Vanderbilt Cup Races

Was there a commemorative “re-run” of the course similar to the 50th anniversary of the 1904 VCR ? ( Oct 9 1954 )

From Walter McCarthy Collection: Ledyard Pfund's 1906/1907 Renault "Vanderbilt Racer"

I was going to sit this one out initially. But it kept me occupied on this rainy day.

*Auto Manufacturer that used this Badge:  Chrysler stands out quite clearly ( Walter P Chrysler ).

*Exact copy on the Badge:  W D 0 4 4 R   This is seen beneath CHRYSLER and his signature. I don’t know why the letters are in sets of 3 above and below.

*Badge purpose:  To identify the vehicle with a serial # ( W D 0 4 4 R ). According to what I read, Chrysler used a FEDCO SYSTEM from 1926 thru 1958 to serial code/identify every vehicle manufactured. It was difficult for thieves to alter or remove this badges. Chrysler began using the current VIN SYSTEM in 1959.

*Date of the badge when it was produced:  Chrysler Corporation came to be in 1923. Their FEDCO SYSTEM commenced in 1926. So I’ll say the badge was created in 1926. The badge copy doesn’t refer to a time period. Perhaps the 44th vehicle manufactured?

From Mystery Foto #20 Solved: A Fedco Vehicle Number Plate for a 1926 Chrysler Model G70-6

Tom -

Did the toll house look like the photos in these links?

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/images/blog/2016-12-15_18-43-42_edited-1.jpg

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_motor_parkway_toll_collection_structures_11_bethpage_lodge

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #12 Bethpage Lodge Updated 3/13/2017

Hi Tom!

Thank you for sharing your experience on the parkway. This is wonderful to hear! As you approached the toll house (Bethpage Lodge?), was it located on the left side of the road? Is this where you exited off the parkway? There should have been another bridge immediately after the toll house. Was it closed?  Thanks Tom.

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

This was a badge used by Chrysler from 1926-1930 and similar badges were used by other manufacturers.  It was welded to the dashboard and was established as an identification to deter auto theft.  The letters converted to numbers, specific to that auto.

W-P-C-H-R-Y-S-L-E-D
0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

The clue would be “FEDCO” on the bottom of the badge.

From Mystery Foto #20 Solved: A Fedco Vehicle Number Plate for a 1926 Chrysler Model G70-6

Tom MacCallum

hello howard….........tom mac callum here..in 1953 and54,55 I did not ride my bike, I drove my 1950 mercury on the motor parkway… the bridges over stewart ave and over central ave where still in place and driveable. I would get on at the stewart bridge and could drlve east all together about a mile and half.. first 1/3 of a mile was straight then a wonderful deep curve to the left ..dead mans curve….took it at 80 easy…. then north but going a little east….them coming to the big bridge up and over central ave and the LIRR. ..both under the bridge at the same place…..made an X then down the other side….went as far as we could but finally the brush stopped us.one time we got thru the brush…......the parkway mostly straight but still a bit to the east way off in the distance there was a building like a toll house not sure at all….not a single picture…...its all in my head..i will answer any question if I know….......otherwise fagetaboutit.  hope I helped some. tom mac callum

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

  Chrysler vintage metal security identification tag.

    ( possible predates the VIN plate//tag )

From Mystery Foto #20 Solved: A Fedco Vehicle Number Plate for a 1926 Chrysler Model G70-6

I was at this race.  1981.  Newman finished 2nd to Ken Slagle in a TR8.  What a great race track!

From Video/Film of the Week: Classic Bridgehampton Racing

Thank you Howard for presenting this image and providing before and after scenes. Knew that most would recognize this area, but it wasn’t so much about having all scratching your heads. I was quite surprised to come across such clear/close up images of the LIMP. Yes Art, the Heritage website is excellent! Have to visit this area soon being that a clearing up has been done recently. I agree, Dave. If the old pavement is still solid, leave it alone!

