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Source team bhp
A Plymouth Belvedere 1957 was buried in 1957 in the US,
by its the residents of Tulsa, who wished that the car be exhumed 50 years later in 2007.
This the the story of the car as told by Ram (source Team
bhp)1957 was the year, the US state of Oklahoma completed 50 years.
That year, the residents of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma buried a time
capsule in downtown Tulsa, at the SE corner of the lawn of the Tulsa
County Courthouse.
It was Saturday, 15th June 1957.
A brand new gold and white 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe was
buried along with other historical artifacts in that time capsule.In
1957, citizens of Tulsa were asked to guess what the population of
Tulsa would be in the year 2007. The entries were recorded on
microfilm, sealed in a steel urn and buried inside the vault with the
Belvedere.
On Friday 15th June
2007, when the car was exhumed, sponsors, VIPs and relatives of the
1957 event functionaries witnessed the event.The process started, Tuesday, 12th June. The street around the area
was closed to accommodate a giant crane.After digging out, the 1957 Plymouth
was loaded onto a trailer and transported into the Tulsa
Convention Center arena.It was exhibited at the Tulsa Civic Centre.
The Belvedere became the property of the person whose 1957 guess about the
2007 population was closest to correct. If that person was no longer alive in
2007, their closest identifiable heir was to get the car.
Bad news: As workers began to dig out the plastic-wrapped
two-door 1957 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop, they discovered the concrete crypt
had gotten partly filled with water over the decades. The Plymouth
may well have been damaged.
Organizers of the annual Tulsarama festival were reportedly seen crying over
the unexpected setback. The discovery of several feet of water in the crypt on
Wed. 13 June, brought gasps and tears to the eyes of some spectators who camped
at the scene days earlier.
A 58-year-old Tulsa citizen who had
watched the car buried as an 8-year-old, took a more philosophical approach:
"Fifty years ago I was younger and a little healthier, too. Now, I'm a
rust bucket also."
The water was pumped out, but the condition of the Belvedere, wrapped
in three layers of mud-caked protective Styrolene, remained a mystery.
Will it be a rust-bucket? Will it even start? Is the bit of shiny chrome
visible on the bumper a good omen?
By 22:30 Indian Std. Time that day in June 2007, all was known
The car's keys were rusted inside the ignition lock switch.
Then Boyd Coddington tried to turn the engine, but it had seized solid.
There was no hope of starting the engine. It had become one giant solid
block of rusted metal.
My guess is the fifty years worth of oxygen-rich atmosphere found its
way through the intake and/or exhaust manifold to a valve which was
stuck open. And from there on into the cylinder to corrode the
piston-head surface and the top piston ring.
Even lubricating oils chemically decompose and break down over time, so the V8's in-block camshaft would have seized solid too!
Amazingly shiny chrome was still visible around the doors and front
fender. The 50-year old tires were aired up and supported the weight of
the Belvedere.
When three people from Oklahoma State University's Automotive School
peeled back the layers of protective wrapping, all the eagerly
expectant audience saw was, a rusted car.
Boyd Coddington and his people tried to open the various compartments.
The hood and dikky creaked open, but the side doors were rusted shut.
The bright news is that Hemmings reported that Boyd Coddington will
restore the '57 Belvedere completely to its original condition.
Here is a well-kept car of the same model, year and colour as the one unearthed.
Back in 1957, a certain Mr. Ray Humbertson, had submitted the closest
prediction of Tulsa city's 2007 population. Ray Humbertson died in 1979.
His closest living relative is his sister, Mrs. Catherine Johnson, a
venerable old lady in her nineties. So, as agreed in 1957, the
unearthed Plymouth Belvedere was awarded to Mrs. Johnson.
A company called Ultra One Corp of New Jersey, has agreed to treat the
car with their rust-removing products.
The car was dipped in a state-of-the-art non-acid rust remover
product, "Safest Rust Remover". This chemical can remove rust
delicately, without destroying any of the fragile parts such as seals,
gaskets, and original paint, decals and stickers.
The restored car was then repainted and unveiled again at Tulsa, Oklahoma in September 2007.
Then the car toured around the USA for special events for a few months.
Finally, now in Jan. 2009, the car will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson
auction in Scottsdale to a great auto museum where it will remain for
the rest of its life.
The Barrett-Jackson co. serve classic and collector car owners, astute
collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. They hold a
so-called "World's Greatest Collector Car Event" at Scottsdale, Arizona
and at Palm Beach, Florida.
