So, Tulsans...50 year old car to be dug up? [Archive]

Jerk

1/23/2007, 04:13 PM

anyone going to watch them dig up the 1957 Plymouth that has been buried under the courthouse for 50 years?

TULSA, Oklahoma (AP) -- Organizers of a coming-out party for a buried 1957 Plymouth Belvedere could use some help.

The car, which was buried in brand-new condition under the lawn of the Tulsa County Courthouse in 1957, is scheduled to be unearthed June 15 as part of the Oklahoma Centennial.

Promoters are looking for people who helped lower the car into its crypt in 1957 to perhaps shed some light on what to expect when the car is unearthed.

There's speculation the car may have turned into a pile of rust. Or that it's in pristine condition and worth thousands of dollars.

Sharon King Davis, who has chaired Tulsa's centennial efforts, looked at photos of the people responsible for burying the car in 1957 and found her grandfather.

"I wish grandpa had left me some instructions," she told the Tulsa World.

The car had been largely forgotten until Davis and her group started work on the centennial. Files on the car have vanished, so it's not clear what to expect when the lid is lifted.

What's known is that the car is on a steel pallet with jacks under the axles. Efforts were made to preserve it, but it's unclear if moisture has gotten to the metal and caused rust.

"There's a kind of Rip Van Winkle reaction," Davis says. "Most people had long ago forgotten the buried car, but as the time to dig it up nears, they are waking up and wondering about life in 1957."

Another unknown is who will be able to claim the car.

When the car was buried, a contest was announced to award the car and a $100 savings account to the person who came closest to guessing Tulsa's population in 2007.

Organizers concede that finding that person or his or her heirs may not be easy.

At the time, the guesses were recorded on microfilm and sealed in a steel container buried with the car.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

http://www.forwardlook.net/images/buriedplymouth.JPG
http://www.buriedcar.com/photoUL/Fresh%20Vault.JPG
http://www.buriedcar.com/photoUL/Sheryl%20Forrest.JPG

Mjcpr

1/23/2007, 04:18 PM

I will.....I think it will be interesting.

Boomer.....

1/23/2007, 04:19 PM

It will be neat to see how well it holds up through all of those years.

Jerk

1/23/2007, 04:20 PM

I will.....I think it will be interesting.

I might have to drive up there to watch..

http://www.buriedcar.com/

C&CDean

1/23/2007, 04:22 PM

****ing Tulsa people are weird.

Fugue

1/23/2007, 04:24 PM

agreed, most time capsules have a pair of scissors in it or something but those a-holes had to put a perfectly good classic car in there.

Okla-homey

1/23/2007, 04:24 PM

I'm curious as to the state of the case of beer (in the old fashioned steel cans) in the trunk. I'm serious. There's a case of Falstaff in there. I have a photo around here somewhere.

olevetonahill

1/23/2007, 04:24 PM

Reckon that lil girl will be growed up by now , Hope they left her enough food and stuff

olevetonahill

1/23/2007, 04:26 PM

I'm curious as to the state of the case of beer (in the old fashioned steel cans) in the trunk. I'm serious. There's a case of Falstaff in there. I have a photo around here somewhere.
that **** will be rusted away !

bri

1/23/2007, 04:29 PM

That's a stupid place to bury a car. They should have buried it in Brookside.

crawfish

1/23/2007, 04:29 PM

Funny if they open it up and...IT'S NOT THERE!!!

<stunned Geraldo look>

C&CDean

1/23/2007, 04:30 PM

The first beer I ever drank was Falstaff in those steel cans where you had to have a can opener. We stole a case from some fishermen who had stocked their boat the night before at Roosevelt Lake, AZ. Good times...

Beef

1/23/2007, 04:31 PM

agreed, most time capsules have a pair of scissors in it or something but those a-holes had to put a perfectly good classic car in there.
I don't think the car was a classic at the time. ;)

olevetonahill

1/23/2007, 04:32 PM

Dean brings up and interesting point . Did they leave a "Church Key " WITH IT ?

mikeelikee

1/23/2007, 04:34 PM

My father-in-law was among the on-lookers at that event, and he's still around, and looking forward to attending the un-earthing. I'll be there as well.

StoopTroup

1/23/2007, 04:39 PM

That's a stupid place to bury a car. They should have buried it in Brookside.
Dear Tuba...

Many folks on Brookside water their lawns with well water because it's easily tapped due to the water table.

I think burying a car there would be a bad idea.

Okla-homey

1/23/2007, 04:49 PM

Dear Tuba...

Many folks on Brookside water their lawns with well water because it's easily tapped due to the water table.

I think burying a car there would be a bad idea.

:les: IT'S INSIDE A WATERPROOF BURIAL VAULT JUST LIKE YOUR AUNT MARGARET OUT AT THE CEMETERY!

StoopTroup

1/23/2007, 04:50 PM

And that vault will fill with water iffen there's any leaks....

OUstud

1/23/2007, 04:51 PM

Reckon that lil girl will be growed up by now , Hope they left her enough food and stuff

:D

Okla-homey

1/23/2007, 04:53 PM

And that vault will fill with water iffen there's any leaks....

OMG! You mean Aunt Margaret's vaulted steel casket may now be a ginormous can of Aunt Margaret Chunky Soup?

BeetDigger

1/23/2007, 04:53 PM

A Plymouth Belvedere? Isn't that the name of a dog or a butler?

Mjcpr

1/23/2007, 04:56 PM

A Plymouth Belvedere? Isn't that the name of a dog or a butler?

They were all out of Plymouth Hazel's in 1957.

BigRedJed

1/23/2007, 05:02 PM

I'm looking at that crypt and seeing no apparent drain holes. I'm thinking it somehow filled up with water several times in the past 50 years. My vote is for "wet pile of rust in the bottom of the crypt."

