Vanderbilt Cup Races

Austin had a late teens Packard Twin-Six and loved the story of how sales people would demo its power for prospects.  they’d put in 3rd gear, he said, and start off smoothly - it had so much torque - and then say oops, sorry, I started in 3rd by mistake - put it in 1st and resume the demo.  we met shortly after Castro appropriated the family sugar holdings.  He felt poor after that.  He was a gregarious man and corralled near strangers to come over to the Glen Cove house after a Long Island car show - where I had a nice conversation with Peter Helck

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Howard,
Thanks for the Austin Clark retrospective.  I’d be interested in reading that book.
I remember Austin’s museum very well.  I visited it a number of times and really enjoyed the rustic feeling of the museum and the rarity of his cars.  He was a rare individual.  I remember the nice article about Austin Clark in Automobile Quarterly a few years ago.  The article referred to his friendship with Beverly Rae Kimes and their collaboration on their famous book,  The Standard Catalog of American Cars.
Thanks for the memories.
Roger

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

I thoroughly enjoyed the Henry Austin Clark museum presentation.  I remember stopping by there sometime in the early nineties and thinking what a shame it was that it had closed down.  Nice to know that much of it is on display in Dearborn—I hadn’t been aware of that.  I wish that I had visited it when it was still open (and when I was out in the Hamptons on a fairly regular basis).

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Very interesting to see the 1908 Thomas Flyer in Austie’s museum in such decrepit condition. Its been shown all over the country in “preserved” original condition (even with mud on the wheels), but it was obviously restored to look old, (probably by Harrah when it was there?).

Also loved the videos of the Auto Red Bug being driven. I have four of them and love driving them too.

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Absolutely wonderful.  Ironic that she was both built and destroyed by Germany.

From One of Yachting's Dozen: William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Alva

These are the remnants of the Apperson, which crashed at Hairpin Turn on Old Westbury Road in Roslyn during practice for the American Elimination Trials of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race on September 19th, 3 days before the actual race. Whether a steering linkage broke or a tire blew is not clear, but the car swerved and struck into a tree. It seems a miracle that driver Robertson and his mechanic Arthur Warren were only slightly hurt during this accident. The blow must have been tremendous. Robertson only broke a collar bone, Warren two ribs! I couldn’t find any effect on the Vanderbilt Cup race other than that Robertson and his Apperson, who belonged to the favourites, weren’t able to qualify for the main event (understandably).
The man with the goggles, on the left side of the photo, could that be Robertson (though he doesn’t look like someone with a broken collar bone)? In the background we see a Pan-o-Lite (trade name for cylinder oils and auto body soap) panel van, which can also be seen on one of the other photos of the accident scene. I wonder why it is present there: cylinder oil doesn’t seem necessary any more and auto body soap will make this wreck at its best a shiny wreck ...

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

It looks like the Apperson car that George Robertson wrapped around a pole on Old Westbury Road in Roslyn during the 9/19/06 American Elimination Trial, thus “eliminating” him from competing for the Vanderbilt Cup three days later.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

Oh Howard !! I recognize where it is,but can’t place it,any hints,I did some searching,but nothing looks like it. PLEASE!!!

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

Keep loving these photos!

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #34: The Merrick Avenue Bridge in Westbury/East Meadow

As usual great pics and keep them coming,always enjoy them

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #34: The Merrick Avenue Bridge in Westbury/East Meadow

From Peter Warburton

“Rose was my Grandmother, this is the first and only time I have ever heard her voice.

This is very cool, i have only a copy of one of the books of the voyage. Thanks for this. I d like to get a copy of the entire film. Cheers, PW”

From One of Yachting's Dozen: William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Alva

Wednesday Cruise Nights in Ronkonkoma
BLD’s Restaurant 299 Hawkins Ave.
LIE exit 60 1/2 mile north

From Then & Now: The Hempstead Control For the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Wow - I spent a few minutes looking at this one and gave up never thinking the location is nearly in my backyard!!!  And my home (at least the land my home is on) is in many of the photos of the area you showed.  Next time I’m on Salisbury Park Drive (which will be tomorrow) I’ll be looking for a couple on horseback and will ask to take a “now” photo.  By the way, only a couple of post remnants remain, but closer to Newbridge Road.  And those men on the house on Salisbury Park Drive in the last photo returned a few summers ago for some additional repair work.  They were there for a while but not anymore.  Keep those photos coming!

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: Salisbury Park Drive in East Meadow/Salisbury in the 1940s and Much More

Would have never solved this one,even Frank F was wrong,Greg and Jim took a guess at it,this was a pretty difficult one

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: Salisbury Park Drive in East Meadow/Salisbury in the 1940s and Much More

Love this stuff !

From Then & Now: The Hempstead Control For the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

These pictures are in answer to my correct findings.Keep up the good work

From Then & Now: The Hempstead Control For the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

From Jean-Yves:

I read the “Then and Now” about the control. It’s always amazing to see the changes over the years.

Now living in Paris, I was born in Le Mans and I was a witness of the track’s transformations from 1968 (first step to the “24 hours” with my father, I was 7 years old) to 1991, one year after the FIA’s rules constrained the ACO to cut by two chicanes the famous 6 km (3,7 miles) straight line “Les Hunaudières” (englishmen call it “Mulsanne’s straight” from the name of the right turn at the end).

Have a good Sunday!
Best,
Jean-Yves

From Then & Now: The Hempstead Control For the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Absolutely loving the hand-drawn maps that Jean-Yves submitted!

From Then & Now: The Hempstead Control For the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Love the mystery fotos! Though there are just few clues to go on here, (another good mystery foto!), my best guess on location would be Bagatelle Rd looking south in Wheatley Heights, north of Sorrel Hill Court, on the straightaway. Main deciding factors were the elevated LIMP over the fence, the 2 different style telephone poles on opposite sides of Bagatelle Rd that are still there today, and I think I’m barely looking at a main grid tower in the hazy sky in the distance, located over the closest concrete post in the foreground. That would place the east-west main grid pretty close to where it is still located today. It’s possible this area was once subject to equestrian traffic trespassing on the LIMP, that ugly fence on the right to keep them out. The fence was installed sometime after the original dirty posts. The vehicle on the road looks like early 50s. Every picture tells a story. Can’t wait for this week’s answer to the riddle. Keep ‘em coming.

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: Salisbury Park Drive in East Meadow/Salisbury in the 1940s and Much More

Salisbury Park Drive looking east with Eisenhower Park on the right in the late 30s before housing developments.

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: Salisbury Park Drive in East Meadow/Salisbury in the 1940s and Much More