Vanderbilt Cup Races

Mark, I got into collecting “old cars” in 1963 when I was in my early teens ( at that time an old car was one built prior to WWII) My passionate interest in auto history was always there too - I wanted to know who designed and built them and where. Friends had Franklins so I got interested in them as well - as a teenager I was amazed a car had been built in NY for decades . Bill Harrah loved Franklins and would always attend the Franklin club meet in/near Syracuse NY where they were made . He really knew his cars - didn’t just own them! The fellows that ran his collection became friends and for years would seek me out when they arrived with the cars days before Bill did . The driver of their tractor trailer to haul cars was Yarrow Slovack and Clay Thomas, Paul Larios was head of the collection and would arrive a day before Bill Harrah flew in to rent a modern car to get the boss at the airport. All became friends and when they weren’t around I was the one trusted to move the Franklins they hauled in ( usually 3 or 4) for the week long event. Bill brought his two adopted sons at least two years in a row when they were about 8 - 10 years old. They liked to climb the trees that were on the campus of the college in Cazenovia NY where the Franklin meet was held. During the year if a Franklin at the Harrah shop was being restored, Mike Moore their head of research would call me if they were focused on a detail that their library didn’t have the exact information on to see what I had and I usually could answer that. As of 2019 I have been collecting pre war period magazines, literature, period photographs etc for 55 years. Other kids were buying Beatles records in the 1960s and I liked Pierce Arrow, Locomobile etc.  sales literature and brass car mascots/hood ornaments better so saved up and bought those instead.
Austin Clark only lived about 15 miles north of me so due to my collecting of period material we got to be friends too, and I was his part time librarian at his library at his house in the early 1970s when I was going to college for graduate school.
All kinds of stories and great memories of my friendships with both Bill and Austin who were collectors in the true sense of the word, not investors like a lot of enthusiasts who claim they are collectors today.

From The Winning Thomas Flyer at the Long Island Automotive Museum

My guesses:
Picture of western terminus of Long Island Motor Parkway (Nassau Blvd).
Photographer was looking E-ESE.
Year was 1938 because of 40 cents toll rate. And most likely exactly 91 years ago this week as only major snowfall in early 1938 was April 6-9, 1938.
Truck appears to be 1931 Ford Model AA “heavy” (dump) truck, due to the rear wheels. Some call this truck the “heavy duty” truck. This model was made only in one model year, so the model year is easy to determine!

From Mystery Friday #14 Solved:The Motor Parkway Sign at the Western Terminus at Fresh Meadows

Lindsay - in all the many years I was doing this, only once did I (with Howard and Al) have a belligerent homeowner confront me (us).  That was out near Ronkonkoma and even that ended peacefully.  The owner of the Roslyn Lodge was firmly negative but polite (but then she’d been besieged by LIMPers for years).  Just be respectful of people’s privacy and courteous and all should go well.  Most adjacency homeowners have been more than helpful.  For starters and planning, you might look at my old tour guide, <http://sbiii.com/limptour.html>.  Have a ball, you two!  Sam, III

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

Walt, I am impress that you’ve known two of the most prominent men in the vintage auto world. I was at Harrah’s 1977 some 3 months before he pass on, had a great opportunity to view his vast collections (had to sit down at times on some of the benches) unbelievably sight. Besides the Thomas Flyer, 2 big coach style Bugatti Royale town car among other Bugatti’s, a surviving 1923 Chevrolet Copper Air Cooled coupe, the 3 P’s, all the years made of Packard, Pierce Arrow, and Peerless, among the other gems like the Duesy, Caddies etc. Think Howard’s Alco might have been there? All gone, scattered about.

From The Winning Thomas Flyer at the Long Island Automotive Museum

My boyfriend and I would LOVE to explore the LIMP but aren’t sure how we should go about it. We’re afraid of someone calling the police on us. Any suggestions? We live in West Babylon so the Melville area seems to be the closest to us.

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

Could someone tell me the actual date of the museum’s closing? Thanks.