A Plymouth Belvedere 1957 was buried in 1957 in the US,
by its the residents of Tulsa, who wished that the car be exhumed 50 years later in 2007.
This the the story of the car as told by Ram (source Team
bhp)1957 was the year, the US state of Oklahoma completed 50 years.
That year, the residents of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma buried a time
capsule in downtown Tulsa, at the SE corner of the lawn of the Tulsa
County Courthouse.
It was Saturday, 15th June 1957.
A brand new gold and white 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe was
buried along with other historical artifacts in that time capsule.In
1957, citizens of Tulsa were asked to guess what the population of
Tulsa would be in the year 2007. The entries were recorded on
microfilm, sealed in a steel urn and buried inside the vault with the
Belvedere.
On Friday 15th June
2007, when the car was exhumed, sponsors, VIPs and relatives of the
1957 event functionaries witnessed the event.The process started, Tuesday, 12th June. The street around the area
was closed to accommodate a giant crane.After digging out, the 1957 Plymouth
was loaded onto a trailer and transported into the Tulsa
Convention Center arena.It was exhibited at the Tulsa Civic Centre.
The Belvedere became the property of the person whose 1957 guess about the
2007 population was closest to correct. If that person was no longer alive in
2007, their closest identifiable heir was to get the car.
Bad news: As workers began to dig out the plastic-wrapped
two-door 1957 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop, they discovered the concrete crypt
had gotten partly filled with water over the decades. The Plymouth
may well have been damaged.
Organizers of the annual Tulsarama festival were reportedly seen crying over
the unexpected setback. The discovery of several feet of water in the crypt on
Wed. 13 June, brought gasps and tears to the eyes of some spectators who camped
at the scene days earlier.
A 58-year-old Tulsa citizen who had
watched the car buried as an 8-year-old, took a more philosophical approach:
"Fifty years ago I was younger and a little healthier, too. Now, I'm a
rust bucket also."
The water was pumped out, but the condition of the Belvedere, wrapped
in three layers of mud-caked protective Styrolene, remained a mystery.
Will it be a rust-bucket? Will it even start? Is the bit of shiny chrome
visible on the bumper a good omen?
By 22:30 Indian Std. Time that day in June 2007, all was known
The car's keys were rusted inside the ignition lock switch.
Then Boyd Coddington tried to turn the engine, but it had seized solid.
There was no hope of starting the engine. It had become one giant solid
block of rusted metal.
My guess is the fifty years worth of oxygen-rich atmosphere found its
way through the intake and/or exhaust manifold to a valve which was
stuck open. And from there on into the cylinder to corrode the
piston-head surface and the top piston ring.
Even lubricating oils chemically decompose and break down over time, so the V8's in-block camshaft would have seized solid too!
Amazingly shiny chrome was still visible around the doors and front
fender. The 50-year old tires were aired up and supported the weight of
the Belvedere.
When three people from Oklahoma State University's Automotive School
peeled back the layers of protective wrapping, all the eagerly
expectant audience saw was, a rusted car.
Boyd Coddington and his people tried to open the various compartments.
The hood and dikky creaked open, but the side doors were rusted shut.
The bright news is that Hemmings reported that Boyd Coddington will
restore the '57 Belvedere completely to its original condition.
Here is a well-kept car of the same model, year and colour as the one unearthed.
Back in 1957, a certain Mr. Ray Humbertson, had submitted the closest
prediction of Tulsa city's 2007 population. Ray Humbertson died in 1979.
His closest living relative is his sister, Mrs. Catherine Johnson, a
venerable old lady in her nineties. So, as agreed in 1957, the
unearthed Plymouth Belvedere was awarded to Mrs. Johnson.
A company called Ultra One Corp of New Jersey, has agreed to treat the
car with their rust-removing products.
The car was dipped in a state-of-the-art non-acid rust remover
product, "Safest Rust Remover". This chemical can remove rust
delicately, without destroying any of the fragile parts such as seals,
gaskets, and original paint, decals and stickers.
The restored car was then repainted and unveiled again at Tulsa, Oklahoma in September 2007.
Then the car toured around the USA for special events for a few months.
Finally, now in Jan. 2009, the car will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson
auction in Scottsdale to a great auto museum where it will remain for
the rest of its life.
The Barrett-Jackson co. serve classic and collector car owners, astute
collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. They hold a
so-called "World's Greatest Collector Car Event" at Scottsdale, Arizona
and at Palm Beach, Florida.
