Vanderbilt Cup Races

The car is a ‘41 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe finished in Dove Gray purchased new on November 9th, 1940 by then Senator Harry Truman.  He had just won senate re-election and treated himself to this new car.  On that same day he also treated his wife to a new 4 door Chrysler sedan as well.  As for the clues that quickly drew me to these conclusions was the road sign, the desk (The Buck Stops Here), the Missouri license plate and of course if you look closely you can see a very faint image of President Truman reflected in the glass.

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

Wow - that film is an eyeball-buster!  All I could identify in any way, besides 16, was a white ca. 1927 S or 28-30 SS Mercedes (Addams’, before he repainted it?) and a Ford (?) woodie convertible at 1:12-1:14.  What may have been a huge Renault tourer, a curved-dash Olds or similar REO, and possibly a Duesie flashed by in a blur.  Loved it, natheless; thanks, Walter and Howard!  Sam, III

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

Easy part - 1941 Chrysler (my second car) <http://sbiii.com/chrysler.html>, et. seq,) Club Coupé.  Look-up - Sni A Bar Road is in Kansas City - dead give-away!  Thus, Harry S. Truman’s Royal.  Displayed alongside his matching 1941 Chrysler Windsor 4-Door Sedan behind glass in the basement of the Truman library.  [His 1972 Chrysler Royal Newport 4-Door (pillarless) Sedan is still in the garage behind his home.]  Truman’s cars were always maintained immaculately!  Sam (the Chrysler kid), III

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

Correction to earlier submission:  The car was bought and used by Harry S. Truman during his days as a Senator, before becoming President in 1945.

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

Why is this Chrysler famous? What clues in the photo did you use to identify the automobile? 
This car was owned and used by President Harry S. Truman.  Clues include flags on front bumper, pictures of HST and other memorabilia in the display, The Buck Stops Here, license plate, roadsign for SNI-A-BAR Road, Jackson County.

Identify the model and year of the automobile
1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

Where can this automobile be seen today?
On display at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri

Documentation to follow.

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

Hi all. I’m still with you,been very busy with this move to Florida,not moved in yet,a delay with movers,am in Florida waiting for a delivery day. As for this mystery,is it that this Chrysler is the only 2 door made that makes it famous? It’s a 46,7 or 8. I had a 47 Plymouth and my neighbor had a 48 4 door Chrysler and there wasn’t many changes in those 3 years,a little hard to tell the difference between them.

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

I really enjoying this new series. The 4th photo down (LIMP thru wooded area). Where exactly is this location? Or has development taken it over?
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From Howard Kroplick

Brian, the 1990s photos were taken on the Motor Parkway section west of Searingtown Road by the Magid Family who purchased the property for development.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_bridge_series20_old_searingtown_road_motor_parkwa

From My Motor Parkway Story #4: Bob Andreocci and "Stand By Me" on the Parkway

That’s a 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe once owned by Senator (and future President) Harry S Truman. A faint, ghost image of Truman appears to be suspended over the roof of the car. Today the car is on display at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri along with the !941 Windsor Sedan he bought for his wife Bess soon after being re-elected as Senator in November, 1940.

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

The most obvious clue was the Jackson County marker for “Sni-A-Bar Road.”  The street name was easy to locate, and it clearly associated the car with the Kansas City, Missouri metro area. 

Comparison with stock photo images identified the model year as 1941.  Some further searching on the internet revealed that Harry Truman was the original owner of the car.  After re-election to the Senate in 1940, he bought it for his own use.  It is a Royal Club Coupe. 

The car was eventually acquired by the Truman Library in Independence.  To prepare the car for display, a full restoration was performed with Chrysler factory support.  Information is available at Trumanlibrary.org

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

Bit of a late update; I have the trophy won by John Fitch in the 1951 Hayground Cup Race for FIII cars at Bridgehampton driving Chuck Kotchan’s Effyh 500. I will try to upload some images. Fitch’s race record shows that he competed at Bridgehampton in 1951 but not in 1952. I believe the film clip could be from 1951.

From Mystery Fotos #50 Solved: Old 16 and The Beast in Bridgehampton (1951-1952)

Harry Truman’s 1941 Chrysler Royal located at his library in Missouri. I was clued in by the desk and the reflection in the glass.

From Mystery Foto #23 Solved: Senator Harry Truman's 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe

This is great stuff. Uncovering first hand experience of old Long Island with the Motor Parkway as a viaduct. Please keep this going.

From My Motor Parkway Story #4: Bob Andreocci and "Stand By Me" on the Parkway

hi my father Henry Seitz was a mechanic he had always told me that he helped blueprint the engine in the car that won the Indy 500 driven by Wilbur Shaw, I would like to no is there any truth in that. I would appreciate it if anyone could help me. Thank you for your time…..........Pat Seitz

From In the Indy Formula One Garage: The 1939 Maserati Racer that Won the 1939 and 1940 Indy 500 Races

Howard, does the Beast still have the converted 1910 telescopic shock absorbers installed? This was apparently a key modification for increased performance. Thanks Ariejan for pointing this out. 
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From Howard Kroplick

Nope, the Black Beast was restored to its 1909 configuration.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: Harry Grant Preparing the Alco for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race

Outstanding quality photos of 100+ years. In the last photo the banner reads, “...1910 Elgin Nat’l Championship.” Was the banner for a prior Lozier? Elgin victory or advertising the current race? Lozier finished 5th in the Vanderbilt Cup race in 1910.
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From Howard Kroplick

Frank, I believe the banner which promoted the Lozier which won the 1910 Elgin race

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: Harry Grant Preparing the Alco for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race

Almost 300 years after her home was built (originally for the Titus family) Mrs Hitchcock would be unhappy to learn that the Catholic Church, which now owns the property, plans to tear down the home and replace it with…..a cemetery.

From From the Library of Congress: Spectators at the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Was clueless but after a face match from this site, this could be driver Harry Grant/mechanician Frank Lee behind the wheel of Bette Noir. There’s a faded #8 on the grill (1908), so these daredevils could be preparing for the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race (#18)

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: Harry Grant Preparing the Alco for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race

Great pictures!!!

From From the Library of Congress: Spectators at the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Just a guess;
The ALCO Black Beast prepping for the 1909 Cup race. Harry Grant driving with his mechanician Frank Lee.
ALCO also started producing trucks that year so it would make sense that the team would use a new ALCO truck.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: Harry Grant Preparing the Alco for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race

Howard,
I can’t believe that you need help identifying your own car! (Ha Ha!)  This is the 1909 Alco-6 racer “Bête Noir”, the “Black Beast”.  Driver is Harry Grant, and the mechanician is George Babcock.  The event is preparation for the Elgin National Trophy Race in 1911.  The truck in the background is (of course) an Alco (maybe 3.5 ton?)

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: Harry Grant Preparing the Alco for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race