Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Karen:

Thanks for your kind offer. You can send the jpegs to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Thanks!

Howard

From Film: The Great Savannah Races (1908-1911)

I have some photo postcards from these races that are different from those in the video. Perhaps I could share the images so they could be combined with these. Mine are mostly the race car drivers and include car 48.

From Film: The Great Savannah Races (1908-1911)

Tom McDuffee:

“Wow Howard,
Great job - thanks for the added info - I love Riker’s program - where did you get that?
The Providence Daily Journal Sept. 7, 1900 also had a long article worth reading…
We are actually very grateful - its nice to see J.H. McDuffee immortalized on such a well done and informative website!
Hope to meet you sometime and thanks again!”

From VanderbiltCupRaces Exclusive: The 1900 Newport Automobile Races & the First Vanderbilt Cup Trophy

Howard
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.  Thinking back to my childhood when my family visited the museum in the mid sixties made me realize the influence the museum had in my life.  It fostered a real love in me for the automobile and its history.  How sad that this Long Island treasure has been lost these thirty years.
Jeff Notarbartolo

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

thank you so much for this artical. brings back so much. One of the first things my family saw after moving to the Island in 1962 was stop at the LIAM on the ride to Montauk.How well I remember the Flyer,the Jolly Fiat and especially the little baby blue Bugatti that looked like it just pulled in with it’s dust and worn,cracked leather.Once we even saw a little mouse scurry across the floorboard of that Bug!We went there as a family an I continued with my family when I raced at Bridge.One day it was closed an it was like a death.Probably made me the car nut I am today.Always got a kick ‘cause we lived on Sandy Hollow Rd(in Northport).Anyone know where the Bug went?

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Maria Hansson:

“Hello Howard,

I want to thank you for giving my husband Carlo a ride in the Alco-6 Racer! It made me happy to see him happy, I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Maria Hansson”

From The Black Beast at the Lake Ronkonkoma Car Show

Hello Howard,

I want to thank you for giving my husband Carlo a ride in the Alco-6 Racer! It made me happy to see him happy, I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Maria Hansson

From Hear the Black Beast Roar on the Motor Parkway from Hauppauge to Lake Ronkokoma This Sunday

Hi Lou:

I believe the property is still owned by the Clark family. Due to zoning problems, the property has not been developed since it closed over 30 years ago.

Howard

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Lou K:

“Just viewed the then & now pictures and film about The L.I.Automotive Museum. I enjoyed the trip back but not the ‘now’ journey. Do you know what exactly happened that allowed such decay to occur? Did the proprietor pass away ? Who owns the land now?

I enjoy your letters every week.”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Thanks everyone for all the the LIAM comments and memories!

Millie, like most museums, it was difficult to turn a profit.

Howard

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Millie M:

“Hi Howard, Great Pix! Why was the museum closed? 
best regards,
mil”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

i recently purchased this 28 x 19 locomobile cardboard poster showing the winner of the oct 24 1908 vandebilt cup race.the color is great and condition is good for such an old piece.any help on this would be appreciated.i have the origional old frame and glass as well.in the image it reads frank presby co. and Zt Schultz

From Premium Vanderbilia Estimated Market Values

Howard-  Just a note to thank you for your always interesting blog.  It brightens my day.
            Harry C. Reynolds

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From East Gandel:

“Howard,
A lot of people remember Austin Clark, and I remember him well as a board member of BRRC, Bridgehampton Road Races Corp., who ran the street races 1949-53 and built the race circuit in 1954-5. My group, Bridgehampton Racing Group, leased the track from them in 1971 and ran it until 1984. They were our “landlords” and were happy to see someone else keeping it alive.

Austin had the biggest private automotive library (in his own home) I’ve ever seen. There are some of his cars in OwlsHead, Maine. Other BRRC members included BJ Corrigan, Alfred Momo, and Hewlett Treadwell. Thanks for the memories. And don’t forget our Rally October 1! There are some people out here who haven’t yet had a ride in The Beast.
Earl”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Hi Walter:

I do not know the cars that were owned by Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

I do have several of Clark’s Bugatti postcards which I will post sometime this month.
Enjoy,

Howard

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

Frank:

Link has been fixed. Thanks!

Howard

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Frank W:

“Thanks for posting more pictures of the old museum.  The one I really want to see is the one of the inside during the 1978 auction which I attended.  However, there’s a problem with the link and I can’t open it. 
Many thanks!

I can’t believe how overgrown the site has become.  I have always wondered why the family didn’t sell the land when real estate prices were up.”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

I grew up on the other side of Horace Harding Blvd. From what I remember, Hollis Hills Terrace became the name soon after the Clearview Expressway opened, which cut the road off. Before that, as far as I can remember from the 50s, it was Hollis Court Blvd. The beginning of the Q26 bus run was at the intersection of Hollis Court Blvd. and Francis Lewis Blvd.

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

Seeing you extraordinary now photos… I can’t help thinking, there for the grace of God… The same thing came so close to happening with the Seal Cove Auto Museum and Richard Paine’s collection. So many great museums and collectors from the past now gone. I think of this daily as I look at our Knox and Thomas Flyer from Henry Austin Clark, Jr’s collection, the American Victoria Underslung from Briggs Cunningham’s museum, the F.R.P. from Harrah’s and the Peugeot from James Melton’s Autorama. Do hope you can come for a visit.

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Thanks for sharing 1951 Bridgehampton race film, Howard. My new wife and I attended to cheer for Jim Stiles, who won his first ever event driving an MG TC in the novice race after passing Fritz Koster’s HRG during the final lap. Believe I saw a few glimpses of his car in this film, so will re-run a few more times.

Lost track of Jim and have been searching theIinternet for years…no luck so far.

Thanks again!

Rog
8-7-2011

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum