1957 Plymouth dig up

[sauerkraut]

Hey gang, here's an idea about when they dig up that 1957 heap next month,  they could put it on display for a while and then put it back in the vault for another 50 years and add some stuff from 2007 along with the stuff from 1957. Then in the year 2057 dig it out and display it at age 100 it'll really be something then a showroom new 100 year old car. They can also rebury it in 2057 for another 50 years and add items from the year 2057 and so on. That way each 50 years people can view this car. Just an idea. It'll give people in the far future to see this car.thanx.

[bugo]

Found an oddity.  The Beryl Ford collection on the Tulsa library website shows a picture of a 1957 Plymouth:

http://opac.tulsalibrary.org/search/.b2020209/.b2020209/1,1,1,B/l856~b2020209&FF=&1,0,,1,0

or

http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/A1472.jpg

All of the pictures I have seen of the alleged car besides this one showed a two door hardtop Belvedere.  Such as the pictures here:

http://grsd.net/tulsarama/photo_gallery.htm

The Beryl Ford picture clearly shows a two door sedan Plaza.  Which one is the buried car?  I'm guessing it is the 2 door hardtop.  Guess we'll find out on the 15th.

[Steve]

I think you can rest assured that the car in the ground is the hardtop Belevedere.  The burial was sponsored by Chrysler Corp., and the local Tulsa Chrysler/Imperial/DeSoto/Dodge/Plymouth dealers; they may have had the full line-up of 1957 Chrysler products on display in conjunction with the burial to take advantage of the publicity.  This is probably where those pictures of the Plaza model come from.

If my memory is correct, the top Plymouth trim level around that time was the Fury, followed in decending order by the Belevedere, Savoy, and the lowly Plaza.  All more or less the same car with the Fury and Belevedere offering larger engine options and fancier trim.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

Hey gang, here's an idea about when they dig up that 1957 heap next month,  they could put it on display for a while and then put it back in the vault for another 50 years and add some stuff from 2007 along with the stuff from 1957. Then in the year 2057 dig it out and display it at age 100 it'll really be something then a showroom new 100 year old car. They can also rebury it in 2057 for another 50 years and add items from the year 2057 and so on. That way each 50 years people can view this car. Just an idea. It'll give people in the far future to see this car.thanx.

A nice thought, but the car rightfully belongs to the 1957 contest winner (or his heirs) that most closely predicted Tulsa's population in 2007.  What the winner chooses to do with it is completely up to him.

[sauerkraut]

Hey gang does anyone know the color of the car buried? All the pictures are in B&W. It looks like it's 2-tone car. They say they also put alot of other goodies inside the vault.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

Hey gang does anyone know the color of the car buried? All the pictures are in B&W. It looks like it's 2-tone car. They say they also put alot of other goodies inside the vault.

This has been well-covered in previous threads here and on other web sites, but the car is a gold/white or gold/cream colored two-tone scheme.
Included in the vault is a supply of DX gasoline and motor oil and a case of beer!  The sealed time capsule in the trunk has the microfilm with the contest entries, a pack of cigarettes, a bottle of tranquilizers, an unpaid parking ticket, lipstick and compact  (items that were deemed to be the typical contents of a ladies purse in 1957), about $2.50 in cash, and probably many more items that I can't recall.  The winner of the car also gets a $100 1957 bank savings account that is worth $500-$600 today.  The bank account was finally located and still exists, according to the Tulsa Centenial Commission.  

[bugo]

quote:Originally posted by Steve



If my memory is correct, the top Plymouth trim level around that time was the Fury, followed in decending order by the Belevedere, Savoy, and the lowly Plaza.  All more or less the same car with the Fury and Belevedere offering larger engine options and fancier trim.

You are correct.  The Fury was a high-performance model from 1956 to 1958, with a more powerful engine and only came as an offwhite 2 door hardtop with gold trim.  The Belvedere and Savoy came in two and four door sedans and hardtops as well as a Belvedere convertible.  Plaza only came in 2 and 4 door sedans IIRC.

I want an old Savoy hardtop.  "Savoy" is the most ridiculous name for a car ever, and for that I want one.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by bugo


I want an old Savoy hardtop.  "Savoy" is the most ridiculous name for a car ever, and for that I want one.

I think Plymouth's names came from fancy hotels of the world:  The Savoy in London, the Plaza in NYC, etc.  Pretty fancy names for bare-bones autos; probably a marketing tool to invoke a little cachet and imaginary prestige into a dull product.  After all, Plymouth was Chrysler's poor man economy line, like Chevy was to GM.  Chevy used names like Bel Air and Biscayne for the same reasons.

[cannon_fodder]

I think reburying the car would be a great idea.  The car will be a novelty for a while but will soon be forgotten... if buried, it CAN be forgotten and still serve a purpose.  

Would be very cool IMHO.

[Conan71]

What year did they bury the Prowler?  Was it for the Tulsa Centenial in '98?

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

I think reburying the car would be a great idea.  The car will be a novelty for a while but will soon be forgotten... if buried, it CAN be forgotten and still serve a purpose.  

Would be very cool IMHO.

I agree. I think this car is just to valueable today to give away. We have a great opportunity to dig it up and display it and then re-bury it for future people to enjoy. Dig it up every 50 years to check on it and to let people see it. It's a big chance for the people of the far future to see a showroom new 1957 car. At each dig up they can add items to the vault of that year . The people of 1957 thought of the future and gave us this big gift and we should pass it on to others. They never knew in 1957 how valueable this car would be in 2007.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

I think reburying the car would be a great idea.  The car will be a novelty for a while but will soon be forgotten... if buried, it CAN be forgotten and still serve a purpose.  

Would be very cool IMHO.

I agree. I think this car is just to valueable today to give away. We have a great opportunity to dig it up and display it and then re-bury it for future people to enjoy. Dig it up every 50 years to check on it and to let people see it. It's a big chance for the people of the far future to see a showroom new 1957 car. At each dig up they can add items to the vault of that year . The people of 1957 thought of the future and gave us this big gift and we should pass it on to others. They never knew in 1957 how valueable this car would be in 2007.

Regardless of the car's value (remember, it may be a worthless pile of decay & rust), it legally and ethically belongs to the winner or the winner's heirs to the 1957 contest.  To not offer it first to the contest winner would go against the intent and wishes of the 1957 Tulsarama planners and totally renege on their promises to Tulsa citizens in 1957.  That would be unethical and dishonest.

Now, if the contest winners do not come forward, or they offer to rebury the car for another 50 years, that would be a nice gesture.  Then again, who is going to pay for the preparation & reburial?  Seems they had a hard enough time getting the funds just for the 2007 dig.  I think that if no contest winners can be located, or if they do not want the car, it should go to the Tulsa Historical Society for permanent display.

[Wrinkle]

...which brings up the question,

Why are we not also burying another timecapsule to replace the one we're digging up?

Oklahoma's Centennial would seem an appropriate time to leave traces of the first 100 years for future generations.

Besides, a contest of some kind to develop a list of items to be included would be fun. It would also give old timers and long time T-Towners a chance to pass on some of their sentiments and treasured possessions.

Then, there's the question of where to bury it since the City Plaza area is in danger of becoming substantially more commercial.

In the Indian?
An island in the river?
Centennial Walk?
Lorton's Lawn?

[Conan71]

Assuming no one comes forward and it is in decent shape, whadya bet one of the Chrysler dealers winds up offering to buy it and display it at their showroom?

[sauerkraut]

I would bet that vault stayed dry and the heap is indeed in showroom new shape. If they cannot find the winner or next of kin I wonder if they will pick the next closest winner? However, I think it should be reburied or put in a Museum. This is really a once in a lifetime thing, a part of history saved as it was. This car is worth a ton of money- I just think it needs to be passed on to future people to enjoy like we are as the date aproachs.- Think of the excitement in June, 2057 when they dig up this showroom new Plymouth from 1957 a 100 year old car! We can add stuff from the year 2007. I think that's the way to go, but that's just me.