1957 Plymouth dig up

[Porky]

quote:Originally posted by Chevy

This story makes me very,very sad. I wonder how the people of -57 would feel if they knew? Was it really meant that we only would have to charge the battery, fill the tires and turn the key? Haven´t we found the true spirit of the fifties here? The world has never been so modern since. What would our friends from the past do with her now? She is a beauty and she looks at us with her big sad eyes - what have you done to me? You put me in a rust chamber for 50 years and almost killed me. Please make me shine again...But if she´s restored with 99% new parts it´s not her. I say if the some sheet metal is usable then restore her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GikLg8Rh9Zk&mode=related&search=

[sauerkraut]

I was thinking about the sad outcome of this event, and I have to wonder- Not to say anything ill about the people of 1957,- but what were they thinking about, they could bury a cement box and not have it air tight for 50 years, and still be dry? They should of at least checked or monitored it 1 year latter to see if it's holding and maybe check it in 1960. It's not wise to plant someting in the ground in a box that is not air tight and forget about it. The car would of done better setting outside for 50 years. The city of Tulsa also could of checked on the box now & then to be sure it's holding dry no one did nothing and everyone knew it was not air tight.

[AngieB]

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I was thinking about the sad outcome of this event, and I have to wonder- Not to say anything ill about the people of 1957,- but what were they thinking about, they could bury a cement box and not have it air tight for 50 years, and still be dry? They should of at least checked or monitored it 1 year latter to see if it's holding and maybe check it in 1960. It's not wise to plant someting in the ground in a box that is not air tight and forget about it. The car would of done better setting outside for 50 years. The city of Tulsa also could of checked on the box now & then to be sure it's holding dry no one did nothing and everyone knew it was not air tight.

The point of a time capsule is to NOT look.

Plus, they thought it was air tight.

You are judging 1957 science based on 2007 thinking.

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I was thinking about the sad outcome of this event, and I have to wonder- Not to say anything ill about the people of 1957,- but what were they thinking about, they could bury a cement box and not have it air tight for 50 years, and still be dry? They should of at least checked or monitored it 1 year latter to see if it's holding and maybe check it in 1960. It's not wise to plant someting in the ground in a box that is not air tight and forget about it. The car would of done better setting outside for 50 years. The city of Tulsa also could of checked on the box now & then to be sure it's holding dry no one did nothing and everyone knew it was not air tight.

The point of a time capsule is to NOT look.

Plus, they thought it was air tight.

You are judging 1957 science based on 2007 thinking.

How can you have a cement vault sealed with gunnite airtight? They also should of thought of cracks forming in the future.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I was thinking about the sad outcome of this event, and I have to wonder- Not to say anything ill about the people of 1957,- but what were they thinking about, they could bury a cement box and not have it air tight for 50 years, and still be dry? They should of at least checked or monitored it 1 year latter to see if it's holding and maybe check it in 1960. It's not wise to plant someting in the ground in a box that is not air tight and forget about it. The car would of done better setting outside for 50 years. The city of Tulsa also could of checked on the box now & then to be sure it's holding dry no one did nothing and everyone knew it was not air tight.

The point of a time capsule is to NOT look.

Plus, they thought it was air tight.

You are judging 1957 science based on 2007 thinking.

How can you have a cement vault sealed with gunnite airtight? They also should of thought of cracks forming in the future.

That is the same way they built swimming pools that are still in use today. They assumed than anything that can hold water can keep it out. This is before space travel, high altitude aircraft, etc.

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I was thinking about the sad outcome of this event, and I have to wonder- Not to say anything ill about the people of 1957,- but what were they thinking about, they could bury a cement box and not have it air tight for 50 years, and still be dry? They should of at least checked or monitored it 1 year latter to see if it's holding and maybe check it in 1960. It's not wise to plant someting in the ground in a box that is not air tight and forget about it. The car would of done better setting outside for 50 years. The city of Tulsa also could of checked on the box now & then to be sure it's holding dry no one did nothing and everyone knew it was not air tight.

The point of a time capsule is to NOT look.

Plus, they thought it was air tight.

You are judging 1957 science based on 2007 thinking.

How can you have a cement vault sealed with gunnite airtight? They also should of thought of cracks forming in the future.

That is the same way they built swimming pools that are still in use today. They assumed than anything that can hold water can keep it out. This is before space travel, high altitude aircraft, etc.

