Vanderbilt Cup Races

Mystery Foto #4…The Concept Car is a 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt prototype.Five examples were built, all with a different color scheme. This car was designed by Alex Tremulis, as was the Tucker. The Thunderbolt used the same Chrysler Imperial chassis (frame) as Chrysler’s Chrysler.The Thunderbolt was offered for sale at RM Auctions in august of 2011 and sold for $935,000.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

Sadly the building was torn down towards the end of 2021. The new owner of the property has built a new building in its place but has replicated the Quonset hut look as a facade on the front as a monument to the history of this beloved building.

From A treasure from the Walter McCarthy Archives: The original architectural sketch of the Long Island Automotive Museum

This Chrysler Thunderbolt was built in 1940 as a 1941 concept car. Alex Tremulis worked out the design for LeBaron. After its original visits to 1940 Auto Shows it went on tours to Chrysler Dealers. It was sold in 2006 for $1.2 million. Over its life time it has painter several different colors.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt was built in 1940 by LeBaron - designed by Alex Tremulis who also did the Tucker design. It went to 1940 Auto Shows and then on tour to Chrysler Dealers. Over the years it has been painted several different colors. Last sold for $1.2 million in 2006. It and the concept Newport were built in 3 months.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

The station is almost directly in front f the hotel probably abut 400 feet south of the hotel

From A 1924 aerial of the Garden City Hotel

Long Island Rail Road Station along the tracks.

From A 1924 aerial of the Garden City Hotel

That’s a 1940/1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt Retractable Hardtop Convertible Coupe. There were either 5 or 6 built depending on which source you believe. It was designed by Alex Tremulis who also designed the Tucker. The were all built by LeBaron, the same company that built the 1937 Chrysler’s Chrysler. After touring America with stops at various dealerships throughout the country, the were sold to individuals for around $6,000 each give or take. They all still exist today. One sold for $1.21 million in 2006 at RM Auctions; another went for $1.32 million at RM Auctions in 2008; another was offered at $1.175 million in 2009 (also at RM) but did not sell.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

Great details in the photo with the Maxwell, clear too!

From Kleiner's Korner: "Automobile" Magazine's 1907 Motor Parkway News

What a majestic building!

From A 1924 aerial of the Garden City Hotel

Ahhh, Alex Tremulis’ 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, a tribute to Capt. George Eyston’s land speed record setting car of the same name (Tremulis obtained permission directly from Eyston to use the Thunderbolt name). Five were built, although some sources say six. Tremulis, the designer of the Thunderbolt, was also the designer of the Tucker ‘48, but also helped finish the Tucker ‘48 builds after the plant was shuttered, including #1044. The link to Chrysler’s Chrysler would be that both it and the Thunderbolt were built by LeBaron (Tremulis had worked with the two most noted LeBaron designers, Ralph Roberts and John Tjaarda). The green Thunderbolt sold in the 2011 Monterey auction for $935,000, although the red one sold in 2008 for $1,320,000. The Thunderbolt was one of the earliest and most influential concept cars with its runningboard-less envelope body, almost a decade before most manufacturers. Also noteworthy: It incorporated the first retractable metal hardtop in a US-made car, the mechanics of which were worked out by Ralph Roberts. So stylish, even Gloria Vanderbilt (pic attached) used it to exemplify her good taste in design.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

This is a 1940 Chrysler Thunderbolt.  5 of these concept cars were built.  The idea for the vehicle originated from Alex Tremulis who later went on to help design the “Tucker Torpedo”.  The last time a Thunderbolt sold was in 1985.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt. Five / six were built to tour the new car shows and dealer showrooms. Both the Tucker and Thunderbolt were designed by Alex Tremulis. It shares Electro-Hydraulic windows with the Chrysler’s Chrysler and share the same straight eight engine.

From Mystery Friday Foto #4 Solved: The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car with links to Tucker 1044 and 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler

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From View from The Bridge VI: 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III highlights

Greg / Art,

Many a property owner where an old tower still resides is reaping the benefits of leasing space on their towers to cell phone operators.  It’s so much more cost efficient to stick a cell relay on an existing stick than to have to acquire property and raise a tower of their own.  As long as the tower lights are still functioning, life is grand!

From Greg O's Garage: Newly discovered Motor Parkway remnants in Wheatley Heights

A few neat Leno videos on the Vanderbilt Renaults.

https://youtu.be/-5716xnR8xo

https://youtu.be/PHGBJ-jSJhg

From Kleiner's Korner: Willie K's Cars and Related Items of Interest

Greg - great post!  I remember clearly that section which was one of the hardest to explore as you note.  But my trips back 12+ years ago were well worth the effort!  On one such trip I wandered around the radio tower and ended up in the tree farm where numerous workers saw me.  Rather than evade them I walked up to them and explained what I was doing.  Very politely they explained it was private property and I should probably exit.  With shovels and saws in their hands I elected not to object.  They pointed me to Burr’s Lane and I ended up walking the long way back (albeit safer without having to worry about thorns, debris, etc.) to my car off of Bagatelle.  Would definitely favor a return trip at some point to see the additional section they were clearing. 

Lee - I’m interested in the radio aspect of this post as well.  And I definitely know what you mean about the copper radials as I’m a ham radio operator - these radials are used today to improve an antenna’s performance.  Actually I know of one ham on Long Island who said he’s buried 125 of them in his yard!

From Greg O's Garage: Newly discovered Motor Parkway remnants in Wheatley Heights

Al V.-
As discussed, here is a closeup of some of the 4 in. concrete with a layer of asphalt on top (much of the asphalt was worn off)

From Greg O's Garage: Newly discovered Motor Parkway remnants in Wheatley Heights

Wish now I had taken a photo of it, but the cell tower is now in the wide open since the tree farm practically surrounds it. They are impressive when you can walk right up to the base as we did. The owners say it’s a great source of income from leasing the property of the footprint of the tower to the cell providers.

From Greg O's Garage: Newly discovered Motor Parkway remnants in Wheatley Heights

Great update Howard and Greg, surprised to see the Motor Parkway demolished in the secluded section in Wheatley Heights. I thought this half-mile stretch in the Long Island countryside would’ve survived the test of time.

Lee, interesting fact about increased radio signal transmission from just a one-foot insertion into the ground. Amazing!

Dave, GPS guidance was essential in locating the parkway in a concealed area by the Dix Hills Preschool. I’d like to show you why someday. Perhaps before this spring arrives.

From Greg O's Garage: Newly discovered Motor Parkway remnants in Wheatley Heights

Thanks, Brian.  It’s very common nowadays to use abandoned radio towers (usually AM) for cell phone relays and so forth.  In fact, that’s what happened to the very first station I worked at professionally out of college. 

When developing the land surrounding the towers, many are surprised to learn that copper ground radials are buried about a foot underground emanating from the base of the tower outwards in a circular fashion, usually every 3 degrees or so.  The length of these radials is equal to the height of the original antenna.  Ground conductivity of the signal is accomplished this way in addition to through the air with the vertical part of the antenna.

From Greg O's Garage: Newly discovered Motor Parkway remnants in Wheatley Heights