9 replies to this topic

[D-Type]

I have a Brumm model of a W125 Mercedes, carrying race number 15 with a prominent swastika (or German flag) on its tail. The box describes it as "Vanderbilt Cup 1938"

The question is have Brumm simply got the year wrong in which case it's Richard Seaman's second placed 1937 car. More interestingly, have they got it right and the model represents an entry in a Vanderbilt Cup was planned but never took place? (Like the 300SL coupe intended for the 1955 Carrera). Although the W154 was the new car for the 3-litre formula, Mercedes ran W125's in hillclimbs in 1938 so it is feasible that they would have done the same for a formula libre event like the Vanderbilt Cup.

Does anybody know?

[Hans Etzrodt]

Dick Seaman's Mercedes-Benz carried # 15 in the Vanderbilt Cup Race on July 5, 1937. As far as I know, there was no 1938 event.

[Don Capps]

Although there was planning for a 1938 edition, it never happened due to the financial losses finally catching up with those trying to promote the race. There was an ARCA event there in 1938 using a section of the track, but no Auto-Unions were present.....

[brooksesser]

Ok... who among us knows who won the 1937 Vanderbuilt Cup? I believe it was Bernd Rosemeyer in an Auto Union, but I'm not sure.

- Brooks

[Frank S]

Sometimes this is so easy:

Leif Snellman's Golden Era Pages

Thank you, Leif.

And fun:

Frank S's Vanderbilt Cup Page:


Frank S

[Ralliart]

I recall a model on sale a few years ago for Caracciola. It was listed as his car as entered in the 1938 monaco GP. There was no Monaco GP in 1938. I've seen another example of a manufacturer foul-up and one on a slot car.

[Phil Harms]

Originally posted by brooksesser
Ok... who among us knows who won the 1937 Vanderbuilt Cup? I believe it was Bernd Rosemeyer in an Auto Union, but I'm not sure.

- Brooks

Rosemeyer won the 1937 VC. Box score is at http://www.motorspor...ta/ch193702.pdf

[Vitesse2]

I'm not sure if they did this at the VC race, but Mercedes used colours on the cars to identify them as they approached. Any green visible around the grille? That would definitely identify it as Seaman.

Frank: thanks for those pictures. I'm sure our resident Maserati experts will like the 1940 Indy ones

/stands back to avoid being trampled in the rush .....

[D-Type]

Many thanks folks.

My conclusion:

The model maker's catalogue is wrong and the car is intended to be the 1937 Seaman car. No 15 and the swastika flag flag on the tail match. There's no green around the radiator which is inconclusive as Brumm are not that hot on detail (but to be fair they are improving). If anybody can be kind enough to point me in the direction of a photo I'll be able to add the green radiator surround if there was one.

[Don Capps]

This morning I dropped off copies of all the pages from the AAA records I had on microfilm concerning the 1936 and 1937 George Vanderbilt Cup events with Bill Green at the IMRRC at Watkins Glen. In the hopefully not too distant future Bill and I hope to have an article on the two races ready. Bill about fainted when I showed him the material on the protests of the 1936 event -- it is VERY THICK!

In addition to an event in Dallas -- I have a diagram of the proposed circuit layout, which incidentially was at the site of the 1984 Dallas GP -- and another in Los Angeles which were to be run in conjunction with the GVC as re-introducing road racing to the AAA National Championship Trail.