A swimming pool is not built air tight, it's just a tub of water with no top. This vault had a 3-piece lid, they used no gaskets or nothing between the joints, they just placed the 3 lids on top of the vault, the mating surfaces were not flush and true it's just rough cement, and all they did was fill in the joints and seams with gunnite and let it go like that for 50 years. Even a roof on a building needs repairs and maintence now & then. Gunnite drys out and cracks. As for a comment about a time capsule and not peeking inside, all I was talking about is checking for water inside and maintence on the outside, look for signs of failure & cracks. I don't see that as cheating. The end result is we lost out on having a brand new 1957 Plymouth car showroom fresh with only 7 miles on the clock. 1957 is only 50 years ago,it was not the stone age- the small  boiler tank vault worked fine 50 years under water, they should of sealed the car in a boiler-like vault too and placed them both in the cement vault if nothing else. Then leaks would not of mattered. JMO 20/20

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

A swimming pool is not built air tight, it's just a tub of water with no top. This vault had a 3-piece lid, they used no gaskets or nothing between the joints, they just placed the 3 lids on top of the vault, the mating surfaces were not flush and true it's just rough cement, and all they did was fill in the joints and seams with gunnite and let it go like that for 50 years. Even a roof on a building needs repairs and maintence now & then. Gunnite drys out and cracks. As for a comment about a time capsule and not peeking inside, all I was talking about is checking for water inside and maintence on the outside, look for signs of failure & cracks. I don't see that as cheating. The end result is we lost out on having a brand new 1957 Plymouth car showroom fresh with only 7 miles on the clock. 1957 is only 50 years ago,it was not the stone age- the small  boiler tank vault worked fine 50 years under water, they should of sealed the car in a boiler-like vault too and placed them both in the cement vault if nothing else. Then leaks would not of mattered. JMO 20/20

I'm not arguing with you, just think the builders weren't that smart back then.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaMINI

Thank you!!!!

FWIW- The Tulsa World reported this morning that Miss Belvedere can be seen at East Tulsa Dodge through this Saturday.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by TulsaMINI

Thank you!!!!

FWIW- The Tulsa World reported this morning that Miss Belvedere can be seen at East Tulsa Dodge through this Saturday.

Winner is being announced there on friday at noon.

[AngieB]

I was wondering when someone was going to comment on my excellent use of an animated gif!!

[Chevy]

However, they did the best they could so let us not judge them. They gave a gift to the future in a way that tells us a lot about their thinking. I admire their optimism and faith in technology. This was before all modern chemical scandals, nuclear accidents etc. Anyway, like all gifts, it's the intention that counts. Although I feel sad about the car, I think it´s a fantastic happening that I can follow from the other side of the globe. What if they knew back then about internet and how this unveling has been followed all over the world. Sure they put Tulsa on the map.

[jof]

Hello again from Germany,

this forum is about the closest I can get to Tulsa and the Plymouth story from over here.

I bet there is some investigation running what went wrong or if and how the failure could have been prevented. The local press should have an article every day for the next days...

Since I am pretty much interested in that stuff, can you provide me with the links to that local press or information board(s)? You can also e-mail me personally at jof@gmx.li

My opinion to the comments above: from what I read in other articles back in 1957 they tried to do their best - I do not know what "gunnite" (for the seals) is and how groundwater-safe cellars were built back then, but to me everything seems all right thinking in terms of 1957.

Of course we think we are smarter today, but are we really? Today is today, and when we look back at what we are doing today in 30 years, we will definitely find a lot of things that we should have done differently (I could give a few examples, but I do not want to become political in this forum).

I think they did a good job back then. When you think about the publicity they gave to 2007-Tulsa back then, if you try to put this into "monetary thoughts" it will be worth a lot more than a 1957 Plymouth in showroom condition. My opinion!

Again my question, if you took any pictures of the engine or the interior at the show, please e-mail them to me.

Best regards

Jörg

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaMINI

I was wondering when someone was going to comment on my excellent use of an animated gif!!

TM, you always have the best animations.  The little pizza emoticon was pretty cute.  I need to book mark the one you just used, it would come in handy in the political snake pit every now and then. []

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by Chevy

However, they did the best they could so let us not judge them. They gave a gift to the future in a way that tells us a lot about their thinking. I admire their optimism and faith in technology. This was before all modern chemical scandals, nuclear accidents etc. Anyway, like all gifts, it's the intention that counts. Although I feel sad about the car, I think it´s a fantastic happening that I can follow from the other side of the globe. What if they knew back then about internet and how this unveling has been followed all over the world. Sure they put Tulsa on the map.

It was exciting Chevy. There are no other buried cars around the USA I understand (aside from Tulsa's 1998 Prowler car). We made the news all over the globe and on all 3 networks. The next car buried in the time capsule in October, 2007 should be an example of a common run of the mill car used on the roads of Tulsa today in 2007. That's how the Plymouth was picked in 1957. TulsaRama![]