Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Howard:

    Great job well done with your Chrysler Prize !!!

                  Cheers and Best !!!!  Ron

From Chrysler's Chrysler Honored with "The Amelia Island Award" at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

Just stumbled over the Black Beauty which sold at auction in Feb for $335.5k
http://www.guitarworld.com/les-pauls-1954-black-beauty-guitar-sells-335500-auction

From The Black Beauty Meets The Black Beast in Roslyn

If you read the Newsday article online there are a lot of comments by people who have absolutely no clue as to what this effort to preserve the bridge is really about. One word , one syllable comments that are just down right stupid. Everyone has the right to their opinion , but one should also think that you would at least do a minimum of research to lean the facts to comment with some intelligence.

From Newsday Article and Video: "Rebuilding a Bridge"

Two young girls of high school age attended the meeting, both apparently were writing reports about the bridge and effort that night to save it. After the meeting out in the hall each one approached some of us who spoke up about our positive feelings that the bridge should be preserved. I was interviewed by one of them. The questions were were intelligent and they were sincerely interested in hearing the answers. I mentioned that it was always good to have an actual structure that could be visited and experienced in person - especially by younger generations . Period photographs are great but to actually place you hand on something that was built 100+ years ago and still survives despite total neglect and being out in all kinds of weather perhaps can give the person a real sense of history.

From Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission Recommends Landmarking of a Motor Parkway Bridge

Identify this automobile….Dymaxion 3 wheel concept car. Designer….Richard Buckminster Fuller B. 7/12/1895 D. 7/1/1983. He was an American neo-futuristic architect, systems theorist, author, designer & inventor. In short, he was a man who really thought outside the box, and then some. He and fellow colleagues developed the Dymaxion car in the early 1930’s within Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Locomobile (1906 VCR Europe) was also produced in Bridgeport. And through researching about this mystery, Art Kleiner has written a book titled….Age of Heretics. I hav’nt read the book, but he does speak of Mr. Fuller and the automobile. There was a collision/with fatality involving this concept car and another auto at the 1933 Chicagos World Fair. The term “Dymaxion” described other designs that Mr. Fuller invented as well. As usual, behind every mystery; there’s a educational story to read.

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

From Ron Ridolph:
  I hope to hear and see that some thoughts and efforts are to PSEG and the neighbors on a plan for restoration and beautification of the bridge and area.  Could there be a possibility for entry by pedestrians to see it and photograph it ????  I am in the hopes of the LIMP Preservation Society that it has custodial care and love it to the hilt !!!!!  I am sure all of the above has crossed your minds
by now and previous to the announcement…...  This would be a first of its kind as the usual is a piece of land or a building.  You all are going to make a new inroad to and for history !!!!  My blessings !!!

From Newsday Article and Video: "Rebuilding a Bridge"

...One more possible VCR link could be that the 3 Dymaxions were built in the old Locomobile factory in Bridgeport Connecticut.

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

From Laurence C:
Just a quick hello and congratulations about the informative write-up featured in today’s Newsday….. about the old bridge overpass/ Motor Parkway

From Newsday Article and Video: "Rebuilding a Bridge"

I’m lovin’ it! Not McDonalds. I’m lovin’ it, rightfully so. Thanks to SamIII too.

From Newsday Article and Video: "Rebuilding a Bridge"

Stand by Ted. I believe the fireworks are about to begin. I hope I’m wrong.

From Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission Recommends Landmarking of a Motor Parkway Bridge

That’s a 1933 “DYMAXION” 4D Transport designed by Richard Buckminster Fuller, who was also known as an architect, inventor, and author. He was also famous for developing the design of the Geodesic Dome. I managed to discover 2 links to Vanderbilt Cup Races: first- Fuller rented the former Locomobile factory in Bridgeport, CT for building the “DYMAXION”, the same factory that produced “Old Number 16”, the first American car to win a Vanderbilt Cup Race in 1908; second- the co-designer of the “DYMAXION” was William Starling Burgess, who also designed William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.‘s brother Harold Stirling Vanderbilt’s two Americas Cup winning yachts, “Enterprise” and “Ranger”. Interestingly, Fuller never thought of his vehicle as a car. He called it “the land-taxiing phase of a wingless, twin-orientable, jet-stilts flying device”.

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

You had us all stumped (and cursing!) last week Art, so thanks for giving us an easier one this week!
I already knew a bit about it and Fuller, but mostly learned about the actual car while researching Mystery Foto #66 of the similar looking, (but much earlier) A.L.F.A. Aerodinamica in May last year.

Identify the automobile-
1933 Dymaxion car
From Wikipedia;
“The word Dymaxion is a brand name that Fuller gave to several of his inventions, to emphasize that he considered them part of a more general project to improve humanity’s living conditions.”

Who was the automobile’s famous designer?
The brilliant ‘father’ of the geodesic dome and the second president of Mensa from 1974 to 1983, Buckminster Fuller.

Provide one or more links between this automobile and the Vanderbilt Cup Races
The only link I can see would be that of the 3 original Dymaxion cars, car #2 ended up in Bill Harrah’s collection along with the Alco Black Beast.

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

Great write up in Newsday today. Thought a lot we’re going to oppose it, surprisingly you were wrong.

From Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission Recommends Landmarking of a Motor Parkway Bridge

Identify the automobile:

• The 1934 Dymaxion car #3.

Who was the automobile’s famous designer?

• American neo-futuristic architect, systems theorist, author, designer and inventor, R. Buckminster Fuller.

Provide a link between this automobile and the Vanderbilt Cup Races:

• R. Buckminster Fuller used the Dymaxion name as a brand for several of his designs and innovations.  One of those other designs was the Dymaxion house, which is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.  The Henry Ford Museum is also home to the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race-winning Locomobile racecar, “old 16”.

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

This seems like a closer connection: The co-designer of the Dymaxion car was William Starling Burgess (yacht and airplane designer). Burgess also built Harold Stirling Vanderbilt’s America’s Cup defender Enterprise. In 1928, Harold Stirling Vanderbilt endowed the Vanderbilt Cup.

(If this confuses you it’s because HS Vanderbilt was an avid card player. The Vanderbilt Cup he endowed in 1928 was for contact bridge.)

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

OK—I’ll give it a try. The car is the Dymaxion, designed by architect Buckminster Fuller. Fuller is also well known for his geodesic domes. One of his domes is now the aviary in the Queens Zoo (Flushing Meadows).

Late last year there was a walk in support of a greenway along Motor Parkway East. The walk, August 10th, went from Flushing Meadows - Corona Park to the Long Island Motor Parkway. (Close enough?)

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

I know this one! It’s Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion car - a great car far too ahead of it’s time. Amazing turning radius. But got a bad rep when one was involved in a crash. Don’t know the connection to VCR though.

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

No clue on this one. Know who would probable know something about this automobile,I’d bet Mr.Jaffey,the automobile designer.I wonder what the Crystal House is? I can’t make out what the rest of it says,something to do with cars. I’ll leave this one for the experts

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory

Hats off to all involved here.

From Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission Recommends Landmarking of a Motor Parkway Bridge

Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion Car

From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: Buckminister Fuller's Dymaxion #3 Built at the Former Locomobile Factory