Vanderbilt Cup Races

Jonathan, thanks so much for your comment. You made my day. Howard

From Can You Identify Aunt Nell Patterson's Automobile?

Just a guess but this could be looking west over Hempstead Harbor toward the sand pits. After that, I’ve got nothing.

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

Hummmm, looks like Sands Point and the Guggenheim Estate where Charles Lindbergh used to visit and stay with Guggenheim and his wife Alicia Patterson, who owned Newsday . Now the Sands Point preserve of Nassau County - I worked there 50 years ago in the Exhibits Dept. .

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

I come belatedly to a reading of this article and wonderfully responsive Comments from blog readers to the original post by Rog Patterson of Florida. As the years move on in the 21st century we are losing so much first hand knowledge held by those who lived through the era of these early 20th century automobiles. This most excellent Vanderbiltcupraces.com blog of Howard Kroplick serves to preserve so much important information and to retard the loss of historic knowledge of automotive history and indeed history in general. This blog is one of my favorite weekend views. Congratulations on the quality of this internet effort. Keep up the fine work, Jonathan B. Richards II in cold Missouri.

From Can You Identify Aunt Nell Patterson's Automobile?

After the previous comment I googled it.  About all I remember from actual rides was that it was easy to use, up on the console - but I don’t remember if it was an up down lever or something else.  2 speed is rather wasteful but the car did have plenty of power to handle it’s weight.  Funny thing - it was the last time my father got a car with good performance.  He did have a couple ramblers (he delivered cars for them) and later a couple K cars that I thought were junk.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Open-Air Roosevelt Field Mall in 1957

Mystery View #7
Vanderbilt Estate, Centerport, looking East towards Northport Harbor

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

These posts show up on my Facebook page, and people comment with their answers to the mystery. Of course, the comments are NOT held back. It spoils the mystery.

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

I believe I may finally be able to answer a Mystery Photo. It looks like the plane is flying over Wm. K. Vanderbilt’s Eagles Nest estate in Centerport.
Across Northport harbor is the Steers sand pit and the old Lilco power house on Woodbine Ave.
The photo must have been taken before the mid 60’s when the Lilco plant was demolished and a housing development was built in the pit.
I can still remember the old Lilco plant and the giant crane at Steers as a child.

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

Ron, I had mention the Torqueflite was a 3 speed auto trans. Over time Powerflite was phase out and Torqueflite was use for years on. There was no 2 spd. Torqueflite.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Open-Air Roosevelt Field Mall in 1957

Hey fellow ex Brooklyn boy, I had ordered on Feb. 13 @ 4:59PM my copy of your Crankshaft Mag.!!
CONGRATULATION!!

From Update with new video: Crankshaft, Richard Lentinello's new quarterly magazine, is available for orders

Subscribing immediately!!! Can’t wait to see the issue and equally intrigued to see what your other special ISL edition books are all about. The new world for print publications is truly about luxury and the specialized quest of special interests.

From Update with new video: Crankshaft, Richard Lentinello's new quarterly magazine, is available for orders

Looking east flying over Vanderbilt’s Centerport home (eagles nest) with Northport Harbor and the town of Northport in the upper right . Its Vanderbilt’s sea plane because he had a huge hanger on the Centerport side of the harbor.

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

Interesting mistake on my part.” Powerflite 2-speed automatic transmission standard”
  for the New Yorker in 55.  I wonder what the difference was between it and the Torqueflite 2 speed.

Ron

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Open-Air Roosevelt Field Mall in 1957

Brian. The Motor Parkway much preferred to go over existing roads. It was a lot lot cheaper to do so. Construction of the Parkway over a road sometimes meant only detour signs were necessary. Also, taking the Parkway over a road meant they could determine not only the width but also limiting the weight carrying capacity to automobiles. Taking the Parkway under an existing road, always meant first a temporary road had to be built and maintained by the Parkway. Rebuilding a public road was a whole lot more expensive because it not only had to be strong enough to handle trucks but also the wear and tear of a much heavier traffic load. Without checking, I think at the time the roads the Parkway went under were the responsibility of Nassau County or New York State. If you want to see a good example of a chaotic under the road scenario, check out Willis Ave./LIRR in Mineola.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Land of the Motor Parkway Mineola Lodge (Kiosk)

*Location, Harbor & Orientation - William K Vanderbilts II estate Eagles Nest, in Centerport NY. Viewing NE towards Northport Harbor.

*Mystery Foto link to VCR’s & LIMP - Willy K established the VCR’s and created the LIMP.

*Photographer & Plane - I would say Willy K in his Sikorsky S - 43 Seaplane.

*Kudo - Warren Worthington III - Angel, see below.

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: A 1932 View of Willie's K's Eagle Nest and Northport Harbor

Some of you didn’t quite get the ID of all the cars including Al Prete I thought he got but one more, I have spotters guides to ID’s
Left to Right
‘56 Chrysler Windsor sed. with 2 spd. Powerflite, 3 spd. Torqueflite a bit later.
‘53Dodge Coronet 2dr. HT
‘53 Chevrolet 2dr.
‘56 Ford Fairlane sed.
‘51 Ford Custom Deluxe
‘55 Pontiac Star Chief 4dr. HT
Corner car unknown
These days a look up on Google Search also.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Open-Air Roosevelt Field Mall in 1957

My mom had a 1955 New Yorker Deluxe Victoria Convertible (memory jogged by the 56 New Yorker sedan above), 2 door, 2 speed Torqueflite with shifter on the dash, hemihead engine, piles of power.  My dad, who did lots of business with the car companies in and around Detroit and Kenosha hauling cars with Arco Auto Carrier (and built the best trailers for that at Troyler in Scranton PA), drove it home from the factory back to Scranton.  We still had that car until the early 1970’s - I wish we’d kept it!

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Open-Air Roosevelt Field Mall in 1957

A dispute between Nassau County and the Town of North Hempstead? It happens often, even today, thanks to New York State’s bifurcated system of town/county government.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Land of the Motor Parkway Mineola Lodge (Kiosk)

Very happy that you communicated with his family, Art. Along with his websites, they can also see that Sam’s knowledge, passion and humor lives on here, too.

From Sad News: The Passing of Sam Berliner III

Howard, last photo is looking south through the porte cochere

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #7: Bethpage Lodge