Speaking of which, shouldn't this be a pole?

olevetonahill

1/23/2007, 05:05 PM

OMG! You mean Aunt Margaret's vaulted steel casket may now be a ginormous can of Aunt Margaret Chunky Soup?
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm SOUP , ITS WHATS FOR SUPPER

BlondeSoonerGirl

1/23/2007, 05:06 PM

Mmmm, Cream of Aunt Margaret...

Gottiny crackers?

:mack:

olevetonahill

1/23/2007, 05:09 PM

Mmmm, Cream of Aunt Margaret...

Gottiny crackers?

:mack:
And Olives ;)

Boomer.....

1/23/2007, 05:18 PM

****ing Tulsa people are weird.
You're just mad that your town is too poor to bury a new car. :P

OUstudent4life

1/23/2007, 05:26 PM

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm SOUP , ITS WHATS FOR SUPPER

Nah, you've just been drinking her for the past coupla' years. Unless you have a Brita.

:D

KC//CRIMSON

1/23/2007, 05:31 PM

Funny if they open it up and...IT'S NOT THERE!!!

<stunned Geraldo look>

I would pay to see that. Or not see that.:D

proud gonzo

1/23/2007, 06:23 PM

i'm thinking this ought to be on vBookie

OklahomaTuba

1/23/2007, 06:30 PM

That's a stupid place to bury a car. They should have buried it in Brookside.

Amen!

Its probably already been lived in by some homeless people, or stolen.

OklahomaTuba

1/23/2007, 06:32 PM

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Watch your cornhole dude. ;)

Pricetag

1/23/2007, 06:46 PM

I'm curious as to the state of the case of beer (in the old fashioned steel cans) in the trunk. I'm serious. There's a case of Falstaff in there. I have a photo around here somewhere.
On the buriedcar.com site, they have a picture of a dude putting in a case of Schlitz.

Jerk

1/23/2007, 07:07 PM

Watch your cornhole dude. ;)

:eek:

olevetonahill

1/23/2007, 07:19 PM

Nah, you've just been drinking her for the past coupla' years. Unless you have a Brita.

:D
Natty Lite dont filter out the Aunt margerett parts ? :eek:

whatsername

1/23/2007, 10:09 PM

So, one day last summer, I was walking down Denver with a couple of my friends and... you know how, when you lose your balance, you take a couple of big, almost running steps trying to keep yourself from falling? Well, I somehow lost my balance and next thing I know, I'm trying my best to keep from falling right there, in downtown Tulsa, in front of the courthouse, the Y, and everyone driving down Denver Ave.

I didn't make it. I ended up rolling in the grass right on top of that Belvedere. :(

At least my friends made sure I was all right before they started laughing at me.

bri

1/23/2007, 10:59 PM

You suck at gravity.

Jerk

1/23/2007, 10:59 PM

He must have tripped on a hill or a tree.

Tailwind

1/23/2007, 11:19 PM

OMG! You mean Aunt Margaret's vaulted steel casket may now be a ginormous can of Aunt Margaret Chunky Soup?
You owe me a new keyboard! :mad:

whatsername

1/24/2007, 07:39 AM

You suck at gravity.
Actually, I'd say I was pretty good at it. :D

olevetonahill

1/24/2007, 08:11 AM

Actually, I'd say I was pretty good at it. :D
Suckin or gravity ?
either way your going ===== never Mind

sooneron

1/24/2007, 09:11 AM

Tulsey people are weird.

The contents of a women's purse, including bobby pins, a bottle of tranquilizers, cigarettes and an unpaid parking ticket, were added to the glove compartment of the car shortly before burial.

:eek:

OUDoc

1/24/2007, 09:14 AM

Tulsey people are weird.

:eek:
It's all those hills. They angry-up the blood.

http://www.hesels.dk/images/grampa.jpg

OklahomaTuba

1/24/2007, 09:19 AM

I blame it on the proximity to Arkansas and Stoolwater personally.

sooner n houston

1/24/2007, 09:28 AM

I can remember my parents talking about that car when I was a kid. With my luck, I'll win it but it will be a bucket of rusty! :D

OU4LIFE

1/24/2007, 09:56 AM

I blame it on the proximity to Arkansas and Stoolwater personally.

according to the maps, Stoolwater is 62 miles from Tulsa....AND OKC.

They covered the car in styrene, but they didn't say if they had a lid on the crypt. It would seem to me that without a lid, they take a pretty big chance on crushing in the roof, windows and hood of the car with the weight of the soil alone.

If there twerent no lid, I'd still doubt that it would fill with water. as deep as it is, and considering that part of Tulsa is pretty high, you'd have to have a pretty serious rain nearing repeated flood levels for that thing to fill with water. The surrounding soil would absorb 98% of the water.

Without a lid, i'd be more worried about the damage the bugs and creepy crawlies would do to the interior and stuff. If it has a lid, i bet the car is in decent shape. Along with the gas filled bomb they added.

bri

1/24/2007, 10:40 AM

Actually, I'd say I was pretty good at it. :D

I have no response to that.

whatsername

1/24/2007, 01:29 PM

I have no response to that.

Now, how funny is that? Bri, responseless.

:)

bri

1/24/2007, 01:36 PM

It happens once a year. Treasure it while you can, people. ;)

sooner n houston

1/24/2007, 02:18 PM

Now, how funny is that? Bri, responseless.

:)

Yea, yet he takes two post to tell us about it! :D

Boomer.....

4/18/2007, 09:55 AM

Getting closer to June 15th.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070415_1_A1_hWork14115&breadcrumb=Article%20Search

sooneron

4/18/2007, 10:06 AM

So which Daily Show correspondent do you think they will send? This will be pure comedy gold!

bri

4/18/2007, 12:22 PM

I hope it's Samantha Bee...

Mjcpr

6/13/2007, 10:21 AM

Some folks are saying there are water lines inside the vault where the car has been which would indicate it has been submerged at times over the last 50 years.

Bummer. I was hoping it would be in really good shape.

Mjcpr

6/13/2007, 10:39 AM

Here are some pics from this morning...

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/6933/car1resizejl5.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/8356/car2resizebp0.jpg

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4691/car3resizeaa1.jpg

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8299/car4resizeqj4.jpg

OU4LIFE

6/13/2007, 10:42 AM

aww man, it doesn't look good for the ole girl.

OU4LIFE

6/13/2007, 10:43 AM

I'd heard that Boyd Coddington was going to be there for the opening. Why are they opening it today?

I bet if he is there, he'll offer to restore it.

Beef

6/13/2007, 10:44 AM

They wanted to check for hazardous materials, according to the DO.

Mjcpr

6/13/2007, 10:46 AM

I'd heard that Boyd Coddington was going to be there for the opening. Why are they opening it today?

I bet if he is there, he'll offer to restore it.

It's not open to the public, I guess they're just checking it out and getting it ready to move on Friday. It's all covered up now.

Oldnslo

6/13/2007, 10:53 AM

The Wife Unit said that they had to pump water out of the crypt.

Call Geraldo!

Mjcpr

6/13/2007, 10:55 AM

Call Geraldo!

I mentioned that to Mrs Mj this morning. :D

mxATVracer10

6/13/2007, 10:57 AM

whats up with the strategically placed QT cup? ;)

C&CDean

6/13/2007, 11:10 AM

The Wife Unit said that they had to pump water out of the crypt.

Call Geraldo!

Yup. That would be a 2" water pump sitting on the sidewalk. I've got one just like it.

Mjcpr

6/13/2007, 11:23 AM

More pics (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47422262@N00/sets/1320520/)

OklahomaSooners

6/13/2007, 11:27 AM

agreed, most time capsules have a pair of scissors in it or something but those a-holes had to put a perfectly good classic car in there.

It wasn't classic when they buried it. :)

Mongo

6/13/2007, 11:29 AM

If OKC had buried a car, it still would be in mint condition

OKC>Tulsa

Sooner_Bob

6/13/2007, 11:29 AM

I blame it on the proximity to Arkansas and Stoolwater personally.

We ain't got no buried car over here . . .

JohnnyMack

6/13/2007, 11:30 AM

That would be a 2" pump. I've got one just like it.

I don't think I'd brag about that.

KC//CRIMSON

6/13/2007, 12:38 PM

2 pump chump!

OU4LIFE

6/13/2007, 02:12 PM

http://www.funnyremix.com/blog/img/KungFuBaby.gif

Mjcpr

6/13/2007, 02:19 PM

They finally got it moved over to the Convention Center.

http://www.jimwcoleman.com/photoblog/052906%204%20little%20pile%20of%20mulch.jpg

OU4LIFE

6/13/2007, 02:21 PM

a little spit and polish.....

OUDoc

6/13/2007, 02:24 PM

Looks like the Tulsans stole one of our hills. :mad:

olevetonahill

6/13/2007, 03:33 PM

**** the car ! i wanta know about the Beer :D

BigRedJed

6/13/2007, 04:41 PM

BigRedJed

6/13/2007, 04:42 PM

You people should listen to me more often.

BigRedJed

6/13/2007, 04:48 PM

And, I should apparently be in charge of all future car time capsule burials.

mikeelikee

6/13/2007, 04:51 PM

Yep, they opened the "crypt" this morning, and found "several feet" of water in there. Apparently, the car was also enclosed in some sort of bag, but I'm not optimistic. We could have a big ol' pile of rust, come Friday.

OUDoc

6/13/2007, 08:05 PM

You people should listen to me more often.
Who is this guy?

Okla-homey

6/13/2007, 08:07 PM

Let this be a lesson to you good folks. When the "funeral industrial complex" urges you to spring for the super-excellent, guarenteed 5000 year water-proof burial vault for your Mee-Maw when she passes, just pass.

Given time, water always finds a way in. It's physics and stuff. Nature abhors a vacuum.

We're just as well off wrapping our loved ones in a linen shroud and putting them into the earth like our ancestors.

Did I mention that the funeral industry is a pox on humanity? Blood sucking, emotions leveraging, taker of unfair advantages bastages.:mad:

OU Adonis

6/13/2007, 08:27 PM

Given time, water always finds a way in. It's physics and stuff. Nature abhors a vacuum.

Thank you Jeff Goldbloom
http://www.solarnavigator.net/films_movies_actors/actors_films_images/jeff_goldblum.jpg

Jerk

6/13/2007, 09:20 PM

Well....

At least they tried.

The beer should still be good though!

OU Adonis

6/13/2007, 09:26 PM

I find it amusing that some people were "shocked" that it wasn't still in pristine condition after being underground for 50 years.

olevetonahill

6/13/2007, 09:27 PM

Well....

At least they tried.

The beer should still be good though!
If the car is rusted the Beer is way gone :eek:

KC//CRIMSON

6/13/2007, 09:39 PM

Did I mention that the funeral industry is a pox on humanity? Blood sucking, emotions leveraging, taker of unfair advantages bastages.

Didn't you pretty much say the same thing about weddings?

You old frugal bastard.:D

Pricetag

6/13/2007, 10:17 PM

They should have filled the vault with styrofoam or something of the like before closing it up and burying it.

Harry Beanbag

6/13/2007, 10:20 PM

And, I should apparently be in charge of all future car time capsule burials.

I think we should all pool our sponsor gifts, sell them on Ebay, buy a Prius, and bury it on Dean's back 40. You're in charge. I'll donate a 6-pack of Miller Chill to throw in there.

olevetonahill

6/13/2007, 10:22 PM

They should have filled the vault with styrofoam or something of the like before closing it up and burying it.
Was Styrofoam even invented then ?

Harry Beanbag

6/13/2007, 10:33 PM

Was Styrofoam even invented then ?

Yep, 1954. It probably didn't make it to Oklahoma 'til 1960 or so. :texan:

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpolystyrene.htm

StoopTroup

6/14/2007, 03:35 AM

I had a feeling we should have gone with the OU Construction Company instead of the Aggies.

Shamrock

6/14/2007, 03:37 AM

If the car is rusted the Beer is way gone :eek:

Maybe there wasn't any water in the vault. It was 4 feet of beer they siphoned out of that hole.

Okla-homey

6/14/2007, 07:12 AM

Didn't you pretty much say the same thing about weddings?

You old frugal bastard.:D

pretty much. However, the funeral industrial complex is nastier than the bridal industrial complex. The bridal industry focuses on making women believe it's all about them and their "special day" and that it's customary, fine and dandy to blow at least five figures on a wedding. This is particularly foolish because 50% don't even make it past their fifth anniversary.

OTOH, The funeral a-holes prey on vulnerable and emotionally raw people by actually inducing them to feel guilty if they don't blow at least five figures on a bunch of crap that is going into the ground to rust up like this Plymouth.

Jerk

6/14/2007, 07:13 AM

I think we should all pool our sponsor gifts, sell them on Ebay, buy a Prius, and bury it on Dean's back 40. You're in charge. I'll donate a 6-pack of Miller Chill to throw in there.
Heh, if that Prius's nickel battery ever started corroding, 'Dean's back 40' would be uninhabitable for the next 1000 years.

JohnnyMack

6/14/2007, 09:29 AM

Thank you Jeff Goldbloom

Are we allowed to give Jurassic Park spek?

JohnnyMack

6/14/2007, 09:31 AM

Hamhock

6/14/2007, 11:10 AM

grandpa was adamant that we spend as little as possible on his funeral.

we tried to do the pine box thing, but apparently their is a law that grandpa has to be in a vault??

i wonder who lobbied for that one?:rolleyes:

Petro-Sooner

6/14/2007, 04:24 PM

Was plastic not around at that time? You would think they would have tried a better way to preserve the thing.

Harry Beanbag

6/14/2007, 04:31 PM

Are we allowed to give Jurassic Park spek?

God no.

Mjcpr

6/14/2007, 04:35 PM

Crews Perform Mini-Lift Of Buried Belvedere

KOTV - 6/14/2007 4:09 PM - Updated 6/14/2007 4:11 PM
Tulsarama organizers hold a practice unearthing for Tulsa’s buried car. Crane crews had a dry run of lifting the wet car on Thursday. News On 6 anchor Terry Hood reports crews made sure the rigging on the car was secure before Friday’s unearthing. Plus, lifting the car out of the vault gave it a chance to drain.

Don't tell the team from Taylor Crane and Rigging they're a day early. They set up the heavy equipment downtown just like it was the Belvedere's big day.

Water was always a worry for them, metal support skids were buried with the car, but weren't wrapped or sealed like the Belvedere. Those beams may be the source of most of rust in the waterlogged vault, and that's a relief to everyone but Jim Taylor. His guys brought in new beams to take some of the pressure off.

"We actually have a dual-lifting system, or two separate systems, in case one fails our new system will hold it," said Jim Taylor Jr. of Taylor Crane and Rigging.

With failsafes in place, the crane crew was ready for a practice lift. Many gathered around the vault to see the Belvedere rise again, and everyone held their breath that the rigging would hold. Most expected to see the car raised a few inches, but crews lifted it ten feet giving the water-logged floorboards a chance to drain. Crews say getting the car out of the rusty, muddy vault gave everyone new hope.

"It looked better today than it did yesterday for some reason,” said Taylor. “I was down in there myself and it was muddy, but it looks better today."

Organizers say they'll be in the clear if Friday’s lift goes as well as Thursday’s practice one did.

While the car was up in the air it gave people a chance to inspect the damage 50 years underwater could do. Hot rod builder Boyd Coddington from cable's “American Hot Rod” came to Tulsa to take a look. He will get a chance to clean up the car between the Friday unearthing at noon, and our live special Friday night at 7.

How well did the Belvedere and the memorabilia buried with it survive underground for half a century? Find out on Friday, June 15th, at 7 p.m. on the News On 6. You can also see live streaming video of the unveiling on kotv.com (http://www.kotv.com/).

http://www.kotv.com/news/topstory/?id=129491

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 11:28 AM

Sure are a lot of helicopters downtown today.

Which is unusual because, to my knowledge, we haven't had us a killin' in days.

CUinNC

6/15/2007, 11:39 AM

OK - I'm an hour ahead of y'all, but what time they going to actually ley people see sumthin...?

I read where they sold like 10K tickets for this?:eek:

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 11:45 AM

OK - I'm an hour ahead of y'all, but what time they going to actually ley people see sumthin...?

I read where they sold like 10K tickets for this?:eek:

They're supposed to lift it out at noon, but only a few folks get to see that.....folks on the commission, folks who were here when they buried it, families, etc.

The O-fisshul unveiling will be tonight at 7 in the Convention Center, that's the one they sold tickets for but I think it was only around 3k-4k tickets which was all there were to sell. That will be available online at the KOTV website as well as on Channel 6 in Tulsa.

