Vanderbilt Cup Races

There is part of this history that is wrong. I owned Tucker #1009 from 1961 to approx 1966 when I sold it to William Hamlin in Onterio California. This car was for sale in the antiques and classics of the Loa Angeles Times and was in the hands of a private owner at the time of purchase. I purchased it for $2500. Or should I say my parents bought it for me for by 16 birthday pesent.

From Profile Series: Tucker 1009- The Award-Winning Grey Tucker Owned By George Lucas

Walt - we obtained some material from the Henry Ford Museum relating to the LIAM auction which I’ll be reviewing with Greg and if applicable will include in future posts.  Here is one example showing the profit made on each car auctioned.  And two 1972 invoices (one revised showing Austin’s signature), showing the purchase of some vehicles by Bernard Zipkin. More to come!

From Greg O's Garage; Henry Austin Clark Jr.'s 1955 Automobile Auction Part 1

Thanks for the great history.

From Greg O’s Garage; Henry Austin Clark Jr.‘s 1955 Automobile Auction Part 2

Can anyone looking at this tell us where the cars mentioned that were auctioned off are now?  Austin kept a folder /file on every car he owned - told of who he bought it from, and any history plus also noted if he sold it and to whom. When I was his librarian 50 years ago at his library in Glen Cove, there were occasions to look at that file drawer to get information for then current owners of the cars he had at one time. All of these folders are to the Henry Ford Museum /Library which is where Austin donated his library to.

From Greg O's Garage; Henry Austin Clark Jr.'s 1955 Automobile Auction Part 1

David, thanks. I found the lost Comments! Howard

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

Since there were only 2 comments posted over the weekend about this mystery photo I’m thinking maybe I’m not the only one whose comment didn’t register for some reason.  I guess the internet glitched on me or the website when I submitted my guess.  I knew what bridge it was but through out a guess that the car was a 1908 Thomas Flyer model F.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

John, thanks so much for the positive comment. Much appreciated! Howard

From Hemmings: How to Attract 100,000 Visitors During a Car Museum's First Year

Newbridge Rd Parkway bridge (1908-1948) looking N at Newbridge Rd in today’s Levittown, under construction nearing its completion, likely Sept 1908. The CRR grade crossing is at the bottom. RR crossing sign missing in the photo. The Newbridge Hotel is hidden behind the east embankment on the right, a favorite spot for viewing the Vanderbilt Cup Races from the rooftop. Sorry, do not know either car :(

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

Weren’t original restorations of all Challenger Falcons begun by Kim Haynes of Gastonia, North Carolina?  I believe I have pictures of them in his shop, from years ago.  Does anyone know where Kim is these days?

From Restoration Update #1: The 1962 Holman-Moody Challenger III

This is the Newbridge Rd (Parkway) Bridge in what is now Levittown. We are looking north toward Hicksville. We can identify this bridge because of the Central Branch railroad immediately in front (south) of it. This would be around August 1908, as I think the bridge was completed in September, for the upcoming Vanderbilt Cup in October.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

Jerusalem Ave.  Due to the train tracks in front of the LIMP crossing.  Means we are looking north.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

Newbridge Road. Rationale: The LIMP was parallel to and next to the old Central Rail Road in this area. The photographer is looking north. July-September 1908.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

This is the Newbridge Road Parkway Bridge in today’s Levittown.  The Central RR tracks ran directly south of the bridge.  Photographer is looking north. 
Sept., 1908.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

I’m well familiar with this spot as I live less than a mile from there.

This is the overpass for Newbridge Road. It is easily identified due to it’s proximity to the railroad tracks, part of the Stewart Line taken over and later abandoned by the LIRR. Photographer is looking north as the tracks were on the south side of the overpass.

This section was part of the first phase of the construction so this is summer of 1908.

I have no idea who the big wigs are in the car.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

I work with soil, aggregates, paving ect. on a daily basis. I appreciate how hard those men worked with limited equipment back in early 1900’s. Hard labor.

From Kleiner's Korner: Constructing Three Motor Parkway Extensions

Howard, you continue to be a leader in our Tucker world and your generosity is overwhelming! The Savoy is an instant destination and you are a hero. With the 75th Anniversary of Tucker coming up I hope to visit and celebrate with you both soon!
John Tucker Jr

From Hemmings: How to Attract 100,000 Visitors During a Car Museum's First Year

Fascinating!

From Greg O's Garage; Henry Austin Clark Jr.'s 1955 Automobile Auction Part 1

Since it’s a “parkway bridge” very close to railroad tracks, I think it’s the LIMP going over Newbridge Road. We are looking north with the Central Branch LIRR in the foreground. Probably around September, 1908. Just a wild guess but could the car be a De Dietrich touring?

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

This is the Newbridge rd bridge that carried the Motor Parkway over it.  The photographer is facing north because we know that the Central Railroad tracks were just south of the Motor Parkway.  This picture was taken in August of 1908.  Now onto the hard part.  That car.  I have finally settled on thinking that this car might very well be a 1908 Thomas Flyer model F.  I didn’t attach a supporting photo but through my research enough points of comparison match up.  The way the front and rear fenders curve.  How the headlights sit between the grill and the fenders.  The strapped on spare tire on the passenger side.  And the way the front edge of the curved dashboard lines up with the curve of the hood of the car.  Of course I could be wrong and this is just a Buick model 10 that’s missing it’s front emblem.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908

The car is the Hotchkiss belonging to Jefferson deMont Thompson, chairman of the Vanderbilt Cup Commission. Thompson was apparently a Hotchkiss addict, as he is shown in several Hotchkiss cars on a series of photos available in the Detroit Public Library archive. On the mystery photo he is probably inspecting the 1908 race course. A slightly better photo of the same car was published in The Automobile of October 22, 1908 (a week before the race), showing Thompson at the wheel of his Hotchkiss with Major Crowley of the Irish Brigade, in charge of the protection of the Vanderbilt Cup race course.
The Hotchkiss is clearly ‘americanized’ with its roadster-type fenders and what looks like a toy-tonneau body.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: The Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1908