Period RACE CAR Images to Relieve some of the Stress

[Walt G]

Vanderbilt Cup race of 1904. the first race ran through Floral Park on long island before it was incorporated and they had to have a village historian ( NY State law says you have to or be in violation of state law) I am the appointed historian for that village and have been for several decades. The photo of the bridge shows some of the crowd gathered to see the race that was held all on public roads!

In the photo with the rail road bridge you are looking east , the road is Jericho Turnpike ( turnpike was the name for a toll road when used by horse drawn carriages) which is a state road. The railroad bridge was removed 6 decades ago when Jericho Turnpike was widened by the state in 1960-61. The area to the right of the bridge (south) is now a parking lot and level with the road. the early touring car was part of the race committee . the road in the foreground is Tulip Avenue.

The second photograph was taken of Jericho Turnpike looking west, and was taken by someone standing on the railroad bridge in the other photo. The cross road to the left is Tulip Avenue and to the right is Queens County , one of the five boroughs of New York City. At that point the road is named Little Neck Parkway. Note the tall poles lining the north side of the road - these were for telegraph communication as telephones were still mostly in ones imagination. All roads were not paved and kept in good order by frequent use of oil to keep the dust and dirt down. the number on the race cars radiator core is 18.

[A. Ballard 35R]

Long Island Automobile Club   (LIAC)  Contest

[A. Ballard 35R]

LIAC

[A. Ballard 35R]

LIAC

[A. Ballard 35R]

LIAC

[AHa]

It is a real shame this epidemic occurred simultaneously with the AACA move. I have to believe the AACA has a treasure trove of early race car pictures that could be loaded if anyone had the time to do so.

 

Here is one of the factory Buick race cars. This is one of the underslung models and I don't believe it is a widely distributed photo. I had not seen it before in my google pictures search. As such, it is an important period photo. Ed Minnie posted it in the other period photo thread.

Edited January 29, 2021 by AHa (see edit history)

[rcr]

Bergdoll Racing car

[AHa]

Here is another of the Buick Specials, posted on the period images to relieve stress.

[AHa]

While I'm at it:

 

[AHa]

[AHa]

When race cars become airplanes...

 

[ejboyd5]

Pictures taken in 1953 on Ocean Road, near the starting point of the Bridgehampton Road Race. Car is the W 194 Mercedes-Benz (00004/52) which had placed second in the Mille Miglia under the stewardship of Kling and Klenk.  Having been repainted from its green racing livery, it was brought to Bridgehampton by Max Hoffman as a demonstration item for promotional purposes.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by ejboyd5 (see edit history)

[AHa]

Model K Ford pace car in Ocean to Ocean race, 1909.

[AHa]

A pair of Model Ts from the 1909 Ocean to Ocean race. Notice the shock absorbers, or would that be axle limiters on the front axle.

 

It's fun to see these period photos, in what I call "Real Life."

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by AHa (see edit history)

[AHa]

Ford's racing legend Fran Kulick.

Undoubtedly some variant of model T Ford

[AHa]

This is also said to be Frank Kulick, in what can only be assumed to be a Ford. Wayne, care to weigh in on this one?

 

Notice that frame is nothing but angle iron.

 

[wayne sheldon]

That is 'Baby', the two-2-cylinder model C (similar to the earlier model A) engine racing car. Rob Heyen should weigh in here. If I recall correctly, about 1904 (I sometimes get that year wrong by one?), the first Ford six cylinder racing car was wrecked. Ford had sold off the 999 and Arrow cars which were by then becoming a bit outdated anyway, although they were still being used by others.  Henry was still trying to promote his company through racing, so they quickly threw this car together to run in several events. The car performed very well, and won a couple events, garnering the desired publicity. The six cylinder car was rebuilt soon after, only to be wrecked again, and then later rebuilt again.

About that time, Henry stopped serious racing car building for the first time, instead racing in speed contests and hill climbs in basically production model chassis and cars (mostly the model K). They resumed race car building for 1909, again rebuilding the wrecked six cylinder car (which had an engine considerably larger than the model K Ford engine!). They intended to enter the first Indianapolis races, however were disqualified due to being too light in weight. That again rebuilt six cylinder racing car didn't get raced much due the 'politics' of racing in those days (again, too light!), and still exists in the Henry Ford collection almost exactly as it was in 1910.