CUinNC

6/15/2007, 11:50 AM

Cool, I'll try to watch - thanks....maybe we can piggyback on the Drunktown thread on this later...

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 11:53 AM

Cool, I'll try to watch - thanks....maybe we can piggyback on the Drunktown thread on this later...

I would, but I don't think I'll be around tonight.

They're streaming (and I use this term loosely) the video of the ceremony right now on KJRH (http://www.kjrh.com/content/live/belvedere.aspx).

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 12:06 PM

It's out.

In one piece even. :)

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 12:22 PM

They're streaming (and I use this term loosely) the video of the ceremony right now on KJRH (http://www.kjrh.com/content/live/belvedere.aspx).
Worst stream since 1TC.

:mad:

proud gonzo

6/15/2007, 12:41 PM

lol

CUinNC

6/15/2007, 12:50 PM

Wonder if it's got that fancy push-button transmission in it....once had a neighbor who had one of those.......funny stuff

Partial Qualifier

6/15/2007, 12:54 PM

so what'd it look like?

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 01:02 PM

so what'd it look like?
A giant trash bag, from what I hear.

Hamhock

6/15/2007, 01:07 PM

A giant trash bag, from what I hear.

go back to the thread about the cool car they're digging up in OKC.

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 01:23 PM

go back to the thread about the cool car they're digging up in OKC.
Is that the one from the 1960's that crashed around Lake Hefner with the 2 bodies in it? Much cooler story, IMO. ;)

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 02:02 PM

so what'd it look like?

It looked pretty good, all things considered. It's intact. There is bound to be a fair amount of damage once they get it uncovered though, we'll see tonight I guess.

http://www.kotv.com/newsimages/214/7c429cb5-8d8f-41d7-825b-68c2d20b7c97.jpg

http://www.kotv.com/newsimages/214/c2cdac70-6986-4997-95e1-08956f75fd11.jpg

Here are some more pics. (http://www.kotv.com/news/topstory/?id=129540)

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 02:05 PM

It's sitting over by the convention center...I'ma check it out.

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 03:07 PM

It's sitting over by the convention center...I'ma check it out.

They were airing up the tires.

:confused:

I wouldn't think tires would survive. Would they?

mdklatt

6/15/2007, 03:15 PM

It looked pretty good, all things considered. It's intact.

Okay...so what's the point of this whole exercise when all is said and done?

We dug a rusty old car out of the ground! Yay us!

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 03:21 PM

Okay...so what's the point of this whole exercise when all is said and done?

We dug a rusty old car out of the ground! Yay us!
They just buried the car and some other stuff as a time capsule 50 years ago as part of their celebriting of the Semi-centennial(right?)....and as a part of the Centennial celebration, they're digging up that time capsule. At the time they had a contest....guess the city of Tulsa's population in 2007, whoever comes closest (or their heirs) when they dig it up wins the car and a $100 savings account (worth about $1200 today). I don't know what else. There are all kind of folks here from all over the world surprisingly, so for whatever reason it has created some interest.

Somebody said they overhead a guy offer to buy the car for $100k to whoever wins it....I don't know if that's true.

Fugue

6/15/2007, 03:43 PM

African water hole and airshow threads > this one

:texan:

StoopTroup

6/15/2007, 04:03 PM

Does it cost more to fill it up than the entire car cost originally?

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 04:13 PM

Does it cost more to fill it up than the entire car cost originally?

I dunno...how much is LEADED gasoline these days? :D

Not to worry, they put a can of it in the trunk......I'm sure it's fiiiiiiine.

BigRedJed

6/15/2007, 04:13 PM

...There are all kind of folks here from all over the world surprisingly, so for whatever reason it has created some interest...
Well, they had to do SOMETHING to get people to visit Tulsa.

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 04:15 PM

Well, they had to do SOMETHING to get people to visit Tulsa.

Well, it worked.

It is a little early for the PGA Championship.

:)

Flagstaffsooner

6/15/2007, 06:20 PM

Well, they had to do SOMETHING to get people to visit Tulsa.I bet the Tulsa city fathers went out and got an old car out of a Messicans yard and buried a couple of weeks ago. They made this whole thing up as a publicity stunt.

Jerk

6/15/2007, 06:34 PM

There stands a decent chance that the person who wins it is dead. So what do they do? Keep picking the next best guesses until they find someone alive?

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 06:48 PM

There stands a decent chance that the person who wins it is dead. So what do they do? Keep picking the next best guesses until they find someone alive?

I believe it was said it would go to that persons heir(s). What they better hope is that the list is in the steel time capsule rather than the glove box of the car which is where I always heard it was.

If it's not in the time capsule (which may or may not have held), I don't know how they figure it out.

KC//CRIMSON

6/15/2007, 07:05 PM

I gotta put that right up there with Al Capone's safe. Woo hoo!

RacerX

6/15/2007, 07:40 PM

It's kind of interesting to watch, but the people on the stage are lame-o.

OU Adonis

6/15/2007, 07:44 PM

What do you want to bet Boyd trieds to restore the sucker?

olevetonahill

6/15/2007, 07:45 PM

So is it a peace of shat ? or cool ?

Okla-homey

6/15/2007, 07:51 PM

So is it a peace of shat ? or cool ?
the thing has been immersed and is quite rusty. The front tires are holding air. The motor is a rusted lump. The body chrome trim and bumpers polishes up okay though.

The stuff in the trunk is all corroded and yucky, although a five gallon glass bottle of "DX" ethyl is fine. The case of beer has netted 24 rusty steel cans...some with liquid inside.

A good thing is the steel time capsule was intact and when they cut it open with saws, the stuff inside was perfect. Lots of documents and what not.

