Vanderbilt Cup Races

Ernie - You recall the roadway being lower than the surrounding ground. A past mystery foto/blog of Levittown speaks of flooding from the LIMP ROW towards the newly built homes in the 1950’s ( so good drainage system road wise ). The ROW was eventually filled on both sides of the roadway to stop the flooding.

From Kleiner's Korner: What Became of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand?

Mystery Foto# 34… Automobile is a 1900 Daimler Phoenix called the “White Ghost” by owner Willie K. One of the cars records was that it cut in half the speed record for driving from Newport to Boston. The driver shown here was William K Vanderbilt II. Photo taken in 1900. Can’t figure out where the pic was shot.

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: Willie K in his 1900 Daimler White Ghost at the Brookholt Estate in East Meadow

Those large gas tanks were normally set up for cars that were for road racing or 24 hour racing. Most vintage racers use fuel cells now [ much safer

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

An additional article regarding the improvements made to the ROW of the Motor Parkway between Carmen Avenue and Newbridge Road.  Prior to this barricades shut the ROW for two decades.  (NY Daily News Sept. 18, 1955)

From Kleiner's Korner: Removal of the (Old) Westbury Road Motor Parkway Bridge in East Meadow

Thanks for the comments regarding this post.  The Levittown area holds special interest to me as I lived 38 years very close to where the Motor Parkway was.  I’m even wearing my “Love It Long Island” t-shirt now, which a former employer used to promote Long Island.  Regardless of where I am I’ll never lose the connection to where I’m from. 

Dave - I have a whole file on the issues surrounding why the area was never developed until recently.  But to make a long story short:
1.  I’m not sure why Levitt did not purchase the land, but I’m sure someone out there knows. 
2.  There’s been reports of a sweet-heart deal made between Nassau County and a proposed developer in the 1970s that transferred ownership into private hands.
3.  After the developer and others who eventually bought the property proposed development, they found out that zoning requirements prohibited them from moving ahead with their plans.
4.  These zoning requirements were enacted at the time of Levittown’s formation and were in effect for 25 years.  Following their expiration in 1975 Levittown residents proposed to the Town of Hempstead that they be incorporated into what is now called the “Levittown Planned Residential District”, zoning requirements specifically for Levittown aimed at keeping the local character of the area.  Some of these requirements were stricter than those of the Town but are part of the Town Buillding Code and were very hard for developers to meet as numerous court challenges have shown.
5.  As times changed,however and the need for further housing on Long Island increased (as well as more tax revenue needed) the Town has okayed the development of the Levittown Motor Parkway site. 

Hope this helps.

From Kleiner's Korner: What Became of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand?

1900 23 h.p. Daimler Phoenix, Newport racing. 
Willie K. driving the “White Ghost” in 1901
Photo taken at Brookholt in Hempstead, Long Island.

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: Willie K in his 1900 Daimler White Ghost at the Brookholt Estate in East Meadow

Dave - I’m not from Levittown but likely a provision was in place for many years to prevent future building on the LIMP RoW (LILCO did not obtain this particular stretch, nor Levitt could build on it during his massive project in the ‘40s). Jasco and others somehow managed to overcome the restriction and history was then lost forever, against local resident’s petitions.

From Kleiner's Korner: What Became of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand?

Great post Art. You’re doing an amazing job in LIMP research in your retirement! You missed your calling. You could have been a private investigator.

I guess in 1912 nobody questioned the historical aspect of things - it was just as simple as hey rip this down and give me some money. This could have been such an amazing historical location. Remaining bridges are now preserved as landmarks and that is fantastic, but imagine if the GRANSTAND remnants were still there?

Not sure if this video from 2016 will load, but this is the exact location of the grandstand and as you can see, nothing remains.

The video did not load - too big, but it was posted on our 2016 Vanderbilt Day story if anyone wants to go back and see that. I replaced the video with Pic #1 which is the construction of the houses in 2015 at the grandstand site

Pic #2 is one of the posts that remained - in 2016 - not sure if it’s still there.

Pic #3 is a sign, Nassau Cty is very good at this - they tear everything down and remove history, but stick a sign there telling everyone that something historical WAS here, but not here anymore. This sign had weeds all over it a few years ago, Sam and I cleaned it all off - a neighbor there asked us what we were doing, we told him the history that he didn’t know even though he lived right on top of it.

It’s funny how for over 100 years they didn’t build houses at this location. Does anyone know WHY that would be? Levittown is a build to the brim, but for some reason this spot didn’t get houses built on it until 2015 or so? Were they ever considering preserving / doing anything here?

From Kleiner's Korner: What Became of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand?

Willie K exiting his mansion driveway on a cold winter’s day, with dirt road still in front of him at his property; the same reason for his goal for road improvements throughout Long Island at the time.

The four-seater is likely a Mercedes. Nothing else compared in quality at the time. That’s why he preferred them.

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: Willie K in his 1900 Daimler White Ghost at the Brookholt Estate in East Meadow

Ernie, great vivid and detailed descriptions of the Motor parkway ca. ‘67. Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s likely the grandstand’s removal 60 years prior was overtaken by mother nature’s growth, leaving no sign of existence. P.S. - I’m guessing your Schwinn Stingray was a single-speed; those bikes are in high demand today along with the 3 and 5-speeds!

Top: An approximate location of the grandstand and environs vs today’s developments.
Bottom: A Sept 2011 view before the new houses were built.

From Kleiner's Korner: What Became of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand?

Perhaps this 1962 style tachometer was fitted with the racer.

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

36 gallons of fuel! Never heard such capacity except on semi trucks. I’m imagining drum brakes all around will remain to keep the racer original. Haven’t seen a Sun tachometer since childhood; hoping this racer’s tach brings back memories. Restoration progress is looking great!

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

Our 1963 Studebaker Hawk also has the ignition in the left corner of the dash I remember quite a few cars had left side switches

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

Interesting good photos of the grandstand and pit stops It was a very large setup.

From Kleiner's Korner: What Became of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand?

On 1969-70 Galaxies, the RADIO controls were on the left side. “I’m the driver, I get to choose what’s on the radio!”

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

Interesting, I had never heard the story about why Fords had their ignition switches on the left side. I was always intrigued by it. I know that on the full-size Fords, the ignition switch moved back to the right side with the 1964 models.

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

I added a link from automobilemileposts.com concerning classic car ignition switch locations. https://automotivemileposts.com/autobrevity/ignitionkey.html

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

intriguing about the ignition switch, so I tried looking it up.

all i found was about the same as you remember, at https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1008351-ignition-switch-is-on-the-left-why.html ... scroll down to item #30, posted by fordtoyz on 12/7/2010:

“... An oft repeated story around Ford enthusiasts back in the year was that Henry Ford IIs young child or grandchild had reached over from the passenger side and started the parked vehicle… Mr. Ford then mandated that all Ford vehicles have the switch to the left of the column…”

Sorry couldn’t find anything more, but at least someone else remembers the same thing!

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

Reply to Robert B. Allen:  I’ll be 73 in a couple of weeks. Of course you remember correctly. Cars were death traps, although no one thought of them that way.

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III

The ignition for my 62 T bird was on the left! Loved that placement.

From A first look inside and under the 1962 Holman Moody Challenger III