Vanderbilt Cup Races

Sam, just to let you know I was at the Simeone Museum event the other day, had with me of the print outs of what you want to see in a large envelope, thrust to Howard on way his out to the Demo event of the day, he quickly put it in bag, so I’m not sure if he got to see it? thrown out? He’s a very busy guy these days. As for scanning, have to learn quickly, maybe to you sbiii.com?
HEY HOWARD, SAM WANT TO SEE THOSE PRINT OUTS! Your groupie Mark
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Howard Kroplick

Mark, great to see you yesterday in Philly. Thanks for the information! John will scan and will post later in the week.

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

Was that a blown head gasket shot?

Bruce, that’s a premonition of the Chrysler influence one-hundred years back to the future.

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

I always under the impression that George Schuster was the winning driver of the NY to Paris race in 1908.
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Howard Kroplick

Schuster and Roberts split the driving for the Thomas Flyer during the 1908 Race.

From The Winning Thomas Flyer at the Long Island Automotive Museum

Engine shown in photo is the 50 hp Christie. Car competed in the 1907 Vanderbilt Cup. Running in 5th place when Elimination Trials were called on 9th lap. Running in 13th when race was called 8th lap. Engine had V shaped placement of cylinders permitting larger diameter pistons to be divided into 2 banks of two cylinders for each side. This allowed a larger power bore.

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

Great Photos.
Was that a blown head gasket shot?

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

Thank you for reminding us of this interesting part of automotive history.

From The Winning Thomas Flyer at the Long Island Automotive Museum

That pink and white color combination may have attracted women to the ladies tee in the fifties sixties and seventies but the car certainly looks better in Waltz Blue. Are you sure that 1043 was not used as a Mary Kaye Cosmetics car?

From Mystery Foto #11 Solved: Tucker 1043 -The Most Expensive Tucker '48 Ever Purchased at Auction

Richard T: 
Thank you Howard. Great event.

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

Roger R: Thank you Howard Kroplick, Rob Ida, John Jr, Mike Tucker & Sean Tucker, Mark Lieberman, and Fred Simeone for this experience I will never forget.

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

It was a thoroughly fabulous day.  The talk was informative and enjoyable.  Despite all I’ve read in several books, I learned even more today.  We’ll have to do it again…..soon. 😉

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

Mark - scan, baby, scan (please) - and post!  I’ll be happy to post the flyer(s) if you or HK don’t.  Sam, III

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

That looks like the unique V-4 engine invented by John Walter Christie (1866-1944) and used on his unusual front-wheel (direct) drive Christie racer. Christie himself drove the racer in the 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races along with the 1906 American Elimination Trial. I believe George Robertson drove the racer in the 1905 American Elimination Trial.

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

I still have my LIAM flyer made up in 3-21-1952, map of all of Long Island with roads to go there, no Rt.495 LIE shown, Haha, and a copy of ANTIQUE CARS by Austie, and a flyer of Harrah’s Automobile Collection, 1/1977, ‘A gallery of more than 1,100 authentically restored or carefully preserved vehicles’ this National Automobile Museum also in Reno, just a puny 220 vehicles, oh what you’ve had
missed

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

Christie’s racers were also V-4 engines as he had only so much room for inlines on a transverse mount, which would account for some uniqueness.

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

In 1905-06 Walter Christie entered his “freak” front wheel drive Christie racer.  It was unique mostly because the car was front wheeled drive.  It had to be considered direct drive with gears at the tail of each crankshaft, which means presumably without an in and out box setup if the engine was running the car was moving.

Robertson drove it in the ‘05 elimination race, DNQed but the car was permitted in the ‘05 Cup race with Christie at the wheel.  The race ended with a pit exit crash of the Lancia and the Christie tangling leaving both cars as SNFs.

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

-Identify the Vanderbilt Cup Race car, its driver and the year(s) it competed in the Vanderbilt Cup Races.

Walter Christie’s 1905 front wheel drive racer that technically never raced in the intended 1906 Cup Race. One day prior to the 1906 American Elimination Trial, Christie hit a telegraph pole during practice due to steering issues. He and mechanic Lewis Strang were uninjured.  He replaced the racer with his 50-HP Christie touring car.
Christie competed in the 1905 & 1906 Cup Races with 2 teams each race. A total of 6 racers over his career.

-What was unique about the engine?

Other than his racers being uniquely front wheel drive, the engine also appears to be in a ‘V’ configuration, also not common for touring/race cars of the day.

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

Much appreciation to Mr. Femenias for his positive response on my initial LIAM update comment and while Frank’s response, i.e., “This site needs to be registered as an historic site” has definite merit, registration and designation as a “historic site” comes with a number of pitfalls and restraints not needed if someone is otherwise careful in preservation, restoration and maintains a focused dedication and sympathy to the original design, basic construction, purpose and automotive significance.  I would still like to see everything preserved that Henry put into the facility one way or another - Heritage Matters.  Thanks HK for accepting my comments for posting.

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

Long lost treasures of historic photos! This is truly an amazing find. Hats off to Barbara Z. and Howard for taking the time to share these gems. Anticipating more will surface in the near future. Keeping my fingers crossed.

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

Here is an image of driver Camille Jenatzy.

You can now download images with your VanderbiltCupRaces.com comments.

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

I echo the comments of Mr. Richards, it’s the best avenue for Jane and a collection such as this.

From Hemmings Blog: Tupelo Automobile Museum to close, sell off collection including Tucker 1028