On top was a 48 star flag perfectly folded that they unfurled that looks brand new.

olevetonahill

6/15/2007, 07:57 PM

Thanks Homester
I think I called it
I said it would be a rust bucket and the Beer empty( I knows My beer ):D

OU Adonis

6/15/2007, 07:59 PM

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 08:04 PM

Homey pretty much described it all.....the car and contents did not age well but the time capsule survived very nicely. All kinds of good stuff in there including the population guesses.

Except for the freakin' commercials and John Ehrling's goofy ***, I thought it was very cool! They shoulda let Sharon King-whatsit emcee it. I'll probably go see it and the artifcats this weekend.

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 08:06 PM

I wonder what other time capsules are around the country.

Seriously though, you would think they would of done a better job of protecting the car.

Why does a time capsule have to actually be below ground btw?
They probably thought they went overboard with all of that stuff. I'm sure they thought all of that would be more than enough.

I don't now. But there is one at 409 S 13th St in Muskogee, OK where my parents planted our Moonraker CB antenna. :D

Flagstaffsooner

6/15/2007, 08:10 PM

Another bust for the continuing decline of the second city of Oklahoma.

OKC>tulsa;)

olevetonahill

6/15/2007, 08:20 PM

But I said rust an NO beer

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 08:25 PM

But I said rust an NO beer

There was some liquid in some of the cans they said.....I thought of you. :D

And it was Schlitz, by the way. Put in there by a local musician who passed away a few years ago; they had a clip of him talking about it.

One cool thing....the tires survived, the whitewalls too. I guess a lot people signed the whitewalls on the day it was sealed up. They had a clip of one of those guys too who was there...anyway, the signatures held up...you could see those really well.

olevetonahill

6/15/2007, 08:28 PM

Muddy ****ing water was the only liquid in those cans :cool:

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 08:38 PM

Any pictures?

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 08:51 PM

Any pictures?

I haven't found any yet. The car, though, looks like a car that's been underwater for a VERY long time....it just does. The chrome though, when they wiped it off, looked brand new. There were items in the car and the trunk but they had also suffered a lot of water damage.

The time capsule that was full of stuff from that day and time was sealed and in perfect condition. That's where a lot of the goodies will come from I think. There were aerial photos of Tulsa from that time from McDonnell-Douglas (who had a major presence here back then and a relative of mine worked for and lived here around that time), the original post cards sent in with the population guesses, yearbooks, newspapers, flags (46 stars), etc, etc. That will be neat to see.

Jimminy Crimson

6/15/2007, 09:23 PM

Mmmm, rust!

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.0de753691eba47a19882926e9b169d6d.buried_belve dere_okso113.jpg

StoopTroup

6/15/2007, 09:24 PM

Lets bury a hybrid in the hole and give it to OKC in 100 years when Tulsa is the new State Capital. ;)

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 09:25 PM

Mmmm, rust!

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.0de753691eba47a19882926e9b169d6d.buried_belve dere_okso113.jpg
As much as I enjoy giving **** to the Tulsa crowd, that really sucks that the car wasn't in better shape than that. Maybe they can fix it up.

StoopTroup

6/15/2007, 09:25 PM

We have the Technology...:D

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 09:26 PM

As much as I enjoy giving **** to the Tulsa crowd, that really sucks that the car wasn't in better shape than that. Maybe they can fix it up.

I was disappointed too....but there wre a lot of cool things in the sealed time capsule that was in there as well. They should made one for the car I guess.

Jimminy Crimson

6/15/2007, 09:32 PM

I bet it smells like sh!t... or at least what an Army surplus store smells like. ;)

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.732f548ad1a442bba1524a73b65199c0.buried_belve dere_okso115.jpg

Jimminy Crimson

6/15/2007, 09:33 PM

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.33fe8ad0e73c40c19ee8f5614aadf936.buried_belve dere_okso117.jpg

Okla-homey

6/15/2007, 09:33 PM

As much as I enjoy giving **** to the Tulsa crowd, that really sucks that the car wasn't in better shape than that. Maybe they can fix it up.

C'mon doc. Haven't you ever seen Antiques Roadshow? The worst thing you can do to stuff is refinish it. It should be left in all it's rusty, mud-encrusted glory.

Jimminy Crimson

6/15/2007, 09:33 PM

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.4c65d44e6fce4877bd8a20c177b05717.buried_belve dere_okso116.jpg

StoopTroup

6/15/2007, 09:33 PM

I wonder if they would have made more dough holding a car bash?

http://www.uttyler.edu/news/2004/feb2/gifs/hc-car-bash.jpg

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 09:34 PM

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.33fe8ad0e73c40c19ee8f5614aadf936.buried_belve dere_okso117.jpg

That'd be cool if you were one of those folks!

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 09:37 PM

C'mon doc. Haven't you ever seen Antiques Roadshow? The worst thing you can do to stuff is refinish it. It should be left in all it's rusty, mud-encrusted glory.
There is a growing group who value cars with no restoration whatsoever, including torn seats/cracked dash/faded paint/etc. This might be worth a mint to them.

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 09:40 PM

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/553556502_b304d46025_o.jpg

Mjcpr

6/15/2007, 09:41 PM

Those D-X cans in that pic looked like glass water cooler bottles during the show. I'm guessing the D-X part rusted away leaving whatever that bottle is underneath.

KC//CRIMSON

6/15/2007, 09:41 PM

Too bad they didn't actually put anything of value in the time capsule. You know, cash? baseball cards? The Beatles White album on vinyl? Jeebus.

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 09:42 PM

DX is long gone.

Okla-homey

6/15/2007, 09:43 PM

Too bad they didn't actually put anything of value in the time capsule. You know, cash? baseball cards? The Beatles White album on vinyl? Jeebus.

