Vanderbilt Cup Races

Model T race cars like this did run at Indy in 1924. Al Moss, father of Sterling drove one. They were in a class known as big cars, not midgets. In a way they were the beginning of the ‘kit’ car industry. Many were built as speedsters and never raced. There is an interesting web-site N.W. Vintage Speedsters that has lots of photos and a link to the Smith’s Speedway Museum in Lincoln NE.  Many people involved in the engineering of these cars go back to the Vanderbilt days.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Love discussing the road. It is great to have a forum like this with so many enthusiasts and people with obvious long term knowledge of the Motor Parkway. We did meet so many great people along the way. So lets start a little discussion:

1. Why is there no date on the bridge over the train track in Roslyn?

2. Is there a date on the unfinished bridge at the “Mayan Ruins?” Does the entire remainder of the unfinished bridge remain under ground? I read somewhere that it was thought to be all there? How did the ground get built up so high around it? And how on earth did all of those homeowners leave that there? I’m so glad they did but it’s just hard to believe it remains!

3. Is there any knowledge of who currently lives in the Managers House in GC? I wonder if there are any great items in there? There has to be! I might have to ring the bell next time over there.

4. Arthur Jasper was very nice. He not only showed us the road in his backyard, and confirmed the $175 purchase story that was offered to everyone with road in their backyard, and confirmed he is the only one with remaining road that he is aware of, but he is an avid collector in general with some great Civil War artifacts in his home. Thanks for the tour Arthur!

5. There are some very decent road patches north Westbury Ave. Very easily accessible and worth a look.

6. The Clinton Road bridge remnants with Managers house still there is a screaming landmark location. Original posts with wire as you see in the cover picture is awesome. The road is great there. This is also very easily accessible via car - just park on Raymond Court and start exploring. A new house has been built right next to the parkway and they took down about 5-6 original posts while in construction. From Raymond Ct walk west back towards the bridge only - there’s nothing really to see to the east. This, along with the Roslyn Road section are the two best places to bring first timers to get them an introduction in my opinion. It’s a great location.

Sammy’s favorite location is still pending…......

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Adventure” VI: Garden City

It took me a little while to settle upon my answer.  73rd Avenue.  Queens NY.  The hint eventually helped put me over.  I was stuck because the look of the bridge was different from the standard parkway bridge build in the 1908-1911 era.  Eventually it hit me.  This is the 1926 bridge (date imprinted into the concrete), the 2nd to last most westerly bridge, over 73rd Avenue.  Which means your question about when it was torn down…. well, last time I was by there it was still there.  Great photo.  I love this stuff.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: The 73rd Street Motor Parkway Bridge in 1927 Looking East

Deer Park Avenue and limp.?

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: The 73rd Street Motor Parkway Bridge in 1927 Looking East

Great photos Dave and Sam! I like that Mr. Jasper seal coated his preserved section. I look forward to the next series!

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Adventure” VI: Garden City

Too easy because i was just there in Fresh Meadows last May .... 73rd avenue bridge facing east….built 1926 and still standing. Now that fall is here i can’t wait to bring my bicycle and go exploring thru the parks.  I believe on the other side of the bridge is the parking lot and entrance to get onto the roadway.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: The 73rd Street Motor Parkway Bridge in 1927 Looking East

Black Stump Road aka 73rd Avenue, looking east, the bridge was built in 1926 and is still standing

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: The 73rd Street Motor Parkway Bridge in 1927 Looking East

Awesome opportunity to stand on Arthur Jasper’s real piece of the Motor Parkway in his quiet backyard, ~when then in the distance a gas powered chugga can be heard, slowly approaching and getting louder and louder, then whizzes by with a hand wave and smile towards the horizon. Nice job Sam and Dave, and thanks for sharing the adventure. Looking forward for more of the road ahead and hope you’ve encountered friendly and hospitable locals as Mr. Jasper. Keep on ridin’ guys.

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Adventure” VI: Garden City

From Chet:

I look forward to the arrival of the Vanderbilt Cup Races each week, maybe its being a native Long Islander and maybe it is my first job after college and the War with a surveyor (Holzmacker) in Bethpage where we came a across vestige’s of the Motor Parkway.

My father drove the Motor Parkway, although I did not.  I looked upon it as a faded lady of the night, with it’s very steep banked curves, narrow pavement and it’s constant encroaching overgrowth.

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Adventure” VI: Garden City

Congratulations once again Howard. I can’t say I’m surprised. Due to the car’s historical importance and it’s fabulous restoration it’s hard to beat. Although I couldn’t stay for the awards presentation I can attest to the strong competition on the show field. It was a great show. It was nice to see you in Saratoga Springs. Hope to see you at the Americana Concours with the Mustang.

From Hemmings.com: Mrs. Chrysler’s Chrysler Takes Best in Show at Hemmings Concours

Man! I was really wrong!!

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Howard,
It appears that above the word “SPECIAL” on the side of the car is someone’s signature, as in the “John Doe” Special, also note the V8 logo on the hood.  Yes, there was a LAU MOTORS located in Brooklyn in 1937 (the earliest date I could find), which would become a Nash dealership located in Freeport “Nash LAU Motors”. 
See http://nashparts.com/dealership/nashdealersny.htm for a great listing of NYS Nash dealers through time.
The Nassau Daily Review-Star (Weds., 10/24/1945, p. 2) reported that Joseph A. Lau took over the former Columbian Bronze building at 14 Brooklyn Ave., north of LIRR, Freeport, for the Nash Lau Motors agency.  Lau was a resident of Floral Park, and had an agency in Brooklyn until August 1942 when auto production was halted due to WWII.  He was listed as being experienced in the auto business since 1921.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Lau Motors was a dealership located in Brooklyn during this time period - might it be connected to the car in the photo? Especially if it was a press event?

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

This was a very good one this weekend,not that they aren’t every week.Hugh gave a very good answer.Need more research on that cool car.It looks like an oversized midget racer

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Laurel was a speed equipment company that built OHV heads for Model T Ford engines circa 1930.  Morton Brett offered a radiator much like the one on this car.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Didn’t have time this weekend to research this one, but to throw out something if I can’t get to it tomorrow, I,d say that looks like George Robertson in the felt hat sometime in the mid to late 1930s.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

I can only comment on the construction. It was likely a 4 banger car built about 1930. The front axel is from a Model A less brakes. The rear axel is likely from a 1926 or 27 Model T [however late 1920s Chevrolet axels were also popular] The engine is a Ford V8 flathead as built from 1932 to 1936.  Most likely the photo is from the 1938 to 1941 era. The body is nice enough to a factory built like Morton Brett.  The radiator shell could be a narrowed Auburn or Chrysler from the mid 1920s.  Like most good race cars, the better ones ran for many years and were modified and up-graded. Some even were run at hill climbs and in road races.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Guessing George Robertson, first American victor of Vanderbilt Cup’s 1908 International Race. Joe Tracy in white coveralls below

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

Just a guess, but is that Eddie Rickenbacker in the felt hat?  I believe that he must have competed in a Vanderbilt Cup race during his pre-war (WW I) days.
I have no idea about this event and who the drivers are, but if I was guessing and if it is in fact Rickenbacker then it might be an event associated with the Indianapolis 500.
The racing car looks somewhat like a Miller, but the flathead engine doesn’t look right with a Miller.  I ‘m guessing that these are Duponts.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936

No clue but theres a leak !!! Very cool car

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: George Robertson Promoting the New Roosevelt Raceway in June 1936