From Sad News: The buildings of the Long Island Automotive Museum are gone

The bridge was just 60 ft before the bleachers on the right track field (westward). This is a great before and after, ~100 years later. Glad to see the Sam and Dave team back again! The double post is an oddity. This could be the precise location where the Moses’ embankment started towards the bridge

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

Mystery Friday Foto #14…. This Motor Parkway sign was located at the parkway’s western terminus on Nassau Boulevard west of Francis Lewis Boulevard. The photographer was facing north east, maybe? The toll was reduced to 40 cents in 1933 so let’s call this photo date winter 1933.
Truck in photo is very vague… possibly a late 1920s Ford Model TT.

From Mystery Friday #14 Solved:The Motor Parkway Sign at the Western Terminus at Fresh Meadows

Frank Femenias
Then & Now in Lake Success

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

Horace Harding Boulevard in the late 1930s when the toll was lowered to 40 cents.  Recognized this pic from the images of america book.  As far as the truck goes, i got nothing.

From Mystery Friday #14 Solved:The Motor Parkway Sign at the Western Terminus at Fresh Meadows

Near Rocky Hill Road entrance.

From Mystery Friday #14 Solved:The Motor Parkway Sign at the Western Terminus at Fresh Meadows

Where was this sign located? What was the orientation of the photographer?

Photographer looking Southerly at the sign on the Southeast corner of Horace Harding Blvd and the Fresh Meadows entrance to the LIMP.

What was the date of the photograph? Provide a rationale.

1935 -as per VCR; The “50-Mile Drive” was actually only 44 miles. The Motor Parkway toll was dropped from $1.00 to $0.40 in 1933, when business dramatically declined due to the opening of the Northern State. Parkway.

The only known ground level photo of the sign and entrance.

Kudos question: Identify the truck.

Too tough to tell, but a guess would be an early 1930’s 1 1/2 Ton Ford snow plow truck.

From Mystery Friday #14 Solved:The Motor Parkway Sign at the Western Terminus at Fresh Meadows

After a one year hiatus, Sam and I resumed our annual Vanderbilt Day tradition. He’s a little older now, and a little more “cool” so getting him to come with daddy on an all day exploration mission isn’t as easy as it once was, but welcome to parenting, I understand this is typical.

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

Great idea using the bikes, easier for exploring over all. And we all get to see Sam growing up every year, Dave!

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

Also Mark Lieberman clarified for me, outside during the demo, showed him a photo of this blue Tucker convertible ‘secret? prototype’ that some of you may have known about, “FAKE-BOUGHT STUFF FROM US”!! looked up another day, information about this, yes it’s a fabrication of real recondition parts and mostly remanufactured parts done at later date? A FAKE!!

From Update:Tucker 1044 Highlights from the Simeone Museum's Tucker Day

Keep up the good work! Really enjoyed the effort! Need to revisit
Pinelawn through Bagatelle and a visit to Maddona Heights….

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success

“Typically canvas”?  I don’t think so.  I’ve seen an awful lot of antique cars and rarely ever saw canvas fenders, even on racers.  Anyone?  Sam, III

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: High-Resolution Photos of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Oh, TOO funny!  There are several pix on line with the RH duals.  Do you think I EVER noticed that before?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A Unique 1906 Transverse V-4 Christie Front-Wheel Drive Engine

Whoa!  Oldfield front view.  Look at that right front wheel - DUALS!  Plus a shock absorber or snubber {?}.  Counter-(Anti-)clockwise running on an oval dirt, Belgian block, or brick track, I presume.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A Unique 1906 Transverse V-4 Christie Front-Wheel Drive Engine

Barney Oldfield, Master Driver of the World & America’s Legendary Speed King with Walter Christie engineer and builder of the front wheel drive Christie Racers. Barney was the first to lap the Indy over 100 mph in a Christie Racer on May 28, 1916 @ 102.623 mph. A recreation of the Christie is being built as the original was scrapped. Thanks to all for keeping American Automotive Racing History Alive! http://www.brownfoxbooks.com, www;firstsuperspeedway.com

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A Unique 1906 Transverse V-4 Christie Front-Wheel Drive Engine