Vanderbilt Cup Races

I was actually hanging out in what’s left of that on/off ramp yesterday.  A friend of mine brought a shovel and un-earthed some pavement.  Most of it is still there and under topsoil.

Here’s a pic with Temple Chai Center in the background.

From CSI Report: Anatomy of a Rare Motor Parkway Dix Hills Photo

That looks like a 1912 ALCO Convertible Touring. Not sure, but I think a certain Long Island collector owns a 1909 ALCO Racer that won the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cups. The driver in the photo is Dick Hovey.

From Mystery Friday Foto #7 Solved: A 1912 Alco Convertible Touring Car driven by Dick Hovey

That Jenny bi plane was and may still be at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Mitchell Field, it has been a while since I have gone there. It was restored by the L.I. Early Fliers Club members in the basement of the house of George Dade in Glen Head . Many of the people who worked on it were former employees of Grumman and Republic aviation out in Bethpage.
At the same museum is a great FULTON truck made in Farmingdale that Al Velocci bought the remains of and restored!

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

I’d have liked to see that hanging!

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Why would the pile of dirt blocking passage underneath the trestle in the 1955 photo have been removed by the 1964 photo?  It wasn’t there in 1971 either.

From Mystery Friday Foto #5 Solved: A 1930's view of the Motor Parkway area around Merrick Avenue in Westbury and East Meadow

Brewster Aircraft I do not know, the Brewster plant in Long Island City at the east end of the 59th St Bridge had assorted use over the years immediately after the car operations there ceased. I am an automotive historian not an aviation historian but for some years belonged to the L.I. Early Fliers Club about 45 years ago when we hung the Lindberg Curtiss Jenny bi plane from the rafters at Roosevelt Field mall at the north east corner at 2 am for a display. all of that taking place when it was about 20 degrees out with a stiff wind and we had to unload the disassembled plane and carry it into the building.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

I’d enjoy such a program.  Question - Brewster Aircraft - what was it’s connection to the coach builders?  My father worked for BA for the early part of WW2 - mid 1941 for a couple years until he chose to give up his deferment and enlist (he was an aeronautical engineer).  He spent the rest of the war at a mysterious place in Oak Ridge.  All kidding aside, he never told us what he worked on there.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Lee, The Meadow Brook Club didn’t offer membership to Mitchel Field officers during the war but did allow them to play for free. I think that came about because “Captain”  Bobby Jones, the famed amateur golfer, reported to Mitchel Field for duty at the time. Enlisted personnel at Mitchel Field were also allowed at the club…but only if they volunteered as caddies.

From Mystery Friday Foto #5 Solved: A 1930's view of the Motor Parkway area around Merrick Avenue in Westbury and East Meadow

Frank, Are photos of bridges #2 & #3 taken by Dick Makse the same bridge ?  On the right side of the photos note the difference in the top most embankment stones against the bridge. Also, in photo #3 the top of embankment wall is at the same height as the top of the bridge, doesn’t appear that way in photo #2.

From Mystery Friday Foto #5 Solved: A 1930's view of the Motor Parkway area around Merrick Avenue in Westbury and East Meadow

I happened to be passing the CRR bridge yesterday and it is still clearly visible from the Meadowbrook Parkway. When heading north, either on the main road, or the feeder lane starting just past 24 (closer), or entering the parkway north from Stewart Ave (closest) you can plainly see the bridge since the vegetation dies off in winter. Tried to get a pic but at 60 MPH you get one chance…

From Mystery Friday Foto #5 Solved: A 1930's view of the Motor Parkway area around Merrick Avenue in Westbury and East Meadow

Maybe when our world is back to normal and we are able to once again have the great meetings of the L.I. Motor Parkway Society at the library, I should put together a program on coach building ? I would be happy to.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Al, yes the Great Depression took a while to sink in before businesses of all types started to disappear. A new Plymouth in 1931 was $635 just the body from Derham in Pa. for a 2 door victoria was $3,500 !! That 3.500 would have paid for a very nice new house, a full course meal was $1 to $2 maybe.
Most car businesses didn’t feel the affect or the coach builders as well until a few years in, all thought recovery was on the way. by the end of 1931 the gloom of reality had set in . Pierce Arrow was gone by 1938, Franklin by 1934, Hupmobile, Graham , Auburn, Cord etc. so the coach builders some of who had been around since carriage building days disappeared too. Brewster Co.in long island city was auctioned in 1937. Derham survived because they took on a Chrysler franchise and sold those while still having people order a custom body - many of the bodies were modified factory sedans. Still custom but a lot less $ then a totally scratch built frame up car. General Motors survived because they sold a lot of Chevrolets! not Cadillacs; Ford survived because they sold Fords, not Lincolns.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Walt, Thanks for your detailed and very informative post on how the industry operated. Was the Great Depression the primary reason for the downfall of the coach builder era ?

