Vanderbilt Cup Races

Great to see such an initiative! Keep us posted with progress. Although distance precludes me from helping, I’ll remember you all this Saturday. Of course, Vanderbilt means a lot to the Dutch!

From "Clean Up the Old Bethpage Village Restoration Bridge" Day to be Held on Saturday, October 15, 2011

Thanks, Howard!
As usual, everyone enjoyed the sights and sounds of The Black Beast, and everyone seems to have enjoyed it.  Thanks, and come again, anytime.
Earl

From Highlights from the 2011 Bridgehampton Poker Rally

Great site

From New York Daily News Article: Documenting the Long Island Motor Parkway Bridges

So sad to hear about the museum.  Was just going through scrapbooks of my childhood vacations and found postcards that I had gotten on a visit to the museum in 1969.  Lived in Lynbrook at the time and some of the best times as a child were to places like the auto museum with my parents and brother.

From What was the Long Island Automotive Museum?

Good piece on Nuvolari.

I don’t know if it is true or not, but I’d heard that he drove a K-3 MG Magnette at the Isle of Man TT, and won.  When MG took the car back to the shop for rebuilding, the mechanics pulled the wheels and found that the brakes had never been used.

From Driver Profile:Tazio Nuvolari-"The greatest driver of the past, the present, and the future"

Howard, thank you very much for your support and membership in the L.I. Sound Region , Classic Car Club of America. This was the 2nd year for the show, and everyone in attendance from car owners to spectators had a great time. The staff at the Cradle of Aviation Museum are the best, and special thanks should go to Seamus Keane of the museum.
The L.I. Sound Region appreciates all the support of the car owners who attended, with so many events going on that same day.
Your Alco “Black Beast” was a great hit with the car owners as well as the spectators.

From Highlights from the 2011 Cradle of Aviation Classic Car Show

Hi Howard. I went to Historical Aerials to view this area, but the aerial map for this location only goes back to 1966. Maybe there’s a path left? Too hard to tell. I’ve been checking out Historic Map works (website). They have decent road maps of Long Island, etc.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series: #9 The Creedmoor Bridge in Queens Updated: 10/22/16

Hi Bob:

The credit for the clean-up post-Irene goes to LIPA.

Here is what the Mineola Lodge looked like in the 1930s.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/wednesday_december_11_2008_the_mineola_lodge_and_the_long_island_motor_park

Howard

From Then & Now: The Long Island Motor Parkway in East Williston

I am amazed at the work you guys did to clear it before and after IRENE.  I rode my bike from FOXCROFT RD (a cul de sac) just west of the LIRR trestle to Roslyn Rd. as a short cut to my uncle’s house in Mineola.  Also, I delivered mail to that toll house which is now a residence,and a secret.

From Then & Now: The Long Island Motor Parkway in East Williston

Hi Earl:

The Beast will be there!

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

Howard

From Walter McCarthy Collection: A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

HI, Howard,
Austin Clark’s museum building still stands in Southampton, although unoccupied for years since his death.  Next week Oct.1 is the Bridgehampton Historical Society Rally & show; hope you and the Beast can make it again.
Earl

From Walter McCarthy Collection: A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Howard - great pics.  I love to walk this area and often imagine what it must have felt like to go motoring there.  Glad I’m back on the e-mail list.

From Then & Now: The Long Island Motor Parkway in East Williston

From James L:

“Your Alco is an amazing car. I really like the one in the Nethercut collection as well. I have been around early cars since high school. My first auto job was at 15. I worked for George Wingard. I have started a program to teach young people about vintage automobiles and materials science. We have made some matching Alloys for a 1913 Turcat-Mery dash that had a number of holes that needed patching. Since the dash will be bare metal the chemistry had to be just right. Our current area of study is the great Harry Miller Leo Goosen and Fred Offenhauser.

Why now? we are loosing out first hand drivers spectators and builders. The greatest generation is in there late 70’s to 90’s. Our students are carefully selected and we will teach maners,materials and machines.

Our face book page is The Hub Society.
Our first trip with the group will be to Jay Leno’s show shop and to visit a number of L.A. locations that are related to Miller’s history.
I would love to study the Vanderbuilt events in the future. It is difficult to motivate the study without having the students loose interest.
Our ultimate goal will be to build a car for the students to operate. I would love to find a early Lozier like the one that Teddy Tetzlaff. With the Miller Carb. Finding a chassis might be a bit difficult but it is good to have goals. A side by side is the the design that we will build so that we can give rides to younger students.
Feel free to check out our page we would like to add history and add you as a admin.”

From Video "Looking Back: Driving the Black Beast"

From Roy W:

“Thanks so much for letting me enjoy my youth again with the articles on Queens. I grew up in Fresh Meadaows. When I got my first English racer in 1959, the first thing I did was to take it on the Parkway to the end; i.e., what’s shown in your Winchester photos today. The downhill grade was fantastic on the last stretch. What speed. But the road was rough.”

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series: #8 Alley Road Bridge (Winchester Boulevard) in Queens

From Jeff Mahl Great Grandson of George Schuster Sr.-Driver and Winner of the New York to Paris Race 1908:

“Just a quick note to tell you how much I enjoy the Vanderbilt Cup Race News!  I’m going to be at The Port Jefferson Education and Arts Conservancy with the presentation on the The Great Auto Race of 1908 Sunday October 9.  As you may already know, I have just finished World Race 2011, which commemorated the 1908 event finishing in Paris on July 21.

http://worldrace2011.posterous.com/

I look forward to seeing your part of the world….”

From Walter McCarthy Collection: A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

From Robert R:

“GREAT images of Austie, Howard.

Thanks for the memories of a lovely guy.”

From Walter McCarthy Collection: A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Hi Brian:

I believe you are correct.

Howard

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series: #8 Alley Road Bridge (Winchester Boulevard) in Queens

In the 1938 photo, I’m guessing the original limp is the path that veers to the right into Union Tpke in the top of the photo? And then follows Union Tpke west until it merges (so to speak) into the Limp?

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series: #8 Alley Road Bridge (Winchester Boulevard) in Queens

I grew up in Queens Village and remember the LIMP bridges well.  As little kids we used to call the Alley Pond bridge the “hooting and hollering bridge” because of its wonderful echo effect.  Later my dad took up jogging and made use of the existing LIMP roadway from Winchester Blvd. to Francis Lewis Blvd.

I recall that in some locations you could see the original roadbed and then a newer, smaller road surface that was paved over it at some point.

I don’t recall what bridge Dennis Kelly refers to, but do remember that there was an extensive bridle trail through the park which was still in use when I was a boy. I believe it even extended beyond the park along the LIE service road as far as Springfield Blvd. and maybe even Bell Blvd.  Much of it was obliterated when the LIE was widened in the 1960’s or 70’s

From New "Now" Images of Motor Parkway Bridges in Queens

Thanks for the memories.
Stopped by the museum a few years ago. Glad to see it’s operating.

From Highlights from Old Timer's Day at the Himes Museum of Motor Racing Nostalgia