Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hello Howard,

I want to thank you for giving my husband Carlo a ride in the Alco-6 Racer! It made me happy to see him happy, I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Maria Hansson

From Hear the Black Beast Roar on the Motor Parkway from Hauppauge to Lake Ronkokoma This Sunday

Hi Lou:

I believe the property is still owned by the Clark family. Due to zoning problems, the property has not been developed since it closed over 30 years ago.

Howard

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Lou K:

“Just viewed the then & now pictures and film about The L.I.Automotive Museum. I enjoyed the trip back but not the ‘now’ journey. Do you know what exactly happened that allowed such decay to occur? Did the proprietor pass away ? Who owns the land now?

I enjoy your letters every week.”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Thanks everyone for all the the LIAM comments and memories!

Millie, like most museums, it was difficult to turn a profit.

Howard

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Millie M:

“Hi Howard, Great Pix! Why was the museum closed? 
best regards,
mil”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

i recently purchased this 28 x 19 locomobile cardboard poster showing the winner of the oct 24 1908 vandebilt cup race.the color is great and condition is good for such an old piece.any help on this would be appreciated.i have the origional old frame and glass as well.in the image it reads frank presby co. and Zt Schultz

From Premium Vanderbilia Estimated Market Values

Howard-  Just a note to thank you for your always interesting blog.  It brightens my day.
            Harry C. Reynolds

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From East Gandel:

“Howard,
A lot of people remember Austin Clark, and I remember him well as a board member of BRRC, Bridgehampton Road Races Corp., who ran the street races 1949-53 and built the race circuit in 1954-5. My group, Bridgehampton Racing Group, leased the track from them in 1971 and ran it until 1984. They were our “landlords” and were happy to see someone else keeping it alive.

Austin had the biggest private automotive library (in his own home) I’ve ever seen. There are some of his cars in OwlsHead, Maine. Other BRRC members included BJ Corrigan, Alfred Momo, and Hewlett Treadwell. Thanks for the memories. And don’t forget our Rally October 1! There are some people out here who haven’t yet had a ride in The Beast.
Earl”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Hi Walter:

I do not know the cars that were owned by Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

I do have several of Clark’s Bugatti postcards which I will post sometime this month.
Enjoy,

Howard

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

Frank:

Link has been fixed. Thanks!

Howard

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Frank W:

“Thanks for posting more pictures of the old museum.  The one I really want to see is the one of the inside during the 1978 auction which I attended.  However, there’s a problem with the link and I can’t open it. 
Many thanks!

I can’t believe how overgrown the site has become.  I have always wondered why the family didn’t sell the land when real estate prices were up.”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

I grew up on the other side of Horace Harding Blvd. From what I remember, Hollis Hills Terrace became the name soon after the Clearview Expressway opened, which cut the road off. Before that, as far as I can remember from the 50s, it was Hollis Court Blvd. The beginning of the Q26 bus run was at the intersection of Hollis Court Blvd. and Francis Lewis Blvd.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series: #3 The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in Queens

Seeing you extraordinary now photos… I can’t help thinking, there for the grace of God… The same thing came so close to happening with the Seal Cove Auto Museum and Richard Paine’s collection. So many great museums and collectors from the past now gone. I think of this daily as I look at our Knox and Thomas Flyer from Henry Austin Clark, Jr’s collection, the American Victoria Underslung from Briggs Cunningham’s museum, the F.R.P. from Harrah’s and the Peugeot from James Melton’s Autorama. Do hope you can come for a visit.

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Thanks for sharing 1951 Bridgehampton race film, Howard. My new wife and I attended to cheer for Jim Stiles, who won his first ever event driving an MG TC in the novice race after passing Fritz Koster’s HRG during the final lap. Believe I saw a few glimpses of his car in this film, so will re-run a few more times.

Lost track of Jim and have been searching theIinternet for years…no luck so far.

Thanks again!

Rog
8-7-2011

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

Howard, I remember going to a great party and tour of the museum in the mid ‘60s when it was alive and well. We were racing at the Bridge and we were invited over. It was a spectacular museum.

Art

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

The writer claims that Clark owned a Bugatti Royale, but doesn’t say which one.  He could never have owned 41100, 41121, 41131, 41141, or 41150.  The only possibility then is 41111, unless 41150 was briefly with him between Peck and Nethercutt. Did he ever really own either one, or is that just local lore combined with wishful thinking?  Does anyone out there know for sure?

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

Hi Don:

I have 4 Ford Town Car postcards (1 Model T and 3 Model As). Here’s the link: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/long_island_automotive_museum_postcards_ford_town_cars

The postcards have the photo on the front and information on the back. I woul estimate the value around $1 per postcard.

Howard

From Postcards from the Long Island Automotive Museum (#1-6)

In the event that Austin Clark did own Bugatti 54213, then it went from him to Mr. Luddington.  I admit to being unsure about its ownership at the time.

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

Certainly the most extraordinary car ever to have been associated with the Long Island Automobile Museum was Bugatti ch. no. 54213.  Originally a factory T.59 GP car in blue, it was later painted a striking two-tone coffee and cream. Returned to blue by English enthusiast Rodney Clarke, with full road equipment, including Atlantic-style riveted pontoon fenders, it became an iconic Bugatti, then and only then when the road equipment was added. It was photographed countless times, served as the subject for the most expensiive 1/2 scale model and was very widely known. The Long Island Autommobile Museum published a postcard of 54231 that looks like it might have been taken on or near the grounds of the Museum.  It was probably owned at the time by F. H. Luddington, who lived in the NY Metropolitan area. It went from Mr Luddington to Hans Holterbosch, also a New Yorker, who wisely kept it in its unique configuration.  A few years ago it was sold to someone in England or France who, in a misguided act of vandalism, had all the road equipment removed, thereby destroying what many considered one of the most superb of all Bugattis.

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

I’m the owner of the 2 breese Paris autos. & that is without dout the BLM. It was planed to go into production with a number of different bodies Built in NJ with FRench engines. The 1906 recession put an end to production. also there were 2 James Breeses:  the father & son.  There were 4 males in the family; James Breese the father, Sidney Breese oldest son (designer of the engine for the Spirt of St Louis), James Breese (chief engineer of the NC4 first aircraft to fly across the atlantic around 1919) & Robert Breese (the designer & builder of the Breese Paris).

From A Mystery Photo from the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race: The B.L.M. Racer