Vanderbilt Cup Races

V in photo stands for USN lighter than air, aircraft ( non blimp ). F designates bomber not fighter, may have been mapping from Mitchell Field

From Then & Now: The Motor Parkway Office in Garden City

All did well on this one.I think if I had more time ,I would have given better answers,I just did a rush job and answered what I saw.it’s three weeks already,have about 5 more boxes to unpack..Hopefully by the end of the week we’ll be finished and I’ll be able to find out about car shows here.I’ve seen a few classic cars in my travels There are two in our complex,but don’t know where,I just see them pass our apartment.Bedtime now,have to go to DMV today to make all the changes,very detailed,wish me luck,I need it on this one

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

From Davide Grappolo:

Hi Howard,

maybe I can answer to some questions related to Mystery Friday Foto #26.

I found the same image on ‘the Automobile’ vol.XV n.12 (Sept 20, 1906) - that is captioned ‘Sheriff Gildersleeve takes a Corbin official car ride’.

About Sheriff Gildersleeve at the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup I have found that:
- ‘During the hours between 5 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon, Sheriff Gildersleeve will see that the crossings are guarded and that the public is well protected’ - Motor (Sept, 1906)
- ‘To prevent speeding on the course by non-contestants, Chairman Thompson has given out that Sheriff Gilderslave of Nassau country, will have constables posted along inviting looking stretches and woe betide the lukyless chauffeur who is tempted to advance his spark to the limit’
- The Motor World vol.XIII n.14 (Sept 6, 1906)

So some answers are:
- Identify the automobile : Corbin
- Identify the man in the back seat : Sheriff Gildersleeve
- What was his role in relation to the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race? : Security
- When was this photo likely taken? : late October

Cheers,
Davide Grappolo

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Howard, hope all is well. Looking for Kenwood Road, Washington Ave area.
Thanks

James

From Then & Now: The Motor Parkway Office in Garden City

On the photo we see sheriff Frederick E. Gildersleeve of the town of Hempstead in the back of a Corbin on Jericho Turnpike ‘on his way to the Vanderbilt Cup race’. He is not very far away though and in fact he is even heading the wrong direction, because Krug’s corner is about 100 yards behind him, and the race course was leading exactly into the opposite direction. The buildings behind the car are the Krug’s East Williston Hotel Sheds & Auto Stables Garage and were located directly behind the hotel. The sheds were used as headquarters by several participants during both the American Eliminations and the Vanderbilt Cup race, such as Haynes, Thomas and probably De Dietrich.
Sheriff Gildersleeve was responsible for the safety around the race course. As stated in MoToR (September 1906): “[..] Sheriff Gildersleeve will see that the crossings are guarded and that the public is well protected [..]”. He also asked for 25 extra deputies to watch for pickpockets.
It seems unlikely to me that the photo was taken on the day of the race itself, but rather on one of days before while checking the course to see if everything was ready for the event.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Identify the road in which this photo was taken.: Willis Avenue, Jericho Turnpike
 
What was the building in the background?: Krug’s Garage

Identify the automobile: Corbin

Identify the man in the back seat.: Nassau County Sheriff Frederick E. Gildersleeve

What was his role in relation to the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race?:  Oversaw safety of the race in terms of policing, crowd control, etc.  Requested and received approval from Nassau County to enlist additional police for the race, also Pinkerton detectives “to warn crooks and gamblers off”. 

When was this photo likely taken?  On or shortly before the Oct. 6, 1906 Race.  Documentation in Kleiner’s Korner shows the Sheriff taking a drive on Oct. 4, inspecting tire stations, private spectator stands and the points “where the crowds are to collect and which are dangerous to spectators”.  And with the crowds around Krug’s Corner on the day of the race (Oct. 6), that might not be the day the picture was taken. 

What was the likely reason for this automobile trip?:  As mentioned before to inspect the course.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Great interview, Howard!

Marilyn Kroplick, MD

From The Mustang III and the Ford Custom Car Caravan: An Interview with the King of Kustoms Gene Winfield

It’s getting late so it’s time for some un-researched guesses: Looks like it might be Jericho Turnpike with the barn/stable/garage of Krug’s Hotel in the background. It could be Dr. Louis Lanehart in the back seat who was the Chief Surgeon for the Vanderbilt Cup Race. Photo was probably taken October 5th. or 6th. of 1906 during a survey or test run of the race course. Car might be a Buick.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

A time in the Phantom’s history that seems unmentioned is in the early 1940s when it was living in Kenilworth IL about a mile from my high school.  My car nut friends and I saw it every once in a while.

From Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Rust Heinz' 1938 Phantom Corsair

From Jerry Rokoff:
Interesting. Good interview.

From The Mustang III and the Ford Custom Car Caravan: An Interview with the King of Kustoms Gene Winfield

Howard, Gene Winfield has made some very good points. One of the main problems with keeping these cars was Product Liability. They were often called cobble cars. It was a great time for private builders - lots of Corporate money.

In the 1950s Italian custom bodies cost about $800 per unit. All the Ghia Exner Chryslers were done as Gene says cheaper and quicker. They have a high survival rate because Chrysler often turned them over to their South American reps.

Ford was more prone to crush them or give them to their sub-suppliers like Andy and Holman-Moody some times to test engines in. Jimmy Holman went to Northwood University in Midland MI in the mid-1960s. He had the Mustang fast-back ‘cobble car’ for a daily driver.

By 1967 there were more problems with what to do with these proto-types. When run with factory manufacturer plates they did not need to have emission parts or crash testing. About 1979 Ford offered a Hutton stretch Lincoln to the Lincoln Continental Owners Club. It was too big for us to store and registration would have been a problem with no smog stuff. Ford ended up crushing several.

Limited production models like woodies and the Packard Caribbean were done by companies like Mitchell-Bentley in Ionia, MI for the cost reasons Gene gave.

The story of the Mustang III is a little more complex than other Ford concept cars. You had to be in the right place and have the right connections. Andy Hotton got the Stevenson PanAm Lincoln and traded it to Bill Harrah for something he wanted.

Hugh

From The Mustang III and the Ford Custom Car Caravan: An Interview with the King of Kustoms Gene Winfield

Why is it called the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge if it connects the John Baker properties?
______________________________________
From Howard Kroplick

Wayne, great question!  According to my favorite co-author Al Velocci,  Smith’s entire farm was purchased by the Motor Parkway to obtain the right-of-way. The farmway bridge was built to connect the north and south sections of Smith’s former farm so that the Motor Parkway could lease out the unused sections

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #55: The Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville

Hi there.I have some time for this one,I better do it now,might not get a chance again.I think I have two of the answers.The building in the background is the garages for the Vanderbilt Cars over by Krugs Hotel.The date the photo was taken Oct 1906.I got the clues from the photo itself,the water tower and the writings on the building.That’s it for this one

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Good Afternoon, I am looking for the aerial photo just West of this location, any ideas??

Thanks
_________________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick

Hi James,

What street do you want featured?

From Then & Now: The Motor Parkway Office in Garden City

My guess would be Mineola, Krugs Hotel Auto Garage Thomas Flyer Headquarters(just north, behind the hotel). The car is travelling south on Mineola Blvd, as the Windmill is opposite the Willis Avenue side. The 3 gentlemen i cannot name but it looks like they are arriving to watch the race on their way down from the north shore. Ok i will guess that the driver is Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, and thats all i can guess on this one. I do like the gasoline shed.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Identify the road in which this photo was taken.
Jericho Tpke.

What was the building in the background?
Krug’s Hotel

Identify the automobile
1906 air-cooled Corbin

Identify the man in the back seat. What was his role in relation to the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race?
Sheriff Frederick E. Gildersleeve

When was this photo likely taken?
Oct. 6 1906

What was the likely reason for this automobile trip?
According to the photo’s caption, the men were ‘enroute to Vanderbilt Cup Race’

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

My guess, Jericho Tpke, looking North East.  I would say Krug’s hotel is to the right.  The buildings we see are the garages of Krug’s Hotel.  Which were north of the hotel.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: Nassau County Gildersleeve Inspecting the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

I haven’t been over this way in a while. With Dave and Sam next to one of the abutments, it’s size is impressive.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #55: The Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville

Hi all.I have a few minutes now, while waiting for a delivery to come.This certainly was a challenging one without the hints.All is well here,very slow process,trying to get the place the way we want it.Still unpacking boxes.Weather been hot 90 to 102,not much rain.Be in touch whenever I get chance.

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: Waterbury ,Sears, McGrann and Vanderbilt at the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Very informative. Love the history!  Great story.

From Ford.com: "The Tale of the Printer and the Two-Seat “Shorty” Ford Mustang"