The Beatles were still in primary school in 1957. Just saying.

olevetonahill

6/15/2007, 09:44 PM

Unless that engine Froz up I believe I could make it run within 2 weeks
No brag just fact ;)

StoopTroup

6/15/2007, 09:44 PM

If any of those workers are still working...they should be fired. ;)

KC//CRIMSON

6/15/2007, 09:48 PM

The Beatles were still in primary school in 1957. Just saying.

Well since Paul joined John and the gang in '57. I'll take a demo tape?

tulsaoilerfan

6/15/2007, 10:07 PM

Still a pretty nice story no matter what the result was; Tulsa got their money's worth and then some in the publicity around this

OUDoc

6/15/2007, 10:11 PM

So, did Boyd Coddington leave, or is he fixing the thing up?

Getem

6/15/2007, 10:18 PM

Boyd said we should leave her just as she is. So, basically he doesn't think it can be done, or doesn't want to be the one to do it. I'd like to see what it looks like with all the residue rubbed off.

KC//CRIMSON

6/15/2007, 10:22 PM

So, did Boyd Coddington leave, or is he fixing the thing up?

Boyd said *uck that noise!

OU Adonis

6/15/2007, 10:28 PM

Why don't they just buy a new 57 one and give it to the winner?

StoopTroup

6/15/2007, 10:36 PM

The old car has the same color that the Golden Driller has.

http://www.tulsahomesguide.com/img/tulsa-golden-driller.jpghttp://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070616/capt.732f548ad1a442bba1524a73b65199c0.buried_belve dere_okso115.jpg

Jimminy Crimson

6/16/2007, 05:43 AM

RacerX

6/16/2007, 09:23 AM

NuFinish will restore that shine!

Harry Beanbag

6/16/2007, 10:40 AM

StoopTroup

6/16/2007, 10:42 AM

I'd say the car is a total loss.

TheBobbyTrain

6/16/2007, 11:26 AM

I bet Jeff Spicoli could fix it.
http://www.fu-manchu.com/morbidaj/spicoli04.jpg

His dad is a TV repairman with an ultimate set of tools.

BigRedJed

6/16/2007, 12:02 PM

Man, that's a damn shame. This is one time I was hoping that I wasn't right. There HAS to be a way that could be done correctly. The idea of digging up a mint condition, 50-year-old auto is pretty cool. And yes, digging it up is cooler than taking it out of a warehouse somewhere, where it was walled up, for instance.

I think I would start with the crown of a slightly higher piece of property, so that water ran away from it. Next, set the vault on top of about 10' of gravel. The gravel pit itself should be drained directly into a sewer or storm drain using a floor drain configuraltion and check valves that keep the sewer from backing up into the gravel pit. In the floor of the vault, you place floor drains that drain into the gravel, and again, these floor drains should include check valves so that if the gravel pit fills with water no water backs up into the compartment.

In addition to the gunnite or concrete that they used, they should have also then sealed the vault with some sort of concrete sealer or even a pitch material.

It's not realistic to believe that NO water will ever intrude on the compartment (which is apparently what they were counting on), but the secret is to make sure that it gets out as quickly as possible. Cars are made to get wet, within reason. It's inexcusable that there was ever more than a few inches of water in the compartment, over its 50 year life. But even if the vault became compromised and filled up entirely, it would have drained immediately once the flood event passed. The problem this car had was that once water did intrude (as it was guaranteed to do on some level), it had no quick way to get out besides slowly seeping through cracks in the concrete, or the concrete itself. Standing water is what killed this car, not just getting wet.

EVERYTHING that I just suggested utilizes technology that was available in 1957.

And yes, I know, I'm Monday-morning-quarterbacking, but I will point out that I made the observation regarding the drain holes based on 1957 photos long before the car was unearthed. It's pretty silly that it wasn't done that way, and I'm guessing it's because they relied entirely on someone who had experience in only one trade (concrete), who wasn't aware of plumbing/drainage solutions, etc.

Getem

6/16/2007, 12:28 PM

Where were you 50 years ago?

I still think we don't know if it can be restored till we clean her up and see what is residue, what is surface rust, and what is rot. Obviously, the interior is gone (cept maybe the steering wheel) but there are no obvious holes in the sheet metal. The spot on the bumper where they rubbed on it a bit looks good. I just think it would make a great exhibit with her fully restored next to photos what she looked like out of the ground, along with the other stuff from the time capsule.
http://www.buriedcar.com/all_galleries/time/images/IMG_0508.jpg

Mjcpr

6/16/2007, 12:30 PM

If you restore THAT car, I don't think it would really be that car anymore. What could you use.....the frame?

BigRedJed

6/16/2007, 12:39 PM

Using my solution, they would have had to have a vent pipe of some sort protruding above-ground. To keep it from becoming a conduit for water in the case of a flood, the top of the vent pipe should be higher than the 100-year flood plain. This could easily be accomplished by encasing/disguising the vent pipe in a monument explaining the time capsule below. Sponsors' names could be listed on the monument (with a guarantee of their names being there for 50 years) and presto... ...the entire project is funded.

BigRedJed

6/16/2007, 12:41 PM

If anyone wants to use my idea, my consultant fee is one meeeeelion dollars.

Sooner Born Sooner Bred

6/16/2007, 10:45 PM

Maybe they can use your idea for the next one Jed.

BigRedJed

6/16/2007, 10:48 PM

Maybe, but they're gonna pay.

olevetonahill

6/16/2007, 10:50 PM

Bury another
this time Seal the vault , pump it down to a vacumme , thin fill with Nitrogen
:cool:

Mjcpr

6/16/2007, 10:50 PM

What did you say about a protruding vent pipe? ;)

I went to the car show tonight....she's in bad shape. There was a mirror on the ground under the car in the back displaying the dual mufflers and differential (I guess). They're there, but rusted all to hell.

