Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Howard,
Concept Car #1: I think that this is a 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II.
Concept Car #2: I think that this is a 1954 Dodge Firearrow II.
Concept Car #3:  This is a little difficult because it is partially hidden.  However using the rear lights on the fender as a clue, I have concluded that it is a 1953 Chrysler Ghia d’Elegance.
Location: I really don’t know, but as it is unlikely that all three of these cars would get too far from home at the same time, I’m guessing that it is at some sort of Chrysler test facility in Michigan.

Steve McKelvie
Franklin, MA

From Mystery Foto #92 Solved: Three Chrysler Ghia Concept Cars

Great Going, Howard !
Another advancement for The Motor Parkway’s Preservation and use.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Update on the Nassau County Motor Parkway Trail at Eisenhower Park

Yee-hah!  We’ve come a long way, baby!  Thanks, Howard.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Update on the Nassau County Motor Parkway Trail at Eisenhower Park

Car number 1 is a 1954 (some reports say 1955) DeSoto Adventurer II.
Number 2 is a 1954 Dodge Firearrow II. Number 3 is a 1954 Chrysler D’Elegance.
Since all 3 cars were from Chrysler Corporation, the logical site for the photograph would be Chrysler’s Chelsea Proving Grounds.

From Mystery Foto #92 Solved: Three Chrysler Ghia Concept Cars

Best I can do on this is. I zoomed in at 400% to try to see the car emblems, couldn’t make it out, but concept #3 resembles a larger version of the 2007 Volkswagen Karmann GHia, That’s my best shot

From Mystery Foto #92 Solved: Three Chrysler Ghia Concept Cars

Holy cow! Finally!! Now here’s one where I can put my first love and deep knowledge of Volkswagen’s great history to good use! I immediately recognized the specific Italian design language of all the cars, but that last car in the line, being the 1953 Chrysler-Ghia D’Elegance concept car, was said to be the inspiration for the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.

http://langstonjamesautoworld.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/the-history-and-restoration-of-the-classic-karmann-ghia/

There’s a great list of Italian, Chrysler partnerships culminatating with one of my favorite flops of all time, Lee Iaccoca’s ‘Chryserati’ in the late 80’s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_TC_by_Maserati

The other Ghia concept cars were;

In front, a DeSoto Ghia Adventurer II Concept Car (1954) and behind that, a Dodge Firearrow II Roadster Concept Car (1954)

What is the likely location for the photo?

Can’t wait to find out! Probably Italy, or may be Detroit? Going to look this one up…

From Mystery Foto #92 Solved: Three Chrysler Ghia Concept Cars

Typo; the #29 Fiat was driven by the famed Teddy “Tetzlaff”.  Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick

Sam III, thanks!

From Starting Lineup: The 1912 Vanderbilt Cup Race Held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I theenk you have “The location of the Brookholt Estate in East Meadow” on the wrong side of Meadowbrook Parkway on your aerial, no?  Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick:

Brookholt was located east of the current day Meadowbrook Parkway and west of Merrick Avenue.

From Mystery Foto #89 Solved: The Brookholt Mansion Built by Alva Vanderbilt Belmont and O.H.P. Belmont

Simon, please DO post more photos of Chuck Kotchan.  He’s my DAD!!  I’ve only seen the photo of him sitting in the Effyh, but the Beast photos are amazing.
Thank you for sharing these.

From Mystery Foto #83 Revealed: Russ Case was the Original Owner of "The Beast"

There’s always something here, never a dull moment, as you can see with Rodger. You never know what you’ll find out about people on this site. that will amaze you, no matter what it is

From In Search of Alcos: #8 1911 40-HP Alco Toy Tonneau Touring Car on Long Island

You know I’ll be there. As it is all the time, it’s going to be a very interesting night.

