Vanderbilt Cup Races

All I can say is “awesome!”  I wish I could have been there.  The photos are incredible.  This is truly an historic event.  Thanks for sharing the experience.
Rog

From Tucker 1044 Conservation Report II: Highlights from the Memorable Open House

What treasures!  Thanks for sharing, Howard.

From Helck Family Collection: Peter Helck's Illustrated Wagner Envelopes

Hi Howard.  Nice to see this car featured in this lighthearted quiz.  I can, hopefully, contribute the following as it is a car with close associations with other British aero-engined cars.
Not sure about a nickname, but the chassis was a Mercedes fitted with a Benz aero-engine of 19 litres.
It was constructed in 1922 for Lord Scarisbrick (who I think ad some links with Birkenhead in the North-West of England)
The car is often mistaken for its contemporary Chitty-Bang-Bang 1
The passenger is (I think) Peter Helck).  Not sure about the driver (William C Crawford perhaps of aviation museum fame??)
Photo taken early 1960s??
Not sure of current ownership!

Great to read of the successful Tucker open day. 

Ian

From Update: Peter Helck's 1921 Benz-Mercedes "Rabbit-the-First" Now Owned by Jay Leno

I would’ve never occurred to me that Joe Tracy is resting in peace within The Brentwood Cemetery, NY. I grew up in Brentwood. Would The Helck family know if Brentwood was eventually Joe Tracy’s hometown after emigrating to the USA?
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Howard Kroplick

Tracy did not live in Brentwood. His friend had a plot at the Brentwood Cemetery.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive-The Helck Family Memoirs #2: Joe Tracy and the Cotter Pin in 1906

Mystery Foto #5…This auto is a 1922 Mercedes Racing Special with a 19 liter motor!!! The nickname is “Rabbit the First”. It was built for Lord Scarisbrick making him the first owner. I would guess that the auto that this is often mistaken for is one of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang series of specials… those also built on a Mercedes frame. Driver shown here is Peter Helck and passenger could be Jerry Helck. Can’t determine a date for the photo but it was owned by Peter Helck at that point. Today the racer is in the David North collection.

From Update: Peter Helck's 1921 Benz-Mercedes "Rabbit-the-First" Now Owned by Jay Leno

Lots of posts out there.

Check out my website of the area.
http://www.freewebs.com/limparkway/cunninghampark.htm

I haven’t been back there in the woods in a while so planning my next tour there in the not too distant future (before the brush reappears)!

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

Yes as per previous posts we sent with pics and videos the original LIMP is still very much there in the woods following Franks red line with many posts as well leading up to the clearview.

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

Thanks Frank, you’re very thorough.

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

Sorry for the confusion. The 1951 red path shows the present day pedestrian overpass but with a shorter walk path back to reconnect with the Motor Pkwy (green). The present day walk path (yellow) is longer in length, needing to slip under the newly built Clearview Expressway, and to reconnect back to the Motor Pkwy. This walk path diversion happened sometime in late 1960.

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

Frank F.‘s yellow lines threw me for a sec. and I checked Google Maps - WOW!  I never noticed before but you can still make out traces of the southern end of the N-S run just E of 179th and then the E-W run between FLB and the Clearview!  Anon. or any other sleuth care to do some surreptitious digging there?  (Not that I would EVER encourage illegal activity.  Of course, the same still holds true for the NW cloverleaf at Lakeville and NSP.)  Sam, III

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

Hi Mitch –

Thanks for sharing your photos of the N Hemp Tpke bridge that your Dad snapped back in 1955. Great that he was able to capture the bridge. I suspect the bridge was removed soon after the photo was taken, when P.S 179 was completed just down the block around the same time.

The 2nd Francis Lewis ped overpass was put in sometime before 1951. I’ve got a ‘51 aerial (sending to Howard) showing the boulevard’s expansion and overpass. The original overpass was put in 1942-1944. Check the link below and scroll to page 33, Job J6206. If this information is true, it took at least four years to put the bridge in after the parkway’s closing.

https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZWBIfoNiRwC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=francis+lewis+blvd+pedestrian+overpass&source=bl&ots=sCTeYY-9bH&sig=eHWkYy4KawaFsxYV-2AvZYNl5Fc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj4xO2ExIPZAhWNuVMKHT4LCeMQ6AEIaDAO#v=onepage&q=francis lewis blvd pedestrian overpass&f=false

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

Great news! It’s a special car. Once again I commend you Howard for your willingness to share your cars with the public. This is another example of that. Many collectors never show their vehicles to anyone. They call them “Private Collections”. The many classic car fans that visit Hershey will greatly appreciate this opportunity to see a very rare vehicle.
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Howard Kroplick
Mike, it will be fun to see the Mustang III during Hershey week in October!

From AACA Museum Announces the 1963 Mustang III Concept Show will be Featured in Upcoming 2018 Exhibit

Oh great-thanks for getting back to me! I’ve enjoyied reading about the game on your blog!

Thanks again
Elaine

From The 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Board Game

Hi…I just found the board to this game in the attic of our 3-family. There are no game pieces or box, just the board. It’s in perfect condition. I would appreciate any suggestion on what to do with it. Thought I would sell it on eBay, but not sure of value. Thanks in advance for any advice you can pass on.

Thanks again
Elaine
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Howard Kroplick

Elaine, great find! Without the pieces the Vanderbilt Cup Race game board is worth around $250.

From The 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Board Game

Thanks anyway, Howard. How about Al Velocci?

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

George Robertson and Glenn Ethridge getting ready to pass a Thomas driven by George Salzman - Looks like a wrench is about to be thrown to get their attention.
Peter Helck would have been 15 years old so the young man standing at the end of the fence in blue would most likely be him.

From Mystery Painting #4 Solved: A 1962 Peter Helck Painting of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

I forgot to mention that Peter Helck is seen in a few segments of the “Old 16 Locomobile” film on the 9/23/09 blog here.

From Mystery Painting #4 Solved: A 1962 Peter Helck Painting of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Remembering a 4-engine bomber flying over sometime around 1957/58. I think it might have been a B-29 not sure. Also was in the Civil Air Patrol in the early 60’s [Mitchel Flight] We used to drill all over the old base. It was a cool place to explore.

From Mitchel Field Aerials Part I: 1923-1928

The famous Little League photo with the NHT overpass that Sam’s page displays (taken by my Dad) shows the construction of PS179 next door. That was about March 1955 or so.

Does anyone (Howard?) have any further information about the “honorary” bridge over Francis Lewis Blvd? How long did it last? It was taken down and rebuilt after Francis Lewis Blvd was widened, but I don’t know exactly when that happened.
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Howard Kroplick

Mitch, I do not have any information on the “honorary bridge”.

From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950

http://www.gjfippingerfdn.org/  is correct link but there is little information on the website.

From Update-1/23:The Vanderbilt Cup Race Driver who was Developing a Unique "City" Near the Motor Parkway