car restored by Wayne Carini.
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
Sam & Dave,
Well done….
From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure I: Clearview Expressway-Queens
The Clearview Expressway ended at the LIE from 1961 to 1964, and was extended to Hillside Ave. in time for the 64-65 World’s Fair in 1964. By the time the Clearview extension opened in 1964, I was 16 y/o and no longer rode the Vanderbilt Parkway for fun. However, in the early 60s when the extension construction was underway, my friends and I would walk our bikes over the earthen embankments of the Clearview extension to “pickup” the Vanderbilt Parkway.
From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure I: Clearview Expressway-Queens
1949 Buick Roadmaster owned by Wayne Carini, the Car from the movie Rainman
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
I think it’s about a 1952? Buick Roadmaster and I’m guessing from the movie Rainman,
From Mystery Auto Foto #47 Solved: Definitely a 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Starred in the Film Rain Man
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