From Hold the Date:11/20/14: "A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr & the Long Island Automotive Museum"

My late father, John Craig owned Heritage Coachworks in Ramona Ca and restored the Joel Naive Alco in the late ‘80’s. I remember him fabricating the fenders, cutting grooves for seals on the shifter fork shafts, doing the upholstery, final assembly etc. The last time I saw the car it was in Manny Dragones showroom in Bridgeport Ct about 15 years ago.

From In Search of Alcos: #8 1911 40-HP Alco Toy Tonneau Touring Car on Long Island

There’s an event on this Saturday, rain date Sunday, at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, Touch A Truck. You can get details on WBAB

From Video of the Week "Willie K. in an Auto Boat Race on the Hudson"

I’m glad I went to the Cradle of Aviation show on Sunday. It was a good turn out. even if I thought the 1962 Chrysler Imperial was going to be there and it wasn’t. You were there and to watch the people looking at YOUR CAR in amazement and some saying. I have never seen such detailed work of beauty and the interest they had in it, asking you questions. The best part was you showing the power windows, most of them were amazed at that. I just enjoyed watching all the reaction of the people looking at the car and it’s all live and in person

From Video of the Week "Willie K. in an Auto Boat Race on the Hudson"

i have one of the tokens and some info if you want to email me

From Film "The Inaugural Indy 500 Race"

O well, I’m a little late, but I was going to say the car is a 1924 Buick, I guess I’m wrong and I think Buick had some kind of connection with the Vanderbilt Cup Races, I didn’t recognize the gentleman, maybe if I did I would have gotten it right

From Mystery Foto #91 Solved: Walter P. Chrysler with a Maxwell 1924 Chrysler B-70 Roadster

the man in the photo is Walter Chrysler
the car is a 1924 or 1925 Chrysler roadster
i think it is the first year of production.
i was not aware that Chrysler had any connection to the races.

From Mystery Foto #91 Solved: Walter P. Chrysler with a Maxwell 1924 Chrysler B-70 Roadster

Hi rmw,

The name of the street was originally Queens Road because it was the road that took you from Flushing to the Village of Queens (a.k.a. Queens Village) in the Town of Jamaica.

I believe that they renamed all the streets in Queens after the western half of the County of Queens was consolidated into NYC. It was probably in the 1910s and 1920s and I bet that’s when the street was first renamed as Hollis Court Blvd.

You are right that after the Clearview opened, the section south of 73rd Ave (Blackstump Road) became known as Hollis Hills Terrace.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series: #3 The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in Queens

This must be Walther P. Chrysler with a 1924 Chrysler B-70 roadster. The B-70, the first Chrysler model, was also the first medium-priced car with a high compression engine.
The only link I could find with the Vanderbilt Cup races, was that Walther P. Chrysler worked as a works manager for Alco in the locomotive branch of the company around 1910, when Alco won the Vanderbilt Cup twice (in 1909 and 1910 of course). In 1911 he became works manager of the Buick Motor Company.

From Mystery Foto #91 Solved: Walter P. Chrysler with a Maxwell 1924 Chrysler B-70 Roadster

Walter Percy Chrysler
Maxwell-Chrysler (or just Maxwell) made it.  The Chrysler Corporation was formed in June of 1925. This is a 1924 model Chrysler roadster with the 2-tone paint scheme (all had black fenders). This was the introduction of the new Chrysler, with 4-wheel hydraulic brakes, full pressure lubrication (with a replaceable oil filter element), and a high-compression (4.7 to 1) 200 cu. in. engine developing 68 horsepower.  This may have been taken at the introduction at the NY Auto Show at the Commodore Hotel.  Walter Chrysler entered the automobile manufacturing business via his employment at the American Locomotive Company who made ALCO cars, which won the Vanderbilt Cup in 1909 and 1910.  Chrysler, never with the auto side of ALCO, left for GM and Buick in 1911, and Durant bought him out in 1919, enabling Chrysler to buy Maxwell.

From Mystery Foto #91 Solved: Walter P. Chrysler with a Maxwell 1924 Chrysler B-70 Roadster