Vanderbilt Cup Races

I remember visiting the museum in the summer of 1964, or thereabouts, with my parents. We were returning from a trip to Montauk Point. I believe there was at least one Fiat Abarth (Red) in front, which caught my eye as we drove by, unaware of the museum. I asked ny father to turn around and investigate.
I especially remember the Adams Farwell auto powered by a radial engine. Very powerful imagery, the museum was quite an addition to my life experience, and we came upon it by accident. What a pity that the museum no longer exists.

Bill P.

From More on the Long Island Automotive Museum

From Fred Puhn, National City, CA:
“The V8-RI that Phil Caded owned was #4501. It had been wrecked and rebodied in 1935. When I visited him about 15 years ago his original engine was present out of the car. I have no idea what happened to it.

The spare engine that George Weaver had was the one out of my car #4502. It last ran when Tommy Hinnershitz had it fail during practice for the 1946 Indy 500. The car with its bad engine was sold by owner Milt Marion to Andy Granatelli. Andy sold the engine to George Weaver and they put an Offy in the Maserati. I managed to buy my original engine back after the Weaver car was restored.”

From "Babe" Stapp: Driver of the Topping-Miller Special and Maserati V8Ri

From Dave Belden, Woodstock, CT:
“I believe that this particular V8-Ri is the one that was in the hands of Phil Cade of the Boston area from the fifties or earlier until maybe ten years ago. It ran with a Chrysler hemi engine during all of this time; I’m told that the original engine had gone to George Weaver as a spare for his V8-Ri. Cade primarily road raced the car though I was present at a dirt track drag race in R.I. in the early ‘50s when he showed up with the car. He was towing it with a Duesenberg or something similarly impressive that day and got quite a bit of attention among the pre-war Ford hot rods.

While in Cade’s hands the body of the car was always rough; the proverbial bag of walnuts. I was lucky enough to be at Monaco this year and the car is nice with straight panels and an original appearing engine.”

From "Babe" Stapp: Driver of the Topping-Miller Special and Maserati V8Ri

Hi
I bought the Scorpion from Lew Flink (not Fink).
Want to talk about it?
Dick

From The Dagradas and the 1960 Cornelius Vanderbilt Cup Race at Roosevelt Raceway

Hi Howard.

You should definitely call Donald Davidson, Howard. He’ll answer virtually any question you have about Stapp. Also, Stapp’s family lives in Indianapolis.

From "Babe" Stapp: Driver of the Topping-Miller Special and Maserati V8Ri

From Michael Lynch:

There were four Maserati V-8Ri (the “i” stands for independent suspension) made. All came to America. Topping’s car was serial # 4503. It had been brought to America for the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup by Frenchman Phillipe Etancelin who finished 9th in that race. Topping bought if from him after the race. Topping entered Stapp in the car at the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup where he qualified 11th and retired after 8 laps. They then went to Indianapolis where the qualified 31st and finished 31st. Car has a supercharged 90 degreeV-8 with 320 horsepower. Later spent time on dirt ovals in the Northwest. Now restored to the specification it ran in Europe (French blue paint), it appeared at this year’s Monte Carlo Historique with German collector Josef Otto Rettenmaier. I am not aware of any other Topping entries with the car.

The 1936 Stapp Vanderbilt entry is listed in different sources as a Shaw FWD chassis with an Offy or a Miller Special. I will forward a picture to you personally. Qualified 27th and retired. Race #21.

From "Babe" Stapp: Driver of the Topping-Miller Special and Maserati V8Ri

Fantastic site.  I too would like to acquire a poster for display in my automotive barn.

Please keep me in mind.

Thanx
Billy Garbarino

From The Official Poster for the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

From Kfyork: “Thank you for posting this!! “

From Film "Rosemeyer's Victory in the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race"

From John M:

“That’s it. My Grandmother’s family name was Tilley. There is a street by that name in Sea Cliff. However, her Mother was married twice, and I can not remember the stepfather’s last name.

Maude Tilley by all accounts was a bit of a rebel, somewhere there is a WWI era photo of her in an airplane, and evidently she did fly as a passenger. By the time she married my Grandfather, in the late 1920’s, she had evidently settled down, and that may have been her second marriage. Family age and times of death means there was very little opportunity to get much info from my Father or Grandparents re that side of my family.”

From Then & Now: "The Most Difficult Turn" on the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Course

Although you of course know that.

From "Black Beast" at the Wounded Warrior Project Car Show in Riverhead

Hemmings Classic Car will be running a six-page feature on Bete Noir in the not too distant future.

From "Black Beast" at the Wounded Warrior Project Car Show in Riverhead

Hi George:

It was a pleasure! Congratulations on a very successful inaugural car show for a wonderful cause.

Howard

From "Black Beast" at the Wounded Warrior Project Car Show in Riverhead

Howard,
I want to thank you again for not just bringing the Alco out to the WWP show at Martha Clara, but also for driving the car around the field for and with spectators. Your donations to the Wounded Warrior Project through the sale of your books and display of the “beast” really helped to make the show the success that it was.
Sincerely,
George

From "Black Beast" at the Wounded Warrior Project Car Show in Riverhead

From Richard Armstrong:

I thought I’d share these thoughts regarding the Nassau County Museum pictures. I’m 99.99% certain that these were taken on at least three different occasions.

Although some are race day or practice pictures, some of them appear to have been taken at the press launch, which I think only featured the local drivers as the Europeans hadn’t arrived. We worked this out during the HAMB thread.

At post #2037 there’s a picture of Joel Thorne, which prompted the discussion - this turned out to be from the press day, as the car number - and indeed the car - don’t match the race. Note the small number of people in the grandstand. See Michael’s and my comments in posts #2068, 2073 & 2075 regarding the Thorne car.

I’d now like to deal with the Topping Spl: the Museum pictures are actually from two different occasions! The one where Stapp is seen holding the flag is from the press day - if you examine the two pictures, you’ll notice that the car has no aero screen in that one and there are again very few people in the stand. In the other picture, Stapp is wearing different overalls, the car has acquired an aero screen and the decorative radiator cap has been replaced with a plain one. The details of this exactly match the car and driver as seen in the race day picture on page 27 of Smith Hempstone Oliver’s book.

On balance I think the Thorne-Miller picture was probably taken on the press day as well - it carries neither race number, nor a shield with the US flag, which it would have done on race day. The Gilmore Special action shot also shows no evidence of the shield, so I think this too is a press day picture.

Finally - that Bugatti! A Bugatti expert of my acquaintance is certain that this car is an ordinary T35, so it appears to be something brought along to fill out the spectacle on the press day - again no numbers or flags, but equally no road registration either. And despite my earlier certainty, the driver definitely isn’t Brian Lewis.

I do have a lead on the mystery “smart dressed man” in the garage, but can’t be certain on that at the moment. The mechanic standing beside
Nuvolari in the Alfa on the grid is Attilio Marinoni, but I’m not sure about the other two.

Best regards,

Richard

From 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race: Photos from the Nassau County Division of Museum Services

From Boatops:
“I just saw the ALCO-8 BLACK BEAST at Martha Clara Vineyards Wounded Warrior Car Show on Long Island. What a piece of history!!! “

From "Black Beast" at the Wounded Warrior Project Car Show in Riverhead

Hi Howard,

many thanks for your information re McElroy and the “Australia” sign from 1936.
It seems he was “a bit of a character”, to put it mildly, and perhaps in the same swash-buckling mould as another Aussie, Errol Flyn!

Congratulations on your Vanderbilt Cup site: it is truly exemplary.

Regards, Geoff “onelung” Chennells
Adelaide, South Australia.
__________________

From From the Drennan Collection: 1937 Roosevelt Raceway "Australia" Mystery Solved

Hi Al:

See images of these two bridges above.

Howard

From Rare 1930s Photos of Two Motor Parkway Bridge Accidents

I have a set of picture post card size vintage long island automotive museum picture cards set of #1-40 (missing card number 5,12,27). On the back are descriptions of different cars for each card. The front shows the picture of the cars.

From What was the Long Island Automotive Museum?

Looking forward to it! 😊

From 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race: Photos from the Nassau County Division of Museum Services

Richard:

I am impressed by your sharp eye. Photos have been corrected. Thanks!!

Howard

From From the Drennan Collection: The 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race Awards Ceremony