Vanderbilt Cup Races

Great job! Gram may consider joining the Society of Automotive Historians and discussing his work. And, this archival experience can provide the foundation for many opportunities to enhance car culture.

From The InstaGRAM Report: Archive Adventures- A view behind the scenes with Gram Spina

So excited AND PROUD OF YOU reading this Gram.

From The InstaGRAM Report: Archive Adventures- A view behind the scenes with Gram Spina

Thank you for sharing.
Thanks to Howard for all he does for our hobby.

From The InstaGRAM Report: Archive Adventures- A view behind the scenes with Gram Spina

Great story, great job
keep up the good work you doing

From The InstaGRAM Report: Archive Adventures- A view behind the scenes with Gram Spina

I’ve been a bit curious of the Archives, so this a great introduction. Nice to meet you, Gram. We’ve seen great input from you and your Dad over the years on this site. Tending to the archives has to be interesting and fun for you, especially coming across new or unseen items.

From The InstaGRAM Report: Archive Adventures- A view behind the scenes with Gram Spina

Great views of the PIT STOP!

From From the Helck Family Collection: Unpublished Photos from the 1908 Sweepstakes Races

One has to wonder if RM would have had reason to build the parkways - IOTW, if enough people would be driving distances east-west, if not for Motor Parkway making it clear for so many years what grade separated roads could do.  Or, at least, likely speeded up the demand for parkways.  But MP was, in a way, far better - it didn’t have non stop curves.

From The 1930's decline of the Motor Parkway

Here’s my best identification, based on VCR blogs—Photo from the October 6, 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, with the Grandstand on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury, LI, NY, where this photo was taken.
(1) Far Left: Fred J. Wagner, Starter (although it doesn’t look a lot like Fred, the VCR site says it is at https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_residence_of_the_starter_of_five_vanderbilt_cup_races_rediscovered_in_s);
(2) William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., Referee;
(3) (his cousin) Reginald Vanderbilt, Associate Referee (?) unlisted in 1906 Program, grandfather of CNN’s Anderson Cooper and inspiration for Jackie Gleason’s “Reginald Van Gleason III;”
(4) A.G. Batchelder (?), Vanderbilt Cup Commission (also AAA Racing Board);
(5) Far Right, with binoculars: Col. Jefferson De Mont Thompson, Chairman of the Vanderbilt Cup Commission.

From Mystery Friday Foto #30 Solved : Five officials at the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Love this! So great to get a peek behind the scenes.

From The InstaGRAM Report: Archive Adventures- A view behind the scenes with Gram Spina

Art-
The Detroit Public Library has quite a few photos of Ty Cobb his Chalmers and other vehicles in their archives.

https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/search/catch_all_fields_mt%3A%28Ty%20Cobb%20Chalmers%29%20OR%20catch_all_fields_et%3A%28Ty%20Cobb%20Chalmers%29

From Kleiner's Korner: Two American Pastimes Brought Together

Greg, GREAT !

From From the Helck Family Collection: Unpublished Photos from the 1908 Sweepstakes Races

Another example of the affinity that Hugh Chalmers of the Chalmers Automobile Company had for baseball - attending the opening game of the 1916 season for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League.  From “American Motorist” of June, 1916.

From Kleiner's Korner: Two American Pastimes Brought Together

It was a thrill to discover these glass negatives within the archives! And as always Greg, you were able to find all the information on them in seemingly lighting speed!

From From the Helck Family Collection: Unpublished Photos from the 1908 Sweepstakes Races

Without the steering wheel or headlights, I don’t think the front would seem to be a front!  😊

From Mystery Friday Foto #29 Solved: A unique 'Mini' van- the 1955 GMC L'Universelle Dream Truck

And if you were there with a color camera it might look like this,

From From the Helck Family Collection: Unpublished Photos from the 1908 Sweepstakes Races

These are GREAT!  Love the details, including the grouping of the international flags, and the outstretched tarp over the pit area.  Such a different angle to experience the race!  Thanks Greg, you cannot beat a glass plate negative!

From From the Helck Family Collection: Unpublished Photos from the 1908 Sweepstakes Races

Say it ain’t so! Ugh, no doubt the Great Depression played a role in the parkway’s decline. Those are chilling letters to receive just before the frigid holidays of 1934 just up ahead. It’s apparent in the letters that Motor Parkway Inc took care of their employees, even during their decline! Thank you for sharing these amazing details Greg, and for Al Velocci’s illusive facts that continue to fascinate!

From The 1930's decline of the Motor Parkway

The drivetrain was a FWD system simular to the 1966 Olds Tornado but with a Pontiac 287 V8, not base on a Corair drivetrain system use in 1959.
Chuck Jordan was head designer of GMC design team.

From Mystery Friday Foto #29 Solved: A unique 'Mini' van- the 1955 GMC L'Universelle Dream Truck

Thanks for the comments and further input.  Glad you found it interesting.

From Kleiner's Korner: An Enterprising Church on the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

That is an odd curve to the left there.  The route is northbound Woodbury road to a left turn to go westbound onto Jericho turnpike.  But ordinarily you’d be able to continue straight to keep going north on Woodbury road but we don’t see that viable here.  It’s an embanked left with no way to go straight.  I think that just for this race they created the embankment and turnoff we see here in the picture.  Similar to the turnoff where racers came off the Motor Parkway to northbound route 107 in the 1909 and 19010 VCR’s.

From Kleiner's Korner: An Enterprising Church on the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course