Vanderbilt Cup Races

As a Chrysler fan myself, it was great to see this car come into the hands of Howard Kroplick.  It has been beautifully restored and through Howard’ s generosity,
everyone can get to view it.  I hope it is appreciated at the Grand Concours!

From Inthedriveway.com : "1937 Imperial C-15: 'Chrysler's Chrysler' meets Pebble"

May I add my own sincere congratulations on this remarkable achievement.  I am a huge fan of art deco and of Chrysler the man and Chrysler the car.  I hope there will be a book and/or magazine articles about this wonderful restoration.  You have saved an important and magnificent work of art and piece of American history.

Thank you sincerely.
_________________________________________

From Howard Kroplick:
Reg, Thanks for the comments! Hemming Classic Car is developing a two-series on the car.

From Video: "The 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance "

Great time!!! The whole family was excited and happy to see ole #8 in person and meet Howard… Thanks again what a great guy! The Himes Museum what a gem, just a fun, great day!

From Smiles and Thumbs Ups from the 2014 Old Timer's Day at the Himes Museum

Austin Clark jr. helped me tremendously in my research of the FRP automobile of Port Jefferson in l914-15 years ago.  He was a personal friend of Mr.Porter and had all the scrapbooks and notes and photos from the FRP company.  Austin’s library at his home in Glen Cove rivaled many public institutions with collections of automotive history.  Thankfully, most of this collection is now in the Detroit Library system.  Austin was a generous man and the “Iron Range Days” at the museum were always an adventure.  The closing of the Southampton Museum was a genuine loss to Long Island.  The collection certainly was not pristine, but it was always enjoyable and interesting to visit.  Much more interesting was the huge collection of early trucks and buses housed in buildings behind the museum….bumper to bumper and fender to fender!  These are now probably scattered all over the country after being auctioned off in several auctions at the museum before the passing of Austin Clark jr.  I have several artifacts and printed material from the days of the museum and the museum in NY city..”.Carnival of Cars” in the mid-50s.  Austin Clark jr. was truly a pioneer and promoter in the early days of this hobby on Long Island.

From Memories of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Chrysler’s Chrysler typifies why I am an automobile buff. Just beautiful.

From AutoExpress.co.uk: "Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2014: 10 best cars"

One beautiful piece of art!!

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XIII: Completing the Restoration

You must be so proud,,,,, congrats!!

From Video: "The 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance "

Before you began this adventure some were of the opinion Chrysler’ Chrysler should remain “original”.  Upon completion you must be so happy about your decision.  Beautiful job. I’ll miss the updates and look forward to the Hemmings article.
_________________________________________________

From Howard Kroplick

It was an easy decision since the wood frame had deteriorated to the point that the automobile would have collapsed if driven over the next 2-5 years.

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XIII: Completing the Restoration

The Sea Cove museum was the largest collection of brass-era cars some years ago before Mr. Payne’ passing.  The FRP car (built on Port Jefferson) was in that collection also.  A museum most worthwhile visiting is the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich, New York.  It has over 200 on display…each one pristine…and perhaps the largest collection of cars built in New York State.  It is a VERY HIGH QUALITY and friendly museum to visit!!!!

From Favorite Northeast Automotive Museums & Exhibits

I also was not there this year but my son Jody was.  Marty Himes and Howard Kroplick…two of the greatest!!!!!!!  Jody sez he’d love to tune up “The Beast”....he earned the title of “Mr. FIXIT from many tours with the Model Ts over the years….he’s an expert with many things mechanical…not bragging…just repeating what others have said.  Marty’s museum is always interesting and fun and he is too!  Howard….I TRULY appreciate what you have done to preserve the history of the grand Old Motor Parkway and I thank you for your extreme generosity in sharing it with everyone…We need more people like you!!!!  I look forward to meeting you again on one of our ventures.

From Smiles and Thumbs Ups from the 2014 Old Timer's Day at the Himes Museum

The painting depicts the old motor parkway crossing over the Northern state parkway just about 1000 ft. west of New Hyde Park road, before the Northern state was widened in the 1950s.  I had many bag lunches on my bicycle wanderings as a young boy on that bridge.  That bridge was built by the state when it was building Northern state pkwy.  The eastbound exit ramp of the Northern Pkwy.  marks the spot today.        The painting of the Great Neck lodge depicts   the Lakeville Road bridge on the Nassau/Queens border which was closed (as it is in the painting)  The building was a private residence in the 50s…gone…or not recognizable any more with many homes now there..  I also had lunches there as well as a long, banked curve about a mile or so to the west…where Glen Oaks apartments was built in the mid-50s.
    As far as lighting on the motor parkway…as far as I know..it did not have any. Lodges probably got power from the cross streets.  That was a grand old road!  I rode my bicycle from the start in Flushing, to what is now route 110 in Huntington, as well as the closed sections going east of that in later years…and drove to Ronkonkoma many many times in the 40s and 50s.  My mother rode with her uncle on the parkway the last day it was open.

From The Long Island Motor Parkway Paintings By Harvey Kidder

Amazing!

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XIII: Completing the Restoration

The history of Chrysler’s Chrysler keeps going on as more people find out about it, now that it’s going to be shown and throw the help of Howard

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XIII: Completing the Restoration

I’ll be interested in this one - no clue.  What I still find so fascinating is that, with all the great and near-great being captioned, no mention whatever is made of what is almost-certainly macabre cartoonist Charles Addams in his 1927 Mercedes S 36/220 (680) tourer at 0:53-54.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #83 Revealed: Russ Case was the Original Owner of "The Beast"

Wow!  Who woulda thunk it?  #8’s a magnet!  :·)

From Smiles and Thumbs Ups from the 2014 Old Timer's Day at the Himes Museum

From Roger Patterson:

Howard, but think the original owner was Herb Shriner…the car was later used to promote a North shore Long Island car dealer. It also appears in opening frame of your 1951 Bridgehampton road race film, doesn’t it?

From Mystery Foto #83 Revealed: Russ Case was the Original Owner of "The Beast"

i am sorry we could not make it, wish we could of been there though it looks like it was a good turn out. We did not even know about it, but we could not have made it even if we did because we had a prior commitment, we had a Birhday party to go to on Sunday August 24, so even if we had heard about this get together I do not think we could have been at the Museum and gotten to the Birthday party on time. We were to the Museum with you and the others a while ago it was interesting.

From Smiles and Thumbs Ups from the 2014 Old Timer's Day at the Himes Museum

What can I say?  INCREDIBLE!!!

Rog

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XIII: Completing the Restoration

What a beautiful automobile! Now the only thing missing is Mr and Mrs Chrysler setting in the back seat..
_____________________________________

From Howard Kroplick

Members of the Chrysler family will be sitting in the automobile on September 14th at the Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance.

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XIII: Completing the Restoration

I know Marty well and have been to his home/museum on many occasions.  I’m sorry I couldn’t make it this time because we were away.
Great photos!
Rog

From Smiles and Thumbs Ups from the 2014 Old Timer's Day at the Himes Museum