The '57 Tulsa Plymouth

[2fast4u]

I bet they will auction it off and the high bidder will be some idiot who will just restore it to look like all the other ones out there.

  My understanding is that the Plymouth is supposed to go to the person or the heir of that person which makes the closest guess of what the population is of Tulsa on June 15, 2007.

[2fast4u]

I say the thing comes out mint (looks like i'm about the only one?) & looking like brand new like the day it went in. Hopefully? LEON.

  I guess I'm with you hemi-hampton,  I watched the old footage of them prepping the car in the vault and looked to me like they took several precautions! like covering the engine and then putting a cover over the entire car and then blowing in insulation to fill up the vault.

  People back then didn't do anything half assed.  they weren't chency in any way, and I think it will be okay. Not perfect but okay.

2fast

[The70RT]

You got to figure some water got in and then the moister is always present (because wheres it gonna go?) I would say it is pretty much covered with surface rust. Anything around high humidity for 50 years  ....except maybe glass but if it was the three layer type im sure it got it's share too.

[kab69440]

Even if the chamber is half full of water, there is minimal free oxygen present to support any rust that might have begun. Cars live forever at the bottom of freshwater lakes.

[dkn1997]

it also looked like they were shooting gunite or shotcrete on the inside of the vault in the videos, that stuff is pretty waterproof.  and I read a NY times article that said the car was coated in cosmoline too.   humidity?  probably, but can you have humidity with no oxygen?  I don't know.

the worst thing I saw is hat it looks like the top of the vault is barely 3 feet under the ground.  I thought it was deeper until I saw the video again.

[Skued]

This was in today's paper http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070415_1_A1_hWork14115 Sounds like it may be in perfect condition.

Steve

[hemi-hampton]

I speculated months ago I'm figuring it would come out mint or like brand new, I'm hoping so LEON.

[dkn1997]

If the gunite is intact, then no water got in at least.  humidity?  I don't know, but I can't wait to see it!

come to think of it, time capsules were all the rage in the 50's, I would bet a lot are due to be opened up soon.  I wonder how many have been forgotten about?

[73dodge]

I'll play devils advocate:

Headline Tulsa World Newspaper dated the day after they unbury the car

57 Plymouth Destroyed as workers remove car buried in 1957.

The buried 1957 Plymouth was destroyed after workers lifting the car dropped it from the platform used to lift the car from the vault. The Plymouth was in pristine condition surviving 50 years buried in an underground vault. As Workers lifted the 5000lb car from the vault the cables holding the platform snapped dropping the car from a height of 50 feet. The car exploded upon impact due to the gasoline stored in the trunk, the gas ignited as the car hit the ground. Stunned on lookers were thrown back from the force of the explosion that could only be described as epic. One on looker said it looked like it was a "Hollywood special effect" the way the car blew up after falling and hitting the ground. No one has been able to find any recognizable piece of the car after the explosion.

[CharlieCharger]

I'll play devils advocate:

Headline Tulsa World Newspaper dated the day after they unbury the car

57 Plymouth Destroyed as workers remove car buried in 1957.

The buried 1957 Plymouth was destroyed after workers lifting the car dropped it from the platform used to lift the car from the vault. The Plymouth was in pristine condition surviving 50 years buried in an underground vault. As Workers lifted the 5000lb car from the vault the cables holding the platform snapped dropping the car from a height of 50 feet. The car exploded upon impact due to the gasoline stored in the trunk, the gas ignited as the car hit the ground. Stunned on lookers were thrown back from the force of the explosion that could only be described as epic. One on looker said it looked like it was a "Hollywood special effect" the way the car blew up after falling and hitting the ground. No one has been able to find any recognizable piece of the car after the explosion.

That would have to be the biggest kick in the nads ever

[Charger_Fan]

I'll play devils advocate:

Headline Tulsa World Newspaper dated the day after they unbury the car

57 Plymouth Destroyed as workers remove car buried in 1957.

The buried 1957 Plymouth was destroyed after workers lifting the car dropped it from the platform used to lift the car from the vault. The Plymouth was in pristine condition surviving 50 years buried in an underground vault. As Workers lifted the 5000lb car from the vault the cables holding the platform snapped dropping the car from a height of 50 feet. The car exploded upon impact due to the gasoline stored in the trunk, the gas ignited as the car hit the ground. Stunned on lookers were thrown back from the force of the explosion that could only be described as epic. One on looker said it looked like it was a "Hollywood special effect" the way the car blew up after falling and hitting the ground. No one has been able to find any recognizable piece of the car after the explosion.

