Interesting conceptual drawing

While recently traveling the NYS Thruway (Interstate 87 for you who have not traveled up in the neck of the woods) I stopped at one of the rest areas in the Catskills and they were handing out this free postcard at the visitor’s center.

The picture looks very much like the overpass for the Kingston-Rhinebeck Bridge just north of exit 19. I don’t think the cars were supposed to represent any manufacturer in particular but the one pictured in front looks similar to a ‘46 Nash Ambassador sedan or maybe a 2-door fastback (if you remove the chrome hood center strip and added turn signals inside the headlights).

The back of the card reads “1946 artist’s rendering of the Catskill section of the NYS Thruway before it opened in 1954.” I wonder what the tolls were in 1954. President Eisenhower called the highway an “atomic defense asset” and “economic boost for New York.” Fifty-five years later and the tolls are still in effect, I guess it still is an economic boost, a trip from Albany to NYC is now $5.30 plus another $5.00 for the Tappan Zee Bridge. NYC to the Pennsylvania state line south of Buffalo is more than $20.00.

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Steamy email

Editor Mark McCourt received an inquiry from reader Ric DiDonato, asking for our help in identifying this item which he saw posted on saablink.net.

From the original poster:

I was recently digging through an old barn, helping clean out an old milking parlor that has been a catch-all for a historical society for several decades. Anyway, I came across an interesting item which was labeled “Loomis Motorcar Co.” with a very little bit of research, I discovered Loomis made “horseless carriages” around the turn of the century (1890-1900). Anyway, it is an L-shaped pipe with a sort of valve inside, and I was wondering if anyone on here might be able to tell me exactly what it is, exactly how old it is, what it came off of, etc. Thanks for any help you may be able to provide!

bottom view

side view with valve handle on the bottom.

Besides the words Loomis Motor Company on the cover below the handle was inscribed Westfield, MA which is consistent with Loomis Car history. But here is the sticky part, Loomis only made one steam car (in 1896) before giving up the idea and manufacturing 4-cylinder gas cars starting in about 1900. Is it possible this valve is from that early prototype?

It is possible but we think we found what we think was a more likely explanation. Anyone care to offer their take on this one?

Bonus points if you know what else Loomis did that was ground-breaking in the automotive industry (other than designing his own carburetor for the Loomis 4-cylinder gas engine).

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speedobilia?

Subscriber Tom Foster writes in asking for a little help with an old speedometer he had lying around. Tom writes:

I was wondering if you could i.d. this instrument cluster. I’m an old hot rodder from the 50’s and never used it. It’s been setting around gathering dust for about 50 years and I forgot what kind of car I got it from. It’s about 8 inches in diameter and a foot long. I really enjoy your magazine.

Several of the editors here were able to identify it, in fact it was mentioned in an article about 2 years ago, but we thought it would be fun to throw it out to our blogging “experts” out there. The chronograph styling on the gauge face should be of some help in identifying, and the fact that it’s cable driven rather than electric. The smaller gauges are ammeter, fuel and water temp. There is also a high beam indicator and not charging lamp. Also note the way 100 is spelled out. Judging from the housing it would have to have been dash-mounted on a small pedestal or column-mounted. To big and gawdy for a hood mount.

Here is a side view but I don’t think it will be much help.

If anyone has any clues, let us know. We’ll pass it on any additional information to Tom.

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Speedster’s first rally in the books.

Our Hemmings Speedster, driven by publisher Jim Menneto and navigator Mari Parizo, recently completed its first competition for the 2009 rally season by participating in the Mother Road Rally along Route 66 in Joplin, Missouri. While our new race car didn’t win, we did have a very respectable finish. Out of 30 cars, our speedster finished 23rd, but only 1 minute and 26.31 seconds out of first place. Eventual winners “Team Fredette” won with a total score only 21.24 seconds off perfect time. The Fredettes had a DNF on the last leg of the first day, however, when Mother Road rally officials were tallying total scores, the single worst score for a leg on days 1 and 2 were thrown out. The winners barely squeaked out a victory, defeating ”Team Jason” by only .54 second based on their car’s vintage. In vintage rally racing, the older the vehicle, the more leniency you get when calculating final scores. The Fredettes received a .59 calculating factor based on the year of their car (1928 Ford Speedster) while the second place team received a .66 calculating factor based on their 1935 Ford coupe. Our ‘34 Speedster times were calculated at .63. When your total time off perfect time is multiplied by this factor, you get your final score. So, even though the second place team was 3 seconds closer to perfect time, they missed the winners circle because their car was 6 years newer. Our team logged several legs within 10 seconds of official time, however, no coveted aces for the Hemmings crew.

Most of the Mother Road Rally participants will be seen again at the Hemmings Vintage Car Rally which will take place in Springfield, Missouri, from June 21 to June 26. Race teams accumulate points throughout 2009 by participating in these and other events including the Coker Challenge and at years end, a 2009 rally race season champion will be named.

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