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Right, our 733 had the ‘standard’ 8, the 243, what later became the Super 8.  Most people today have no idea of what the Super 8 motel chain is named and logoed from.  I can say that the sound of that large engine, built 1926, is sweet!  And while the car is a handful to drive, I do enjoy it, though health problems the last several years have gotten in the way.  Hopefully this summer that will change.

In regards to ‘coach’ makers, I have an affinity towards Brewster.  My dad had 2 Springfield RR’s, 1928 with limo body.  I remember how amazingly comfortable the main seat in the back was.  Also remember how nice it was running that engine.  The other was a 29, this one aluminum head engine, Riviera Town Car.  Beautiful car but some previous owner had run it into the ground.  Supposedly once owned by the founder of Time.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Hey Al
Most automobile manufacturers from day one pre 1900 had a sales catalog that showed body styles they had on offer - these determined by what was currently popular but not all car manufacturers ( of chassis engine etc) had their own body dept to make the bodies for the cars. Often groups of bodies were contracted out to reputable body companies who supplied the bodies ” in the white” - that meant the bodies were totally finished except for paint , the “in the white” referred to the gray primer paint on the body, bodies then delivered by rail to the car companies and painted at the factory. This was mostly for “independent” car companies like Packard, Pierce Arrow, Franklin etc. Ford had its own dept to do this and Chrysler eventually bought the Budd Body Co. who had been supplying a lot of their normal sedans, coupes etc. There were usually a run of coach built bodies - maybe made 5 to 10 at a time - LeBaron touring cars/phaetons, Brunn convertible victorias, Murphy roadsters etc. To make one individual body on special order would cost more then a new house in a good neighborhood in the pre WWII era.  Coach builders would do a “one of” but made more $ on a run of a half dozen particular style bodies at one time. As they could cut all the wood, shape the alloy panels, order the window mechanisms, cast the windshield frames in group lots.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Walt, Early on, did the automobile manufacturer also offer a body of their of own, or was that a separate industry and the dealer would offer several choices to purchasers.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Yes, that is my car. I bought it in 2016. The car was restored in the early 1970s took and AACA 1st place award and then resided in two collections in heated storage and not used ! as it was to “perfect” - I do not like awards and think cars are best viewed when in motion. the 1931 Franklin I had for decades I drove nearly 50,000 miles ( day and night, sun and rain , but not snow)  The standard eight engine is a bit smaller then the super eight engine but the terms standard and super didn’t come into use for a few years; are mostly used by car collectors. Many of the body panels on the standard 8 and super 8 are the same, wheelbase was different as well, wheels,hardware, etc all the same.  There is an excellent upholsterer in Ridgefield, Ct. who could make you the side curtains I have seen his shop and his work and he is the one I would go to if I need any. Hope you have the irons to fit in the doors to accept the side curtains - quite a chore to get them on and off the car.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Thanks.  Assuming that the last photo is of your 733 (my dad had a 733 coupe with rumble seat, the smaller 8), you’ve got a very nice car!  As to mine, have the side curtains (or what’s left of them) on a shelf.  Hope to have the spare cash to have them redone eventually.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

Note the 7 passenger Packard touring cars all had the oval loop style door handles on the outside. This was a hold over from the days of horse drawn carriages. Some town cars had the loop door handles as well. The readers here are getting a lesson on pre WWII era coach builders/body styles nomenclature.
Sorry to run on but my specialty as an author is about coach builders and car bodies.
I am in the middle of writing about the history of the Utica, N.Y. coach builder Willoughby and Co. for Crankshaft magazine issue #4. I have the Willoughby company photo albums in my archives.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970

A phaeton is usually 5 passenger , some with an extra cowl across the back doors that is hinged to the rear of the front seat. A toru9ng car was the name for all open 4 door cars with side curtains until the phaeton name got popular about 1928, then the touring was pretty much regulated to the 7 passenger open body style. My Packard is a 733 7 passenger touring car.

From Mystery Friday Foto #6 Solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr. visiting Lynhurst in Tarrytown in his 1912 Simplex Toy Tonneau in1970