If I recall correctly, 'Baby' is the only one of Ford's early racing cars that nothing significant of the original car exists (I could be wrong about that?). Sweepstakes was restored. One of the two nearly interchangeable 999 and Arrow cars still exists, and the six cylinder car exists intact in its final form from about 1910. 'Baby' is also the one of Henry Ford's early racing cars that the least is known about.

Edited February 8, 2021 by wayne sheldon (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

I just looked back at a bookmarked forum thread Rob H had posted a few years back. I had said that 'Baby's engine was two model A engines, However a note in that thread said it was two model C engines. So I corrected that in the post above. 

 

I will also share the link to that 2018 Rob H thread. It is mostly about the six cylinder car, short and quite interesting.

 

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/822076/825822.html?1516574860

[AHa]

Identified as Palmer Singer, sourced from Detroit Public Library.

[AHa]

Palmer Singer Pace Car

 

[AHa]

 

[Dave39MD]

My father and friend leaning against the white car, maybe the early 30's. Anyone know what that track is, looks like quite the grandstand.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

 

My brother found the original photo, on the back -Johnny and Lu,  Reading PA, 1934, before the crack up.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by Dave39MD (see edit history)

[Dave39MD]

I think this is the car at the track but not sure;

 

 

[Fossil]

6 hours ago, Dave39MD said:

I think this is the car at the track but not sure;

I tend to think your right. 

 

[AHa]

How bout that cannon?

[AHa]

Stutz Blackhawk DV 32

 

[AHa]

[Walt G]

This is Bluebird III driven by Malcolm Campbell at Daytona Beach , Florida. 1933 World record at 272.108 miles per hour

[Walt G]

On 2/8/2021 at 10:27 PM, AHa said:

Long Island Stock Chassis Derby

I

 

Identified as a 90 horse Mercedes

Please give credit where you take the photos from!!!! this was from an article I did and was published and copyrighted! Photos came from a friend whose grandfather took them at the race. GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE PLEASE.

[AHa]

Walt,

Like most of the pictures I post, I found this picture on the world wide web and the information I got was the title I gave it. The picture, as posted, did not say it came from an article you wrote. I did not look for an original source. Most of the pictures I have posted were copyrighted by someone at some time but I am not profiting from posting the pictures on this forum and I had this conversation with Peter. If I need to delete all the pictures I've posted in this thread because I did not give credit to the owner of the picture, I am perfectly willing to do so if you think I should. I guess I don't fully understand copyright law.

 

Every picture on the internet was taken by somebody and the rights to that picture are therefore owned by the person who took it. In that most of the people who took pictures in the early 1900s are dead, I guess ownership would naturally flow to the heirs unless specifically willed to someone else. All of these pictures I posted were already in the public domain and viewable by any interested parties. What I did was transfer them from one website to another. If I have done wrong, just let me know and I will make it right.

[Walt G]

Please make it right. The photographs were published in a current magazine and that magazine is copy righted , so it includes the article as well as the photographs included in that article. I got the permission to use the photographs from the family of the man that took them . I can understand and appreciate your enthusiasm but do believe you will need to be more diligent in just assuming everything you copy can then be reused without question.

 

As of now I will refrain from posting anything here or anywhere else until I am satisfied that credit is given, not looking for 24 point type in bold face, but think it would be fair that people understand that everything on the internet is not just a take and grab no matter how good the intentions . I am done.

WEG

Edited March 19, 2021 by Walt G (see edit history)

[AHa]

Me Too! I have deleted all the pictures in question.

Edited March 19, 2021 by AHa (see edit history)

[Rob H.]

May I participate?  Haven't visited in a while.  We've been converting some B&W to color, so I may post some of those too.

 

Ford driver and longtime employee Frank Kulick, seated on the Ford six cylinder racer.  I believe this photo may have been taken just prior to his world record attempt with the racer in October, 1907.  A rear wheel came apart sending the racer through the Michigan State Fairground track fence.  Kulick was severely injured and was laid up for several months.  Henry Ford declared he was finished with track racing.  However, the next fall, Kulick raced a Model K one more time at Kalamazoo, winning the last track race a Ford Six entered (as it should be  ).

Frank Kulick again.  At the 1912 Algonquin Hill Climb near Chicago he drove the largest of the Ford Special racers to a record victory, defeating several marquees.  The other photo shows him with a mechanician preparing for a timed mile on ice in 1912.  His fastest attempt made 109 mph.  This Ford Special had a special 410 cubic inch 4 cylinder motor with auxiliary exhaust ports.  The differential for the hill climb had 2 to 1 gearing.  These were the only two events he and Ford made in 1912.  Henry Ford and Frank Kulick wouldn't race again.

