Brand new car buried for 50 years to be unearthed Friday June 15th
#1
Brand new car buried for 50 years to be unearthed Friday June 15th
Ramblings or Car Talk? I'll let the mods decide ![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
![](http://www.plymouthbulletin.com/images/buriedplymouth.JPG)
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http://www.forwardlook.net/19571958P.../countdown.asp
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Why would anyone want to bury a new car? In 1957, the'Tulsarama!' committee decided to bury a brand new 1957 Plymouth as a method of acquainting the citizens of 2007 with a suitable representation of 1957 civilization.
"In our judgment," quoted Jubilee chairman W.A. Anderson in 1957, "Plymouth is a true representative of automobiles of this century - with the kind of lasting appeal that should still be in style fifty years from now.... Tulsans think big. And we feel we can over come any technical difficulties we encounter [burying the Plymouth] including the possibility of striking oil in our excavation!'
Supplied through the cooperation of the Plymouth Division of Chrysler and Tulsa Plymouth dealers Wilkerson Motor Company, Cox Motor Company. Vance Motor Company, Forster Riggs and Parrish-Clark, the Belvedere has remained buried since June 15, 1957.
As part of the "Tulsarama!" festivities, citizens of Tulsa were asked to guess what the population of Tulsa would be in the year 2007. The guesses were then recorded on microfilm and sealed in a steel container buried with the car. When the car and artifacts are excavated, the person whose guess is closest to Tulsa's 2007 population is to be awarded the Belvedere. If that person is dead, the car is to be awarded to his or her heirs.
And what, exactly, will the lucky winner get when the car is unearthed in 2007? No one is really sure. Sitting on a steel skid, the white and gold car was wrapped in a cosmoline-like substance to help preserve it and then buried within a concrete bunker (The car was lowered into the vault several times prior to June 15 for photo shoots, one such photo ad appearing on page twenty-five of Life magazine's July 7 issue.) Twenty years after the cars burial, questions were raised as officials began to wonder if the vault would maintain its integrity for fifty years. Its location (marked by a bronze plaque on the courthouse lawn places it close to modern traffic. Buck Rudd, deputy chief of building operations for the county court house, mused in 1987, "There's a lot of traffic going by only 15 or 20ft from that thing. We've been curious to know it vibrations from the heavy traffic might have caused it to crack. If moisture starts getting in there, it's going to cause things to deteriorate over fifty years time," Rudd continued. Unknown to the committee - or anyone else then - 1957 Plymouths were terribly prone to rust. Asked what type of maintenance was done on the time capsule, Rudd replied, We just cut the grass on top of it."
While some lucky person may (or may not) win a brand new 1957 Plymouth in the year 2007, the winner has several other prizes to look forward to, among them a $100 trust fund accruing interest until the year 2007. Included with the Plymouth is a 5 gallon can of gasoline, a jar of Oklahoma crude oil, and in the glovebox, fourteen bobby pins, a ladies compact plastic rain cap, several combs, a tube of lipstick, pack of gum, facial tissues $2.73 in bills and coins and a pack of cigarettes with matches - all items that might have been found in a woman's purse circa 1957,
The car's glove compartment contains two other interesting items: a parking ticket (unpaid!) and a boftle of tranquilizers. Depending an the Belvedere's condition, the tranquilizers may be the most important part of the package.
"In our judgment," quoted Jubilee chairman W.A. Anderson in 1957, "Plymouth is a true representative of automobiles of this century - with the kind of lasting appeal that should still be in style fifty years from now.... Tulsans think big. And we feel we can over come any technical difficulties we encounter [burying the Plymouth] including the possibility of striking oil in our excavation!'
Supplied through the cooperation of the Plymouth Division of Chrysler and Tulsa Plymouth dealers Wilkerson Motor Company, Cox Motor Company. Vance Motor Company, Forster Riggs and Parrish-Clark, the Belvedere has remained buried since June 15, 1957.
As part of the "Tulsarama!" festivities, citizens of Tulsa were asked to guess what the population of Tulsa would be in the year 2007. The guesses were then recorded on microfilm and sealed in a steel container buried with the car. When the car and artifacts are excavated, the person whose guess is closest to Tulsa's 2007 population is to be awarded the Belvedere. If that person is dead, the car is to be awarded to his or her heirs.
And what, exactly, will the lucky winner get when the car is unearthed in 2007? No one is really sure. Sitting on a steel skid, the white and gold car was wrapped in a cosmoline-like substance to help preserve it and then buried within a concrete bunker (The car was lowered into the vault several times prior to June 15 for photo shoots, one such photo ad appearing on page twenty-five of Life magazine's July 7 issue.) Twenty years after the cars burial, questions were raised as officials began to wonder if the vault would maintain its integrity for fifty years. Its location (marked by a bronze plaque on the courthouse lawn places it close to modern traffic. Buck Rudd, deputy chief of building operations for the county court house, mused in 1987, "There's a lot of traffic going by only 15 or 20ft from that thing. We've been curious to know it vibrations from the heavy traffic might have caused it to crack. If moisture starts getting in there, it's going to cause things to deteriorate over fifty years time," Rudd continued. Unknown to the committee - or anyone else then - 1957 Plymouths were terribly prone to rust. Asked what type of maintenance was done on the time capsule, Rudd replied, We just cut the grass on top of it."