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

Awesome pic btw Brian. It’s amazing that you can still go to this exact location. I love the old original road spots. Nothing beats it. New bike paths? No thanks. I like original historical remnants. Clean that up for preservation purposes, but don’t pour any new road on top of the original! That’s my opinion.

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

Thomas, you might be exactly the person we have been searching for. You grew up in Bethpage and rode your bike along the LIMP is the 50s. Can you tell us, do you have memories or even better possibly any photos of the LIMP aim relation to the construction of the Seaford Oyster Bay—135??

Any information / memories you have would be appreciated. Some of us believe the LIMP ran just west of 135, others believe it rode directly on or even slightly east at some points. What are your memories??

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

Tricky one. Three possibilities; Great Neck looking east, Garden City looking west, and Bethpage looking east. The scenery looks like the Great Neck Lodge where W.C. Field’s car chase ended in “Sally of the Sawdust,” but those cement posts are more lined up for the Bethpage’s Lodge entrance. I say Great Neck looking east. The hedges at center is where the wooden board fence was set up for Field’s to drive through. Hmmm, but I don’t recall power lines by Great Neck but Bethpage does have ‘em. I’ll go with Great Neck for this one. Looking forward to the answer and database location. Nice find Brian.

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

Looks like Deadman’s Curve ( #1 ) in Bethpage looking south near the sharp turn to the west.

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

I grew up in Bethpage. when I was 16 I drove on the motor parkway,what little bit there was left. the bridge was still over stewart ave in 1953. I would get on just west of stewart ave and drive as far as I could , about a quarter of a mile north of central ave. because that bridge was still there. great fun because dead mans curve was between the two bridges. I lived at 55 central blvd. Thomas mac callum

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

Bob, There were more than one toll rate scenario in effect at a given time. Example, in the 1920’s the one dollar toll was good for a round trip anywhere on the Parkway.  In 1930 the one dollar toll was good for one way to Lake Ronkonkoma or good for a round trip from anywhere from the west to the Huntington Lodge. Another example is the toll rate from the Brentwood Lodge at Commack Rd. The rate was 50 cents for a round trip between those two locations. During the depression years there were several toll rates in effect, mostly bases on the distance traveled. Al

From Vanderbilia: The Long Island Motor Parkway Toll Ticket

Didn’t have time to research, so I just go with my best guess;

Looks like this is looking West at the Garden City Lodge and Manager’s House on the left. Beyond the curve was where the Clinton Rd bridge stood, but was taken down by the time of this photo.

I’ll leave the the library and source answers to people who had more time than me this weekend!

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

Just a guess but we may be looking west on the LIMP a few hundred feet east of Clinton Road bridge in the vicinity of the Garden City lodge and General Manager’s office. Original source may have been the Garden City Public Library and can now be found in the NYS Archives Digital Collection.

From Mystery Foto #19 Solved: The Motor Parkway East of Clinton Road, Garden City in the 1950s

just a couple of questions…..Charges picture were $.50 & $1.00.  Were they different for how far you were going?  Or was it just certain years that determined the charge.  Thanks, Bob Andreocci
__________________________________________________________

Howard Kroplick

Bob, it was one price for getting on and getting off…no matter the distance. The different price reflect the year.

From Vanderbilia: The Long Island Motor Parkway Toll Ticket

I live a few blocks from the house and drive past it daily. I’ve ridden my bicycle around it a couple of times and studied the house. As an artist, I always suspected there was an interesting story behind it.It is incredibly well built. Despite years of standing empty and unattended it appears still to be very restorable. I had no idea who the original owner was or who designed it. Thank you Howard for educating us, I will certainly look at it differently from now on!

From The Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races -Fred Wagner- Rediscovered in Smithtown

So cool. Fred Wagner was arguably the most renowned flag man in early US motor racing. He was a fixture of the A.A.A. and officiated hundreds of key races. His book Saga of the Roaring Road has some terrific stories.

From The Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races -Fred Wagner- Rediscovered in Smithtown