Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’m sure it’ll steal the show!

From Chrysler's Chrysler's Specifications

The two roads: Hollis Court Blvd. and North Hempstead Tpke.
This is very near where I grew up as a boy in the 50s. The intersection ws between Horace Harding Blvd., Francis Lewis Blvd. and Hollis Court Blvd. Hollis Court Blvd. through the intersection was eliminated when the LIE and Clearview Expressways were built. The remains south of the area became Hollis Court Terrace. The LIE and Clearview at this location opened in 1960. N. Hempstead Tpke. was cutoff when Fresh Meadows was built in the late 40s, although the remains continued north of Horace Harding Blvd (LIE). The name was changed to Booth Memorial Ave sometime later. I remember my 5th grade teacher taking us on a field trip to the construction site in 1958.

From Mystery Foto #63 Solved: The Abandoned Motor Parkway and North Hempstead Turnpike in Fresh Meadows

Howard,  this means so much for the Long Island motoring heritage. Thanks for your dedication.  It would be great to build on your hard work by organising our clubs for a east coast version of Pebble Beach.  John MBCA

From Chrysler's Chrysler's Specifications

That bridal path leads directly to the actually Alley Pond, now a badly drained swamp. My mom’s family would picnic there in the late 30s and early 40s. There is a small enclave of homeless people (a hobo camp of sorts) now camped out right to the side of that Grand Central overpass. It the late 50s and very early 60s hobo camps dotted this area of the Vanderbilt, especially near what is now the area of the Clearview Expressway.

From Mystery Foto #62 Solved: The Grand Central Parkway Bridge over the Motor Parkway in Queens

I look forward to seeing you and Chrysler’s Chrysler at Pebbble Beach Concourse and in Carmel following the Tour if you take it on the run along Big Sur.

What a great addition to Pebble Beach, this fabulous “ONE OFF.”
__________________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick:

Bruce, I would not miss the 60-mile Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance on August 14th. Cars are made to be driven.

From Chrysler's Chrysler's Specifications

Congratulations and good luck!  What more can I say.

From Chrysler's Chrysler's Specifications

Wow! That’s awesome. Wish we could be there! We WILL be at the upcoming Floral Park celebration honoring The Vanderbilt Cup Race heritage. Your efforts to reinforce the whole heritage of Long Island and its position in the history of the automobile is never anything less then stellar.
____________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick:

James, thanks so much!

From Chrysler's Chrysler's Specifications

Does this mean that the car might be ready before you go to Pebble Beach and that you’ll show it, or it might be best to wait until after, not to rush things to much, it’s only 4 months away and a lot of arrangements to make?
____________________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick:

Ted, Pebble Beach will be the first show for Chrysler’s Chrysler.

From Chrysler's Chrysler's Specifications

From Christopher G:

Thank you so much for the wonderful presentation you did last night on the Vanderbilt Cup Races for our Buick Club. It was so informative and also fascinating - especially to see those Buick race cars!

I showed my son Anthony the book I purchased from you on the Vanderbilt Cup Races and he was excited to see the images of all the old race cars.

From The Seven Buicks of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Very informative presentation about the Buicks in the Vanderbilt Cup Races, I learned something from it. The questions you asked, you knew that I knew what the answers were, so I didn’t bother giving the answers, the camera, checkered flag and the pits. Enjoy another day looking at that one of a kind and only car like that tomorrow.

From The Seven Buicks of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Sam!
This is Fresh Meadows, Queens, near the final terminus of the LIMP. Horace Harding Blvd runs left to right across the top. Francis Lewis Blvd runs top to bottom. Hollis Court Blvd runs top to right diagonally. Fresh Meadows housing development in the lower left.

Abandoned roads: North Hempstead Turnpike and Hollis Court Blvd (also a smidge of the Creedmoor Parkway right-of-way for the abandoned Stewart rail line).
Other structures: North Hempstead Turnpike LIMP overpass.
Approximate date: 1948. Construction of Fresh Meadows was completed in about 1948; LIMP overpass was removed in about 1955, with the completion of PS179, which does not appear here.
The only thing I’m wondering about is, what are the two parallel lines in the upper left, at the foot of 64th Avenue: the foundation for PS179 or the remains of the LIMP?

From Mystery Foto #63 Solved: The Abandoned Motor Parkway and North Hempstead Turnpike in Fresh Meadows

LIMP Western Terminus, Fresh Meadow.  North Hempstead Turnpike, abandoned.  Hollis Ct Blvd, abandoned.  I think you can also see part of the old LIRR, also abandoned.  LIMP bridge over NHT is there.  Picture appears to be at least the 1940’s, after the parkway closed.
-joe o

From Mystery Foto #63 Solved: The Abandoned Motor Parkway and North Hempstead Turnpike in Fresh Meadows

I won my class with my 1957 Corvette drag racing 1/4 mile on the front straightaway at Bridgehampton Raceway NY. It was a sanctioned race, & yet it is never mentioned in the history of that great track.
There was no return Shute back to the pits, so we had to run around the whole track to
get back to the pits, & the trophy stand. That was as much fun as winning my class trophy.

From LI Business News "LI Votes for a Race Track" & Film "LI Drag Racing"

They certainly did do a great job of cleaning up, because I was their about the middle of March and it didn’t look anything like what it looked like on March 30, only hope it will stay that way. I’ll keep you posted on that

From Then & Now: Deadman's Curve in Bethpage (1908-2014) Updated: April 8, 2014

…..And then there were many photos of the bridge. Never knew there was a pedestrian path under there. (the atlas doesn’t indicate a bridge, only monuments in this area) The path is still accessible where Kingsbury meets the GCP. I’ll be exploring there soon. Thank you Howard, Al, Greg, and all involved for displaying the wonderful photos and for the new discovery.

From Mystery Foto #62 Solved: The Grand Central Parkway Bridge over the Motor Parkway in Queens

I never would have gotten this one, I wasn’t even thinking of Queens

From Mystery Foto #62 Solved: The Grand Central Parkway Bridge over the Motor Parkway in Queens

You’ve got a lot on your plate but I’d enjoy a restoraton’s status update. 

____________________________________________________________

From Howard Kroplick:

Ken, we should have an update by next week.

From Presentation: "Chrysler's Chrysler: History, Discovery and Restoration", Malverne, NY

Hi Guy, yes I remember the railroad bridge very well. When the last one was torn down a teenager 2 blocks from my house got a small piece of it that was cut off and had a rivet in it. This was later donated to the Historical Society, and is on display in their small museum.

From Vanderbilt Cup Race Historical Marker Unveiling Ceremony to be Held on Saturday, April 26, 2014

1940 Alley Pond Park heading eastbound under Robert Moses’ original GCP bridge, after the Motor Pkwy closed in 1938 for bicycle and pedestrian use. The bikes are heading west towards Rocky Hill Lodge (possibly still standing). This may be the only image available of this early bridge besides a Harvey Kidder painting that was sketched on the opposite side at the bottom of the hill.

From Mystery Foto #62 Solved: The Grand Central Parkway Bridge over the Motor Parkway in Queens

Too many possibilities for me to sort out but here’s a very uneducated guess.

I believe its the Queens bikeway which opened in 1938 but to me looks later based on the cars on the bridge and the bikes.  Since the bridge is going over the Parkway could it be the Grand Central Parkway?  I would say photographer is facing east.

Howard - finding posts is easier than your photos sometimes.

From Mystery Foto #62 Solved: The Grand Central Parkway Bridge over the Motor Parkway in Queens