Vanderbilt Cup Races

The car is The Phantom Corsair built in 1938.
Rust Heinz of the H.J. Heinz family (the “57” Variety fortune) designed it.
Only one Phantom Corsair was built.
Herb Shriner owned the car (comedian, TV host).  Here’s two clips to see Herb perform. The last one from the Chrysler Festival shows there’s another connection to the Black Beast (Black Beast’s current owner also owns a Chrysler collectible, The Phantom’s owner performed at a show sponsored by Chrysler).

Herb Shriner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK63gdM-TBI
1957 Chrysler Festival
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG3vF-5bUw4
Movie was The Young In Heart and featured the car as The Flying Wombat.  See this great clip to see the car in full force. The Flying Wombat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpUHvXIXFQY
Bill Harrow owned the Phantom Corsair and the Black Beast.

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

It’s too bad the hill climb photo wasn’t a little bit of a wider shot. At that moment in 1901, Mackay’s amazing Harbor Hill estate was in the middle of being built (1899-1902) and we might have gotten a glimpse of the construction.

Either way, it’s still a great shot of Northern Blvd at the top of the hill east of where the viaduct is now, taken with the photographer’s back to the railroad crossing (today, the tracks cross via a bridge over N. Blvd-Brian, you were correct with your guess) Rallye Acura/Benz now sits just at the second bend on the left. Just for the hell of it, I measured the distance on Google Earth, and sure enough, the hill is just over 2800 feet long!

From Updated: Long Island's First Major Automobile Competition: The 1901 100-Mile Endurance Test

I’m not an auto buff by any means, but with some Internet searching; I’ll give this a shot. This is the 1938 Phantom Corsair. Rust Heinz conceived this cars design, and had the Bohman&Schwartz; Coach Building company develop it. Mr. Heinz wanted this car in a limited production, but his untimely death in a 1939 car accident put a halt to this. So, only 1 car was produced. This car was featured as the “Flying Wombat” in the 1938 film The Young at Heart. TV personality Herb Shriner owned this car between 1951 and 1970.The Alco Black Beast (current owner, Mr. Kroplick), was once in the William F Harrah collection; which is where the Phantom Corair currently resides.

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

Thanks, Howard. The Hill Climb photo reminded me of the area of Northern Blvd near the Roslyn Cemetary and the Museum of Art. But then I’m thinking of Old Northern Blvd, which also has the hill and curves. I’m not a big car buff, but the current mystery photo has piqued my interest.

From Updated: Long Island's First Major Automobile Competition: The 1901 100-Mile Endurance Test

Brian, according to the course map, it appears to be Northern Boulevard (North Hempstead Turnpike) east of the village of Roslyn.

Howard

From Updated: Long Island's First Major Automobile Competition: The 1901 100-Mile Endurance Test

Is Roslyn Hill located on what is now Old Northern Blvd, Howard?

From Updated: Long Island's First Major Automobile Competition: The 1901 100-Mile Endurance Test

Although not entirely ‘my cup of tea’, I decided to give it a try as a start of my holiday. This is the result:
It is the Phantom Corsair built in 1938 on a Cord 810 basis with coachwork by Bohman & Schwartz of Pasadena. The idea was from Rust Heinz, son of Heinz sr. (the ketchup man), and the realization after a design by Maurice Schwartz was funded by an aunt in Pasadena. The car featured in the movie ‘The Young in Heart’, after which it was nicknamed the ‘Flying Wombat’ (never heard of it, but a wombat appears to be some kind of rodent from New Holland, which by the way sounds more familiar to me!). So in a way it was a kind of bat-car after all. As Rust Heinz died in 1939, the plans for a limited production never became reality and this car remained the only one built.  The car was a.o. owned by TV-star Herb Shriner (unknown in Holland) and was part of the (also here) famous Harrah’s automobile collection, to which once the Black Beast belonged too.

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

With utility poles on both sides I would think this to be Carmen ave next to the park?

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: Salisbury Park Drive in East Meadow/Salisbury in the 1940s and Much More

Hey man,you really got me going on this one. I have an answer. The mystery car is a Ford Seattle-Ite,don’t know what year yet and it was shown at the World Fair in 1960,not done yet,be back,more research to do

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

Vaguely remembered seeing the car somewhere, and definitely had to look up most of the answers! Still just as much fun researching the ones I don’t know!

-Identify the car and the year it was built.

1938 Phantom Corsair

-Who funded the development of the car? Hint: His family is better known in the food industry.

Rust Heinz, son of HJ. Heinz of “57 Varieties” fame

-How many were built?

Heinz died in a car accident in July 1939, leaving the prototype Corsair as the only one ever built.

-Which famous television personality once owned the car? Hint: It was not Jay leno.

Herb Shriner, who owned it from 1951-1970

-Which movie featured this car? Hint: It was not Batman.

Featured as the “Flying Wombat” in the David O. Selznick film The Young in Heart (1938), starring Janet Gaynor, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Paulette Goddard, and Billie Burke

-Which owner of this car also once owned the Alco “Black Beast”? I told you it was a stretch.