While some lucky person may (or may not) win a brand new 1957 Plymouth in the year 2007, the winner has several other prizes to look forward to, among them a $100 trust fund accruing interest until the year 2007. Included with the Plymouth is a 5 gallon can of gasoline, a jar of Oklahoma crude oil, and in the glovebox, fourteen bobby pins, a ladies compact plastic rain cap, several combs, a tube of lipstick, pack of gum, facial tissues $2.73 in bills and coins and a pack of cigarettes with matches - all items that might have been found in a woman's purse circa 1957,
The car's glove compartment contains two other interesting items: a parking ticket (unpaid!) and a boftle of tranquilizers. Depending an the Belvedere's condition, the tranquilizers may be the most important part of the package.
http://www.forwardlook.net/19571958P.../countdown.asp
#7
contrarian in fashion
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
Wonder if Jay Leno will buy it. ![Ponder](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/ponder.gif)
Very cool though, can't wait to see it.
![Ponder](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/ponder.gif)
Very cool though, can't wait to see it.
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#8
I would not doubt if Barrett-Jackson will have a rep there to approach the lucky winner with an option to auction it off...
or in Acurazine-lingo
:ibtbarrettjacksonwillhaveareptheretoapproachthelu kywinnerwithanoptiontoauctionitoff:
or in Acurazine-lingo
:ibtbarrettjacksonwillhaveareptheretoapproachthelu kywinnerwithanoptiontoauctionitoff:
![Ninja](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/ninja.gif)
#10
03 3.2 TL FPR
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Charleston SC
Age: 40
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#11
Originally Posted by kwelity
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
"I don't know how bad it is, but it's not good,” Couch said. "We were hoping it would be dry in there. The concrete must not have been as good as we hoped it was. It had some failures over the years; the concrete didn't hold.”
#18
That was uncalled for...
I posted about this a long time ago, not going to call a repost because even I forgot about it ![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Hopefully there's still a solid car in there, but I'm not going to expect much.
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Hopefully there's still a solid car in there, but I'm not going to expect much.
#23
Senior Moderator
I take it we should NOT expect that new car smell anymore.
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
#24
That was uncalled for...
Originally Posted by bl^5
They should replace it with a 2007 model for excavation ini 2057....
Originally Posted by Website
A centennial time capsule, interred on Jan. 17, 1998, in honor of the City's 100th birthday, is buried at Centennial Park. The time capsule, scheduled to be unearthed in the year 2048, includes items such as a prototype of the 1998 Plymouth Prowler, a City of Tulsa Financial Report, student essays on what Tulsa will be like in the year 2048, and Tulsa restaurant menus.
#26
Moderator Alumnus
I went and dug this up. Looks like they have unearthed it to find it sitting in 2' of water. They pumped it out and are waiting to take the "waterproof" layers off until tomorrow.
Click the link below to watch the video of them opening the vault.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/c...iedcar/car.wmv
Click the link below to watch the video of them opening the vault.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/c...iedcar/car.wmv
![](http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/070614_A1_imgsr08042_a1car114.jpg)
#29
The sizzle in the Steak
Should've put it up on blocks. :wink:
#30
I kinda wonder how much rust there will be from sitting in water. Looks like it was wrapped up and sealed pretty well, and if not that much oxygen was present it might not be too bad. Looking forward to when the covers come off.
Terry
Terry
#31
Originally Posted by SiGGy
I went and dug this up. Looks like they have unearthed it to find it sitting in 2' of water. They pumped it out and are waiting to take the "waterproof" layers off until tomorrow.
Click the link below to watch the video of them opening the vault.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/c...iedcar/car.wmv
![](http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/070614_A1_imgsr08042_a1car114.jpg)
Click the link below to watch the video of them opening the vault.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/c...iedcar/car.wmv
![](http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/070614_A1_imgsr08042_a1car114.jpg)
#34
Originally Posted by minkl81
so they dug it up already??
#36
Safety Car
Originally Posted by SiGGy
I went and dug this up. Looks like they have unearthed it to find it sitting in 2' of water. They pumped it out and are waiting to take the "waterproof" layers off until tomorrow.
Click the link below to watch the video of them opening the vault.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/c...iedcar/car.wmv
![](http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/070614_A1_imgsr08042_a1car114.jpg)
Click the link below to watch the video of them opening the vault.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/c...iedcar/car.wmv
![](http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/070614_A1_imgsr08042_a1car114.jpg)
#38
Senior Moderator
:inbeforethebuffrightoutjokesgofullswing: