Vanderbilt Cup Races

In foto number 1, the #12 car is a Mercedes driven by Ralph DePalma in the process of winning the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race on Thursday, February 26, 1914 in Santa Monica, CA. The car on the right is a Mercer, driven by Barney Oldfield, who finished second behind DePalma.

From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: Ralph DePalma in the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the 1908 American Grand Prize

Bonus mystery photo #2:  My only guess for this picture is that if this is Ralph Depalma, it’s when he was part of the Fiat team for the “American Grand Prize Race” in Savannah Georgia held on November 26th, 1908.  He finished 9th.

From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: Ralph DePalma in the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the 1908 American Grand Prize

This is Ralph DePalma driving a Mercedes in the Vanderbilt Cup Race in Santa Monica California on February 26, 1914.  Ralph finished first in the race.  The location here specifically looks like the infamous “death curve”.  The car on the right is a Mercer driven by Barney Oldfield.

From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: Ralph DePalma in the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the 1908 American Grand Prize

Howard. Thanks for having us to the Waterfront. As always, a great presentation of rare automobiles. I appreciate your gracious hospitality.

From The Jaguar Drivers Club of Long Island Visits the Waterfront at Roslyn

Hi Howard Thank you very much for the hospitality you showed to the Jaguar Drivers Club of Long Island.  Our visit to your collection plus the Roslyn Grist Mill was very interesting and enjoyable.  A great time was had by all.

From Upcoming automotive events on Long Island

Congratulations to Jim Donnelly for this outstanding accomplishment. Also to Crankshaft magazine for having this in their FIRST ISSUE! and to my good friend Publisher /Editor Richard Lentinello.
Issue #6 of Crankshaft is out and delivered to long island as of this past week. It is a quarterly magazine of 144 pages for those of you who have not seen a copy yet.

From Greg O's Garage; Jim Donnelly Wins Prestigious Purdy Award for his Crankshaft Tucker 1044 Article

Me, Howard’s goupie, at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegant, back in 2015. Will there today in Kings Point.

From Upcoming automotive events on Long Island

Count me in Greg and I’m sure Steve Lucas will join us too. Looking forward to it!

From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 2)

Art- We’ll speak when it gets closer and I’ll formally organize something on the site.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 2)

The story of père Gavois and his Panhard is of course an incredible one, certainly taking into account the distance which had been travelled with it. Most cars of that era probably did not even come close to this distance, but at least one other car of almost equal age made a serious attempt. In 1895 a Mr. Koosen from England bought a German Lutzmann, another make with a Benz-like appearance, and in 1905, still having this car, he stated in an article in The Car Illustrated that he had travelled at least 100,000 Miles with it and that it was ‘still in going order’!

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

Thank you, Greg, for a Great story! Wish autos today could be bought with the knowledge they’d drive 150,000, plus. My Dad’s Buick Regals’ odometers clocked over 200,000 with early and regular oil changes he did (as I’m sure Father Gavois did) while he was commuting a lot of miles as a schoolteacher, and when retired and traveling New York to Florida—

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

Car: Locomobile       Driver: George Robertson     City:  Bridgeport, CT
Date:  November 9, 1908 celebration of the team winning the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
A banquest was held at the Stratfield Hotel.

From Mystery Friday Foto #19 Solved; Old 16 Locomobile celebrating the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race victory in Bridgeport

Great story Greg! It’s incredible that the car traveled 150,000 miles even with the best of care.

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

Ariejan-
I have no reason to doubt you as you have proven to be correct countless times. The book, online info, and the hand-written captions on the back of the original photos all call the car a Benz. If all of it came from Bradley himself, I would assume he’s the source of the misinformation.

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

P.S. Where I write “What is missing on the steering wheel, is not clear.”, I of course intended to say “What is missing on top of the steering column, ...”

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

Howard
  I met Mr. Frederick at a Military vehicles show back in 1983 where I had my second owner 1945 Willys Jeep on display.  Mr. Frederick said he had the original tools for the Jeep still in the factory box and would I like to purchase them for my Jeep.  After a few weeks he called me and invited me to his home in Salisbury, CT to see the tools.  He was right, still in the original box, still greased up from WWII, an amazing find.  He had a surplus jeep after WWII.  He was a P-47 fighter pilot during the war, and used the jeep to drive back and forth to college, but never used the tools.    While we were there in his garage looking at the tools I asked him what was under the covers. He said let me show you. It was a very low mileage Red MGTF he purchased new.  Last I heard about him was in the early 2000’s , he was still flying and was in an aircraft crash in CT. He was injured, but not killed.  So I am afraid he has gone West (passed away) like so many from the WWII generation.  He was a very intelligent and interesting man.  If he was still alive he would not have sold his beloved MGTF. 

Bob Adams

From Update Mystery Friday Foto #24: The 1955 MG TF-1500 #9052's owner in 2000.

Although the other vehicle in the hands of père Gavois looks like a Benz, it is not: it is a Rochet & Schneider of 1898 or 1899. The early cars of this make had indeed similarities in engine position and transmission, but from the picture it is clear that it cannot be a Benz: different frame, different steering and hand lever columns a.o. Most of the père Gavois pictures are available through the Gallica-BnF site and another picture of the Rochet & Schneider can be found showing the rear side. Comparing with the 1898 Rochet & Schneider from the famous Malartre Museum in Rochetaillée (France), it all falls into place. What is missing on the steering wheel, is not clear. The Malartre car has just a handle, whereas most earlier Rochet & Schneider cars had some kind of a bicycle handlebar. At some point, probably from 1899 a steering wheel can be found on these models too, put it is possible that these sometimes were just a retrofit to modernize the vehicle.

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

Great story! I loved reading about this bit of auto motive history.

From Greg O's Garage: From the Peter Helck Collection- The Priest and "The Oldest of Them All"- An 1891 Panhard & Levassor

Rest in peace, Steve.  Your legacy lives on with all who knew you (and those like me that didn’t know you personally but enjoyed your column or other endeavors).  I’m always amazed at the stories and accomplishments behind a person’s name.

From Update: Sad News: Steve Linden, collectible car expert, Classic Car Doctor columnist, dies at 65

Good idea, Greg - My next trip up will probably be sometime in August but feel free to put together an exploration day ahead of that.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 2)