William F. Harrah

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

This is the real stuff! Of course I had to check and can give the following additional information, partly based on a report in The Automobile Magazine of 1901 (see the Internet Archive of the American Libraries, http://www.archive.org).
Only 14 cars left at the start, of which 10 reached the finish. Of these 2 Gasmobiles were disqualified because of exceeding the speed limit, including the one with no.18! Winner was an identical 9hp Gasmobile with no.22. On the other photographs of the actual run we see: with no.8 a De Dion-Bouton Motorette (only one of 5 reached the finish) behind probably a Packard 1901 model C (from the Ohio Automobile Co.);  the Locomobile steamer (overall winner of the hill climb) on 2 photos; the Haynes-Apperson (presumably) during the hill climb; and finally a De Dion Motorette, also during the hill climb. The EVC sent one of its first gasoline Columbia cars (picture on their site: http://www.kcstudio.com).
In the Official Handbook, which probably shows the cars of the organisers, we can see a Winton (p.19 en p.25), but the other cars need some investigation. However this will be difficult because of the low res of the pictures.

Anyway, Howard, thank you for this item! Liked it very much.

From Updated: Long Island's First Major Automobile Competition: The 1901 100-Mile Endurance Test

Out of all the films just two are’nt quite the same,Deadman Curve Bethpage and Orchid Rd.&Crocus; Ln. Levittown. Hay Frank Tedesco your in the same boat as I am,I’m in Plainview and am pretty new at this too,so don’t feel bad that you don’t know much about all of this,I started out the same way as you are,just keep up with the website and you’ll catch on and learn alot

From Then & Now: Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses

Merci pour l’information Jean-Yves!
So it was neither the linkage nor a tire! Instead, it was driver error for getting too close to road obstacles! Surprising for a driver that ‘Much Was Expected’!

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

Hi Greg,

The September 20, 1906 of The New York Times issue quote:

(about the accident)
“As Mr. Roberston explained later in the hospital, the hub of the left front wheel struck a small oak tree, switching the car around instantly to the left. It turned partly over, throwing the men out. The car’s momentum carried it along at a fast pace, even while turning over, and while on its side it struck the telegraph pole between the dashboard and the seats.”

(about the men)
“Roberston has his right collar bone broken and his right hip was badly bruised. Warren had both wrists broken and suffered from concussion of the brain. He was also cut about the face. Both men were thrown from thirty to forty feet. When found by Lee Frayer, [...], Robertson was unconscious, while Warren was moaming with pain. The injured men were removed to the Nassau County Hospital in Mineola.”

About the missing rim? No idea…
Best,
Jean-Yves

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

Really enjoyed it. Like seeing ghosts of another time. It would be interesting to see ore transitional photos through the years to get a better “connection” to that period.

From Then & Now: Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses

Howard,
Question about the photo(s) and the possible causes for the accident;
I noticed that the Pickering photos must have been photographed later after the accident since the car has been removed from the pole. In those photos, while the car is on the ground, it appears that the engine covers, seats and RIGHT rear tire are missing from the vehicle. In the photo taken earlier of the car, while it was still wrapped around the pole, all those parts are still present on the vehicle. The intact rear tires are interesting to note since, to quote the 2009 blog entry;
“The owners and designers of his car, Edgar and Elmer Apperson, theorized that a left rear tire blew before they struck a large tree” 
It’s possible the missing seat and covers may have been needed to be removed to get it off the pole, but the tire still seems a little puzzling.
Any other speculations on the missing parts and tire?  Could it be an indication of a loss of steering linkage as Ariejan suggested in his post?

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

After looking at the pictures I remembered seeing them but just didn’t know where it all took place. I just didn’t know where to look and where I did look wasn’t the right place. I took a crack at it anyway,like you said,better luck next week

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

From Jean-Yves Lassaux:

Hi Howard,

Here is my answer with three pictures.

  -What was the year of the accident?
1906

-Which car and driver was involved?
George Robertson in Apperson 80hp. His mechanic was Arthur Warren, son of Louis H. Warren the man who taught future champion David L. Bruce-Brown how to drive.

Both man were seriously injured but later recovered.

-When and where did the accident occur?
September 19, 1906 during practice for the elimination trial, on Westbury Road after the Hairpin Turn of Old Westbury.

-What was the impact of the accident on that year’s Vanderbilt Cup Race?
This accident, the death of a spectator during the race (Kurt L. Gruner hit by Elliott F. Shepard Jr.‘s Hotchkiss on lap 6) and the bad press that follows, generate the creation of the Automobile Highway Association later become the Long Island Motor Parkway Incorporation, with the project of building the first American road especially for automobile. Problems with estate private owners delayed the construction and the 1907 race was cancelled.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

I had figured this wreck was possibly during the1906 races/trials since they were the most deadly. I was ready to give up after looking all weekend, hence my last minute posting, then lo and behold!! I found your Sept 17 2009 blog entry on the wreck…

“On the morning of Wednesday, September 19, 1906, George Robertson destroyed the [#10]Apperson, injuring himself and riding mechanic Arthur Warren. The accident occurred on Old Westbury Road in Roslyn about one mile from the East Broadway store of William Pickering. Eyewitnesses estimated his speed at 60 miles per hour. The owners and designers of his car, Edgar and Elmer Apperson, theorized that a left rear tire blew before they struck a large tree. That impact hurled the machine into a telegraph pole broadside.The force of the accident was so great the car was wound around the pole like a piece of wire, its radiator touching its rear axle. Aside from the motor, the car was a total loss.”

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/friday_september_18_2009_an_amazing_discovery_from_the_pickering_collection

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

1906
Apperson driven by George Robertson
Sept. 19, 1906 - Pracaticing for the American Elimination Trials
Old Westbury Road, Roslyn
Robertson couldn’t compete in the 1906 race, having to wait until 1908 to win.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial