That Buried Car? A Bucket Of Rust

1957 Plymouth Belvedere Unearthed After 50 Years Still Turns Heads, But Not The Way You'd Think

(AP)  A concrete vault encasing a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere buried a half-century ago may have been built to withstand a nuclear attack but it couldn't beat back the natural onslaught of moisture, organizers of the car's unveiling found Friday.

After the curtain went up at the ceremony, complete with a couple drum rolls, a multilayered protective wrapping caked with red mud was removed, revealing the vintage vehicle covered in rust.

There were a few bright spots: shiny chrome was still visible around the doors and front fender, and workers were able to put air in the tires.

But the reveal in front of thousands of people at the Tulsa Convention Center affirmed what many feared: the past 50 years had not been the kindest to Miss Belvedere.

"I'll tell you what, she's a mess," said legendary hot rod builder Boyd Coddington, who was unable to start the thing up as initially planned. "Look at her."

Event organizer Sharon King Davis, a fourth generation Tulsan whose grandfather helped bury the Plymouth, joked that the car needed a little Oil of Olay to help it out.

In the trunk, organizers meticulously pulled out some of the objects buried with the two-door hardtop to celebrate Oklahoma's 50 years of statehood in 1957. A 5-gallon can of gasoline — sold at 24 cents a gallon in those days — and rusted cans of Schlitz beer were recovered.

The contents of a "typical" woman's handbag, containing 14 bobby pins, a bottle of tranquilizers and a lipstick, among other items, was supposed to be in the glove box, but all that was found looked like a lump of rotted leather.

Workers also searched for a spool of microfilm that recorded the entries of a contest to determine who would win the car: the person who guessed the closest of what Tulsa's population would be in 2007 — 382,457 — would win.

That person, or his or her heirs, will get the car by June 22 and a $100 savings account, worth about $1,200 today with interest. So far, all they found were guesses of the population written on postcards.

The elements could not penetrate a separate time capsule buried with the car. Its top was sawed off Friday and organizers removed and unfolded an unfaded American flag, sending up a rousing applause through the crowd.

Other historical documents, aerial maps of the city and postcards were in good condition.

Hours earlier, thousands of curious onlookers watched as the car was placed on a flatbed truck about noon CDT and driven to the Convention Center for the evening event. Some had arrived downtown before 6 a.m. and endured torrential rain just to get a glimpse of the car.

By the time of the ceremony, people were standing on rooftops and looking out office buildings as news helicopters buzzed overhead.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Miss Belvedere," said King Davis, before the crane delicately placed the car onto the flatbed.

Only the car's trademark fins were exposed as it came out of the ground, and it was unclear if they were caked with rust or mud.

The suspense was what Pittsburgh car enthusiast Dave Stragand came for.

"It's our King Tut's tomb," he said. "It's like a fairy tale."

Like Stragand, folks who gathered at the site — many days earlier — didn't seem too concerned with how the car would look.

"We don't care what condition it's in," said Denver retiree Bob Petri, a car nut who said he was "born with a wrench" in his hand. "It's just the whole idea somebody thought of it in 1957 and here we are living it."

Sanford Siegel was 11 when he came down to the courthouse with his dad to watch the Belvedere buried in 1957. Fifty years later, Siegel, who now lives in Sugarland, Texas, brought his two sons to watch the unearthing.

"It brings back 50 years ago; it's a lot of memories," he said, tears coming to his eyes.

No matter the Belvedere's condition, North Dakota car enthusiast Bill Lage said, "there's nothing that isn't restorable."

"I don't care what it is," he said, almost defiantly.

For Roland Binette of Victoriaville, Quebec, the ceremony was partly about the novelty factor.

"It's an American idea," he said. "We don't do things like this at home. Maybe we can't afford to."

[rushlimpdrug]

Glad I read the article.
By just looking at the picture I thought
good ol' Detroit was rolling out the new 2008 models early.
Is Ford still making cars?

[ralan40]

It mentions being caked with mud. I bet the vault got filled with water. Why did they have to bury it? They would have been better off sealing it in an old bomb shelter or something.
Anyway, sorry it didn't work out for them.

[wheear]

Rushlimpdrug- your comments affirm that there are a group of people in this nation that desire to make something negative out of anything. This is simply a good story of the past trying to speak to the future. Can't we leave it at that?

[karen091866]

I'm sure there are lots of car enthusiasts waiting for a chance to offer to restore the car.
It's sad that the moisture got to it.

[lily_ayanami]

Check your facts! Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907 and is celebrating 100 years of statehood, not 50. If the reporter was there, it should be obvious with all the signs around.

[hawksprings]

What's the deal? The Egyptians can put a mummy in a tomb for thousands of years with no problem, but we Americans can put a car in a tomb for 50 measly years without it being almost destroyed by moisture?

[timbobmc-2009]

What's the deal? The Egyptians can put a mummy in a tomb for thousands of years with no problem, but we Americans can put a car in a tomb for 50 measly years without it being almost destroyed by moisture?
Posted by hawksprings at 11:49 AM : Jun 16, 2007

The key word here is "moisture." Egyptian mummies don't have to deal with moisture. If Miss Belvedere had been buried in one of the desert states, she possibly would have started.

[michellem99-2009]

I am 52. After reading the story ,the thing I like was the old flag that had to be a 48 star flag. The car well someone restore if they can. I feel old,haha. Wonder what they bury today....They were smart to have put the flag in there and sealed better.

[prairiefox1]

100 YEARS AND SEE THE MESS THE POLITICIANS HAVE IN ONLY 100 YEARS!

OH! I AM A OKIE!

[nyteryder2]

"Check your facts! Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907 and is celebrating 100 years of statehood, not 50. If the reporter was there, it should be obvious with all the signs around." Posted by lily_ayanami at 11:24 AM : Jun 16, 2007
_______________________

Check YOUR facts! It's very obvious the car was buried to celebrate 50 years of statehood. From an earlier story: "The two-door hardtop %u2014 buried to celebrate Oklahoma's 50 years of statehood..."

And from this story: "In the trunk, organizers meticulously pulled out some of the objects buried with the two-door hardtop to celebrate Oklahoma's 50 years of statehood in 1957."

This is a good story, even if it didn't work out, and even if some people can't do the math. The quote below the photo says it all.

My only question is: Did the "typical" woman actually carry a bottle of tranquilizers in her handbag?

[thgdriver]

I am not surprised at the rust. These things used to rust while waiting to be sold in the showrooms of the dealerships in 1957. That includes the Fords and GM makes also. Nice story though.

[j_flood]

Hmmm... that car was a cousin to one like it named "Christine". Careful messing around with that one.

[thgdriver]

Too bad they didn't think to bury some of our silver coins, our money was worth something back in 1957.

[thgdriver]

Christine was a 1958 model. Same junk though.

[johnshaft4]

Congress should make it the Alberto Gonzales limo. Carpet the dash and hang some fuzzy dice and he will feel right at home.

Rust bucket or not I would like to have it, imagine having a brand new 1957 engine, I'm sure it will run again one day

[asor1-2009]

It's not an earth-shaking story, but at least it does NOT contain the names; Lohan, Paris, or Britney. Rejoice and enjoy it!

[redgreen68]

They said that the car was buried as a 50th anniversary to the city. Not that it was pulled up for the 50th celebration. Yes, they are celebrating 100 years of the city, but it's been 50 years since they buried the car. LOL Really people, maybe you should go back and reread the article!

[gordon.couger]

I think the vault probably got wet from the high water table around it seeping thought the concrete. It should have been put in a better place on a sandy hill with drainage around it. The knew how to make dry basements then.

We celebrate our centennial this year. In 1957 was 50 year celebration. I was 14. A Plymouth was junk then and it is sure junk after 50 years of rust under water. They should have put $10,000 in the savings account to fix the car.

Gordon

[caco58]

Heck, I can show you where plenty of old cars that age are, and only half buried. Take a ride thru Leslie County Kentucky and look over any mountain side and you'll see lots of 50 year old cars. Whats the big deal?

[toolmangler-2009]

I never worried that Christine might come back,I know how '57 and '58 Belvederes were built, thats why I bought a '57 Chevy. Now if Christine had inhabited mine! I would have been scared to death...

[hawksprings]

So it's rusty. It would be no different than if it had lived it's whole life ABOVE ground in MINNESOTA!!

[dgquast]

I was only 16 in 1957, but I can remember walking past a Chrysler dealerships lot on a quiet, still winter night in Chicago and hearing the new Plymouths rusting.

[mikeypres]

Take it back to Detroit, it'll fit right in.

[toolmangler-2009]

The only good thing Plymouth ever made was the Voyager series minivan. The rest all acted like Christines evil twin were in control.