Killjoy!                            

[dkn1997]

I'll play devils advocate:

Headline Tulsa World Newspaper dated the day after they unbury the car

57 Plymouth Destroyed as workers remove car buried in 1957.

The buried 1957 Plymouth was destroyed after workers lifting the car dropped it from the platform used to lift the car from the vault. The Plymouth was in pristine condition surviving 50 years buried in an underground vault. As Workers lifted the 5000lb car from the vault the cables holding the platform snapped dropping the car from a height of 50 feet. The car exploded upon impact due to the gasoline stored in the trunk, the gas ignited as the car hit the ground. Stunned on lookers were thrown back from the force of the explosion that could only be described as epic. One on looker said it looked like it was a "Hollywood special effect" the way the car blew up after falling and hitting the ground. No one has been able to find any recognizable piece of the car after the explosion.

you must be fun at parties

[CaptMarvel]

I think its probably in decent shape, stale and musty, maybe some slight surface oxidation.  I wish more interest in history would be fostered through things like this, we are all too busy living in the now it seems to care about what happened before. I am a history nut and just eat up stuff like this. 

[1BAD68]

This will be incredible to see when they open it up. Many cars have been found hidden away for years but all above ground, this one has been in a tomb with no sunlight, no air, no temperature changes, no humidity and no dust. If there hasn't been any water seeping in, it should be as bright and shiny as it was in 1957. Anyone know what color it is?

[Skued]

According to the website, the car is gold and white.  If anybody is planning on going to the "official" unveiling tickets are going fast.  I bought mine Monday and lower level seating is sold out, only the cheap seats are left.

Steve

[The70RT]

According to the website, the car is gold and white.  If anybody is planning on going to the "official" unveiling tickets are going fast.  I bought mine Monday and lower level seating is sold out, only the cheap seats are left.

Steve

Say what...they are charging....that's crazy. So they are taking it in somewhere to unveil it?

[Skued]

Yeah, the unveiling of the car and contents will be held at the Tulsa Convention Center.  The actual removal of the car is limited viewing.   

Steve

[Charger_Fan]

So they are going to open the box without a big crowd, then spit shine it before they let the general public see it? I don't see why, that sorta defeats the purpose in a way.

[The70RT]

So they are going to open the box without a big crowd, then spit shine it before they let the general public see it? I don't see why, that sorta defeats the purpose in a way.

Maybe they have one out of a junk yard to give to the winner if this one looks good and are going to switch it

[PocketThunder]

So they are going to open the box without a big crowd, then spit shine it before they let the general public see it? I don't see why, that sorta defeats the purpose in a way.

So maybe some of you can get down there the day they exume the body and watch from a 6th floor window or something..

[The70RT]

So they are going to open the box without a big crowd, then spit shine it before they let the general public see it? I don't see why, that sorta defeats the purpose in a way.

So maybe some of you can get down there the day they exume the body and watch from a 6th floor window or something..

They are doing it I guess inside the Tulsa Convention Center.

[dkn1997]

So they are going to open the box without a big crowd, then spit shine it before they let the general public see it? I don't see why, that sorta defeats the purpose in a way.

So maybe some of you can get down there the day they exume the body and watch from a 6th floor window or something..

I'm game, I will bring my italian rifle and scope with me.  I swear, they are just curtain rods officer.....

[TUFCAT]

The car may be better than we all think - - read this link about how it was prevered with vapor proof sheething and then vacuum packed (for freshness ).

http://www.shelbynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=93&ArticleID=47103

[Skued]

Looks like American Hot Rod and Boyd Coddington are going to be on hand to "inspect the car after its removal from a vault " http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070427_1_A10_BIELW42637 This thing is getting bigger by the day.

Steve

[Ghoste]

Well now we know there will be money involved with the exhumation.  Not that there was ever any doubt.