Edited April 7, 2021 by Rob H. (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

Hey there Rob H !

You could find quite a few people here that would enjoy much of the history you have uncovered about the early Fords and Ford's racing. Need to get the model K's reputation reset to where it belongs!

FJ posts here often, under the avatar 'Trulyvintage'. He has shared some of the photos of the model B Ford.

[Fossil]

6 hours ago, Rob H. said:

May I participate?  Haven't visited in a while.  We've been converting some B&W to color, so I may post some of those too.

It would be wonderful if you would continue to post the photos. It's especially nice when there is so much information included with them. 

Thank you in advance. 

[Rob H.]

Thanks guys.  As Wayne knows, it doesn't take much encouragement......    

 

The Model K below is 1906 vintage.  The first 300-350 model K were distinctly different from the 1907-08 version.  Shorter 114 inch wheelbase (expanded to 120 inch with reinforced frame and truss rods for 07), more rigid connection between the power and flywheel/output shaft, individual lubrication lines to the thrust side of each cylinder (similar but less sophisticated than the system RR incorporated on their Silver Ghost, in about 1908), and increased horsepower.  As we see in the photos below, the Ford suffered a broken front spring during the race.  The story as it appeared in "The Automobile" follows:

[Rob H.]

I've been researching/working on the following.  Henry Ford and Frank Kulick returned to track racing in 1910, following a several year hiatus (except one race in 1908) after Frank Kulick suffered serious injuries attempting a one mile world record with the Ford six cylinder racer in October, 1907.  For two years Ford competed in track, road and hill climb events in the east and south, as well as sending one of their special racers to France to compete in the French Grand Prix, Mont Ventoux hill climb, and other events in 1911.

 

1911 was Ford's "banner" year, finishing 5th among all makers in racing victories, with Frank Kulick finishing in the top ten of driving victories.  Henry Ford had tasked his lead designer, Hungarian born Joseph Galamb to build a racer that looked like a model T, that could beat the worlds fastest car at the time, the 200 hp Blitzen Benz.  Galamb designed, and Kulick raced several special racers, culminating with a match race against the Blitzen Benz in the fall of 1911 at the Michigan State Fair.

 

I've been attempting to find photos of the three Ford Special racers that competed that day.  The first is seen in the photo below, at the start line beside an Abbott-Detroit (that's how we are able to I.D. the Ford racer, because both were entered in the smaller non-stock 161-230 cu. in. class).  The photo shows Frank Kulick seated with the racer, in front of the Abbott-Detroit racer.  Below that, a 1911 photo showing two Abbott-Detroit racers (courtesy Detroit Public Librairies, all rights apply).  I'll followup with the two other Ford racers that appeared that fall day, leading up to the match race with the Blitzen Benz:

 

 

[George Cole]

On 3/19/2021 at 10:58 AM, Walt G said:

Please make it right. The photographs were published in a current magazine and that magazine is copy righted , so it includes the article as well as the photographs included in that article. I got the permission to use the photographs from the family of the man that took them . I can understand and appreciate your enthusiasm but do believe you will need to be more diligent in just assuming everything you copy can then be reused without question.

 

As of now I will refrain from posting anything here or anywhere else until I am satisfied that credit is given, not looking for 24 point type in bold face, but think it would be fair that people understand that everything on the internet is not just a take and grab no matter how good the intentions . I am done.

WEG

This is precisely why several months ago I stopped posting images here and on the 'Period Images...' thread.  

[Rob H.]

I'm confused.  Evidently a post by WEG from 3/19/2021 was reposted.  I'm not sure why.

[Rob H.]

Soldiering on............

 

The second Ford Special to race this day in 1911 was the 300 cu. in. racer (we own the motor, currently finishing our racer project).  This has been the most difficult one to find a photo of.  All I have for certain is a poor quality Detroit newspaper article (courtesy of The Henry Ford, rights apply).  The reason we know it's the 2nd largest Ford racer is because it was matched against this Case racer, also entered in the 230 - 300 cu. in. race.  Below the news clipping is a photo of one of the Case racers from 1911 (courtesy of Detroit Public Libraries, all rights apply).  The Case Kulick beat (in the newspaper photo) finished 2nd, and was driven by Joe Jagersberger.  He would later design the RAJO head for Model T Fords and other motors.

 

In both races, the first of the day, the Fords won out over the field, coming in first in both 5 mile races:

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2021 by Rob H. (see edit history)