I guess it will HAVE to be restored or some day soon it will just fall apart won't it? My vote would be to leave it like it is and display it but I think the rust will take over, I'm not so sure it's preservable in it's current state.

On a brighter note, the car show was VERY well done and the artifacts on display were interesting. Apparently, they will all be on display in about a month at the Tulsa Historical Society.

Mjcpr

6/16/2007, 10:51 PM

Bury another
this time Seal the vault , pump it down to a vacumme , thin fill with Nitrogen
:cool:

There's a Prowler in a vaccum sealed aluminum container set to be unveiled in 2048 for Tulsa's 150th birthday. :D

BigRedJed

6/16/2007, 10:57 PM

Bury another
this time Seal the vault , pump it down to a vacumme , thin fill with Nitrogen
:cool:
That would be another idea, that is, to pressurize a tightly sealed vault. I'm still thinking the vault might be penetrated after a number of years, though and you'd have the same problem.

Jimminy Crimson

6/16/2007, 11:00 PM

sanantoniosooner

6/16/2007, 11:01 PM

I dug up a hot wheels somebody buried once.

It hadn't aged well.

Mjcpr

6/16/2007, 11:02 PM

Oklahoma City put a mint (?) car in the Travel & Transporation building at the fairgrounds that I believe was the millionth off the production line at the GM plant or somesuch place back in the day when the building opened...

I assume the car is still there. Not sure on the model, but from what I remember it looks like Gremlin-like.

There was a Gremlin at the car show. :D

Bunch of immaculate, old *** cars from all over the world.....and there was a Gremlin.

Turd_Ferguson

6/16/2007, 11:23 PM

Oklahoma City put a mint (?) car in the Travel & Transporation building at the fairgrounds that I believe was the millionth off the production line at the GM plant or somesuch place back in the day when the building opened...

I assume the car is still there. Not sure on the model, but from what I remember it looks like Gremlin-like.

I've seen that car....it's red or maroon. Not sure what car it is, but I don't think it's there anymore. The last time I seen it was the same night I seen a OK sherriff deputy in a VW Bug. I asked him how he cuffed and stuffed people in that little thing. He asked me if I wanted him to show me:eek:

olevetonahill

6/16/2007, 11:26 PM

Any current Pics ? Ya know after the gunk is gone ?

Mjcpr

6/16/2007, 11:27 PM

Here are more pics from the car show than I'd ever want to link (http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?whichpage=12&TOPIC_ID=6652&#89098)

By Tulsappolplyr88

sanantoniosooner

6/16/2007, 11:30 PM

My dad had a car like this, but it was in focus
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b49/tulsapoolplyr88/DSC00493.jpg

olevetonahill

6/16/2007, 11:34 PM

http://www.buriedcar.com/all_galleries/time/images/IMG_0497.jpg

http://www.buriedcar.com/all_galleries/time/images/IMG_0494.jpg

http://www.buriedcar.com/all_galleries/time/images/IMG_0513.jpg

I'm guessing this is the Schlitz.
Oh Fu-k I didnt see those pics till now :eek:
Thats a poesce of shat !:eek:
I dont think the Frame will even be worth a f- s !
Jed called it Drain field , I said Sealed and vacume then fill with Nitrogen
the 2 should do it !

Mjcpr

6/16/2007, 11:38 PM

Vet, you do realize that last pic is the remaining cans of a case of Schlitz, right?

:D

Turd_Ferguson

6/16/2007, 11:38 PM

Had the 77 Chevy stepside with a 350. Looked like this, but was banana yellow.
http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1174596277carce3.jpg

olevetonahill

6/16/2007, 11:51 PM

Vet, you do realize that last pic is the remaining cans of a case of Schlitz, right?

:D
Thats what Im pizzed about . a waste of a decent case of beer !:D
They should have drunk em and tossed the emptys in the trunk ! just sayin

Sooner Born Sooner Bred

6/17/2007, 06:15 PM

Maybe they should just bury that same car to see what it looks like in 2057.

goingoneight

6/18/2007, 12:48 AM

I heard all my life from my grandma about that car. She never knew what kind of car it was, she just said that her and my grandfather watched a crew bury a time capsule with a car in it (among other things).

She passed away in February 2005, and of my many fond memories of her, this is one I distinctly remember. She said we'd go see it dug up someday.

I'm as big of a Tulsa make-funner-of-er as anyone, but this is really quite an amazing deal. The only people who are hating on it are Tulsa or Oklahoma haters. It's a sad deal that their sealing methods didn't work, but you live and learn. Should they decide to ever do this or something like it again, they'll use a little more than basic science (put a ziploc bad over it, BRILLIANT!!!).

As I went by myself to see the car and the time capsule stuff, I felt for the first time in a long time something tearing at my heart. It was like hearing the voices of long lost relatives all over again in my mind. I don't know if this or anythign like this has ever happened to anyone else, just sayin'... it's not a joke, Tulsa's not a joke for doing this, and the people who find it interesting certainly aren't a joke for their opinions on it. I smiled throughout the entire time checking this stuff out.

It doesn't represent tragedy, but it does represent a small part of history for many people. Some may have thought it was cute, or funny, or neat. Others may remember a lost family member or friend who might have signed something in the time capsule or worked with the burial crew, etc.

Having said that, I don't see a 2007 model vehicle holding up anywhere near as good as that one did for 50 years. Not unless the "capsule" was an underground room, locked up and vacuum-sealed with preservatives. And that's not really a time capsule, that's a vault.