About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
Website by Eric Miller Design
Site maintained by Hop Studios
Recent Comments
Jan H.
Great profile. My kind of guy!!
BTW Hershey is shut down as you probably know.
This thing won’t kill us but not going away until a cure is discovered, manufactured and delivered to all. 2023 earliest guess.
From Newsday: Frank Castagna (1928-2020) A Slice of Americana
Terry Dunne:
My father was a field engineer in construction who used to work for Frank Castagna…. my father would have been a hundred. Can’t believe that he was actually older than Frank. He certainly did build up Long Island to be what it is. Terry
From Newsday: Frank Castagna (1928-2020) A Slice of Americana
1925 Bugatti T35.
Wallis C. Bird, 1925. Mrs. Marjorie Bird inherited in 1940.
Some claims that the car was still in France in early 1930s.
Henry Austin Clarke, 1962. Bought $1,750.
Unknown new owner, 1980.
Estimated current value, in my opinion unknown.
Brumos Museum in Jacksonville, Florida, 2017. Bought $3,000,000/3,300,000.
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Well, it’s clearly a Bugatti, probably a 1925-31 Tipo 35-39. I’d guess a 35C. Sam, III
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Art, The photo captioned, officials at Manhassett (sic) hill,....I think thats Spinney Hill which is east of Lakeville Rd. descending to where Northern Blvd.,Community Dr.and East Shore rd. converge.
From Kleiner's Korner: Part 5 - Motorcycling on Long Island Roads
Gary, If Chapple and Baker are….” making the ascent of Manhasset Hill”, .... Whitney Pond would be on the right of them. Also, Belcher Hyde got in wrong labeling it Mitchell"s Pond. Payne Whitney purchased the pond from Charles T. Mitchell in 1903.
From Kleiner's Korner: Part 5 - Motorcycling on Long Island Roads
Forgive my nit-pickin’ but Chayes doesn’t know his geography.: “- - - raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The family moved to Long Island - - - “? Last I looked, Sheepshead Bay and all of Brooklyn were still firmly attached to the the rest of Long Island! “Moved out on” would be more correct. Other than that, a beautiful bio. of a beautiful guy (and he could so easily have turned out like the Donald). Sam, III
From Newsday: Frank Castagna (1928-2020) A Slice of Americana
Art, The “spray nozzles”/July 3, article. That economy test started and finished in Roslyn at what used to be the George Washington Manor. It went east past the mill up to today’s Northern Blvd,. turned right onto Glen Cove Rd., south to Jericho Tpke., west to Roslyn Rd. and then north to the starting point. The gas tanks were sealed to prevent cheating.
From Kleiner's Korner: Part 5 - Motorcycling on Long Island Roads
-Identify the make, model and year of the Mystery Auto
1924-1931 Bugatti Type 35 grand prix Racer with a straight 8 with supercharger; The same engine that Mike Caruso cut in half and in his 1937 sprint car. See story on Car: http://hixnews.com/1904/Hixtory.htm
-Identify the Long Islander who was the original owner
Wallis Bird from Long island
-Identify the Long Islander who was the second owner
Henry Austin Clark
-What is the estimated value of the Mystery Auto?
1 million
-Kudos question: Where can the Mystery Auto be found today?
In some private collection or Maybe Howard’s place??
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Fred Willets?
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
the car is a Bugatti type 35, year perhaps 1935-1936, original owner was Wallis Bird of Oyster Bay, NY; second owner was Henry Austin Clark Jr. who bought it at the auction of the Bird estate cars in 1962. ( Austin attended the sale in his maroon Phantom I Roll-Royce that was built in Springfield, Mass. by RR of America. )
I do not follow or know or care about current values of cars. I have no idea where the car is today.
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Roadster
Wallace C Bird 1st Long Island owner
Henry Austin Clark Jr 2nd Long Island owner
3.3 million dollars
Total guess Vermont
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
These were items I had selected for an exhibit I curated for the 75th Anniversary of Charles A. Lindbergh’s Transatlantic Flight of May 20, 1927, back in 2002 at the L.I. Studies Institute and later at Sands Point Preserve. The fabric shows the pinked edge of the original doped linen fabric from the plane, which had to be replaced after the flight. To my knowledge these items had never been exhibited before I dug them out of the Nassau County Museum’s collections. The Guggenheim - Lindbergh connection continued throughout their lifetimes.
_______________________________________
Howard Kroplick
Gary, wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927
Great find, Gary, for Lindbergh fans everywhere.The fabric seems to be canvas but with a sheen, possibly hand stitched?
From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927
Just found these photos of tickets for the CAL Reception - note the mention of the LIMP; also fabric from the Spirit sent to Daniel Guggenheim
From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927
That’s a 1925 Bugatti Type 35. The original owner was Wallace (or Wallis) C. Bird who lived at the Oyster Bay “Farnsworth” mansion and bought the car new while on his honeymoon in Paris. The second owner was Austin Clark, of L. I. Automobile Museum fame, who bought the car at the estate auction of Mrs. Bird in 1962. It was sold at the 2017 Scottsdale auction for $3.3 million so I guess that’s the approximate value today. If you want to see it today, you’ll have to go to the Brumos Colllection in Jacksonville, FL.
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Mystery Foto #28
-Identify the make, model and year of the Mystery Auto
Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix, chassis no. 4487, year 1925
-Identify the Long Islander who was the original owner
Mr. Wallis Clinton Bird
-Identify the Long Islander who was the second owner
Henry Austin Clark Jr.
-What is the estimated value of the Mystery Auto?
upwards of $3 million
-Kudos question: Where can the Mystery Auto be found today?
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
The car is a 1925 Buggati Type 35 Grand Prix.
First LI owner was Wallace Bird (Farnsworth Estate - second pic), second LI owner was Austin Clark.
The car was sold in 2017 for $3.3 million to its current owner, The Brumos Collection (third pic), which opened this year in Jacksonville, FL which is where the car is currently exhibited.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/the-brumos-collection-opportunity-meets-racing-history
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Identify the make, model and year of the Mystery Auto?
• 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix
Identify the Long Islander who was the original owner?
• Wallis C. Bird
Identify the Long Islander who was the second owner?
• Henry Austin Clark
What is the estimated value of the Mystery Auto?
• In excess of $3.3 million.
Kudos question: Where can the Mystery Auto be found today?
• The Brumos Collection, Jacksonville, FL.
From Mystery Auto #28 Solved: 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Owned by Wallace Bird and Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Gary - Quite possible on photo location, or further east at today’s Old Northern Blvd, at the top of the hill (just south of Northern Blvd and Middle Neck Rd), also looking east. I don’t have info yet to verify either location.
Brian - Great pic! The 1902 bike photo follows the “Safety Bicycle” frame design still in effect today. First developed in late 1880s, it continues today as the improved two-wheel design for rider stability. The only minor flaw I can see in the 1902 bike is the short front wheel fender, ending at the front fork, and needing to extend further to the front wheel for water/mud prevention. Still an amazing bike for 1902! Thanks for sharing this!
From Kleiner's Korner: Part 5 - Motorcycling on Long Island Roads
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