Vanderbilt Cup Races

Thanks Sam! Haven’t been up there in 20+ years! that field shown next to the garages was where all the auction attendees parked their cars which as I mentioned included a lot of pre WII era classic cars. Quiz me anytime you like! Glad to have any and all information to get the story correct - ALWAYS!

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

Mark S. - far be it from me to quiz Walt but - not quite.  The garage complex is very much still there but sits one “lot” in from CVRd. (see attached aerial).  Sam, III

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

This looks like it’s in Oakland Gardens Queens, with the exit ramps to Springfield Blvd facing west.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

the garages should be on the NE corner of Chicken Valley Road and Planting Fields Rd.

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

the garages had been converted into housing after the auction of the cars and were on the corner of the road that leads to the Planting Fields estate and the main gates to enter that estate ( no longer used for years) are not far away from the garages in question . The main ( Bird’s) house was demolished years ago as it was left to ruin when Mrs. Bird went to Europe to spend the rest of her life.

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

Couldn’t find this The Classic Car magazine other than a UK publication? Not Hemming’s, anyway interesting article, most not in good condition, worn tires, etc.
Living near Locust Valley, had to find out this Farnsworth Garage location, I got a online website Old Long Island, has a listing of old estates on the Island and information about them, I click on ‘Farnsworth’, would this be location of the garage? It has a Comments section, a comment from the one who posted the story about the Birds and what happened about the estates, GONE!

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

Easy one!

Looking west at Springfield Blvd bridge. Exit ramps on both sides.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

Great photos!  I was a student at Stewart School in the late ‘60s and find it hard to believe that as much time has now passed as once passed between the time the photos of the B-2 were taken and when I went to school nearby!  Time sure does fly (no pun intended).  Please keep up your outstanding efforts to connect the glory years of autos and planes with today.

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: A 1929 Curtiss B-2 Condor Bomber Flyover Over Roosevelt Field, Merrick Avenue and the Motor Parkway

Walt, not that I know of.  Bob turned up in my driveway in Mineola about then with his entire family aboard his 1932(?) Imperial 8 but the car was a CH, with a 135” w/b, not the bigger 145” w/b CG.  He came to see my CG Close-Coupled Sedan.  For the rest of you, Bob Hibbard was a dyed-in-the-wool Chrysler fan who was head of the local (LI) Chrysler club, as I recall.  The full ‘31 CG sedan resided next door to the remnants of Frank Buck’s zoo in Massapequa back then.  Oh, yes; I completely forgot to note that Weymann bodies were especially noted for having fabric door and body panels.  Sam, III

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

Sam you are correct there were holes cut in the hoods of the Bugatti’s at least the one Austin bought , the type 35. I was told it was for easy/quicker access when used at the George Vanderbilt Cup Races in Roosevelt Field raceway to service anything quickly . Did that 1931 Chrysler Imperial CG sedan eventually find an owner with Bob Hibbard briefly about 1963-64? The one Bob had , had a transmission that needed attention.

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

Great pic of Healy’s Zust; I knew of the make but this got me curious.  <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zust> reveals it was originally Züst and one 28/45 HP was in the 1908 New York to Paris Race.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Korner: Two Cars that Didn't Make it to the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Here goes nothing!  I’d guess it’s Springfield Blvd., looking west, where the on-off ramps are still extant.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

I vas dere, too, Cholly (but can’t find myself in these pix)!  Three comments.  Amongst the fab. cars in the parking lot was a big 1931 Chrysler Imperial 8 CG sedan formerly from Garden City, across the southern Mott section, only a few blocks west of the LIMP.  There never was a Model 680 S Mercedes; it was a Typ S (also Modell S) of 6.8 litre displacement.  There seem to be holes cut through the bonnets of both Bugs!  Henry Petronis was a V.P. of Pall Corp. in Glen Cove where I worked then and his entire collection was later driven piecemeal from LI to Florida by shop employees (thus not I, dagnabbit it)!  Sam, III

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

I might be wrong, but it looks familiar to me. If it’s the Springfield Blvd (formerly Rocky Hill Rd) bridge, then I rode on it hundreds of times as a kid growing up in Fresh Meadows and taking the “Motor Parkway” from Peck Avenue to the end (Creedmor).  Orientation is looking westbound. The photographer is standing just east of the entrance (photographer’s left) and exit (photographer’s right).

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

I was at that auction, yes the Tunick’s were brothers. One a lawyer and one a judge, tried to confuse the auctioneer by talking loudly so that they could buy the cars for less $ and put off other bidders. The field behind the garages was were people attended parked and it was loaded with classic pre war cars, driven ther from all over ( including N.J.) by collectors. I have some photos of those - didn’t take any of the auction cars in the garages as it was to dark and to many people in the way. There were a pair of mint low low miles original 1938 Buick sedans there on offer as well, looked brand new. The Duesenberg Beverly sedan that was there is currently owned by a collector from Va. and N.H.
Austin Clark did not live very far away and arrived in his 1927 (?) Rolls Royce Phantom I landaulet with friends along for the auction . The type 35 Bugatti race car he bought was used at Roosevelt Raceway in the late 1930s just before Wallace Birds death in the Vanderbilt Cup races there. Austin never got it running and it resided in one of his buildings out at the auto museum. I have period photos of Wallace and Winefred Bird that were rescued from the debris of their mansion after the car auction . They had a magnificent wood yacht named the Wal-Win.

From The Classic Car Magazine: The Wallis Bird Estate Classics

Springfield Ave entrance looking west.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

Bravo Howard, job well done.
Here’s to Good health and success on your next chapter in life.

From Newsday: Ready for HIS STORY

I believe we are looking west in Queens in the vicinity of Alley Pond Park and approaching the bridge over Springfield Blvd. (Rocky Hill Road).

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

Rocky Hill Road, Queens
Looking west
Springfield Blvd. Motor Parkway Bridge

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site

Springfield Blvd looking west from the entrance and exit toward Springfield Blvd. Took a walk there a few years ago it seems the same.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1996 of the Entrance and Exit Ramps to Springfield Boulevard at the Rocky Hill Lodge Site