Ace-Garageguy Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Not exactly "sealed" though, was she? Musta gone with the lowest bidder on that project. Billy-Bobs Time Capsools, Inc. Woulda been kinda kool if she HAD been sealed, and had come out brandy-damm new, complete with the old Detroit "new-car-smell" intact. Oh well.
cartpix Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 I have to agree with Harry & Andy, on this one. It's not a significant car. I don't think any of the parts could be used, in a restoration. It would be like the story of my Gand Daddy's axe. Since he died, the handle has been replaced 3 times & the head replaced once, but it's my Gand Daddy's axe.
ChrisBcritter Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Best I can suggest is build some kind of support for the car that would line up with the frame, and set it on rollers so it can be safely moved around. I'm sure if the family got it to Barrett-Jackson, the hype machine would go into overdrive and a couple rich guys would fight over it enough to give them a tidy sum to take home. Then the car would disappear into some collector's garage and B-J would go on to the next big thing.
Modelmartin Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Take it around to state fairs and charge a buck to look at it just like they used to do with all of the "Hitler" Mercedes!
Tom Geiger Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 I think it's significant due to the story behind it. There is no other 4 mile new car that was put into a time capsule 50 years ago. The drama surrounding the opening, and the disappointment once everyone saw what happened. That story is up there with Geraldo Rivera and the vault... And the car itself, I'd say it ranks up there with the Bonnie and Clyde car. Note that their car was just a used '34 Ford sedan that just happened to be one they stole and got killed in. Nothing more than that. But people saw fit to save it since the 1930s. They're both nothing more than a curiosity, a side show exhibit that everyone knows the story and wants to take a peak.
ZTony8 Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 I recently saw an article about this car that stated it was still sitting in a warehouse awaiting action for it to be placed somewhere.It also seems that,because of deaths, there's some question about who truly owns the car.
jeffs396 Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 All of the stainless trim, rubber, and glass should be perfect at least...
sjordan2 Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 The car probably belongs somewhere in Oklahoma since it was part of a year-long celebration of Oklahoma's 50th anniversary of statehood. (I lived in Tulsa at the time and was there when they were burying it). Greg's picture looks like they cleaned it up quite a bit, but the interior was totally destroyed.
Lunajammer Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Outside of Tulsa, it has no value. You can forget about museums, civic administrations or municipalities, they'll never want it and taxpayer money shouldn't be spent on it. Miss B's only hope is as a business promotional or private display. It should go back to Tulsa and be displayed at a 50's theme bar, cafe or tourist spot. It's a minor piece of fun Tulsa history only and a private entity there should take advantage of its novelty.
Modelmartin Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 All of the stainless trim, rubber, and glass should be perfect at least... The article did say that the safety glass delaminated. It's all scrap.
JTalmage Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 I wouldnt mind having it. Just to have it. Car's got some history and a personality... be a shame to smash it.
Harry P. Posted April 25, 2014 Author Posted April 25, 2014 I wouldnt mind having it. Just to have it. Car's got some history and a personality... be a shame to smash it. Actually it has no history at all. It was never used by anyone, it was just buried brand new.
Aaronw Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) I have to agree with Harry & Andy, on this one. It's not a significant car. I don't think any of the parts could be used, in a restoration. It would be like the story of my Gand Daddy's axe. Since he died, the handle has been replaced 3 times & the head replaced once, but it's my Gand Daddy's axe. I agree. When you are talking about a 1 of a kind item where they find an original and "rebuild" it from a few original parts, salvage bits from a few other wrecks and re-manufacture a large part from plans that makes sense to me. Even though it technically is not truly the "real thing" it is true to the original and provides a physical example people can see, hear and touch (maybe). When you take an item that is really only significant because of that individual items involvement in history, and there are plenty of good restored examples, then I don't see the point. The extreme restoration will destroy the items only real significance. The article says the springs rusted through to the point they collapsed. If the heavy steel in the springs were rusted to that point, just how well do you really think the more delicate bits held up. The stainless steel trim is the only thing I imagine might be worth salvaging. If somebody were to do a complete restoration of the car, they are probably going to scrap 90%+ of it, so what is the point. What they will create is just another 1957 Plymouth, not the car buried in 1957. If you want to restore an old Plymouth I am sure there are plenty of project cars out there in much better shape you could save. The only historical significance of the car is in the rust and gobs of mud, get rid of that and you've lost the only thing worth saving (and honestly about all I see is a tribute to poor engineering). Edited April 25, 2014 by Aaronw
David G. Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 For $1000.00 I'll haul it away for them. David G.
DrGlueblob Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 ...I'll be happy to send a .45 round to the owner to put that zombie rustbucket out of it's misery..
DrGlueblob Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) ..You're right Dan, a .45 might not be big enuff for that old boat. Somebody call Fort Sill and have them bring over a Abrams and a few rounds.. That oughta do 'er. Edited April 25, 2014 by DrGlueblob
sjordan2 Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Okies like me are just as state-patriotic as Texans, and this has a righteous place in Oklahoma history. It is not something to be dumped.
Harry P. Posted April 25, 2014 Author Posted April 25, 2014 Okies like me are just as state-patriotic as Texans, and this has a righteous place in Oklahoma history. It is not something to be dumped. I could see if the car actually had a tie to Oklahoma history somehow... like it had belonged to a former governor, or it had been part of some some well-known event (like the car Kennedy was riding in when he was shot, for example)... but apparently this car was buried when it was brand new as just another item in a time capsule. It never had any "history" tied to it other than being buried for the past half-century... that's its only "claim to fame." It could just as well have been buried in South Dakota or Vermont or anywhere. I guess I don't see the "significance" of a rusted-out hulk of a car that has absolutely no pedigree or historical tie-in to anything in Oklahoma or anywhere else, for that matter.
DrGlueblob Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Maybe it could be buried butt-up along I-40 like all those Caddies further West?
Harry P. Posted April 25, 2014 Author Posted April 25, 2014 Maybe it could be buried butt-up along I-40 like all those Caddies further West? Apparently it's so rusted out and fragile that they're afraid to even open the doors, let alone try to stand it on end. It would probably collapse into a pile of rust!
Ace-Garageguy Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 I'm sure I'll look a lot worse if somebody digs me up after 50 years underground.
sjordan2 Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) The historical tie-in: The car was a 1957 Plymouth, donated by Tulsa Plymouth dealers in 1957, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of 1907 statehood, and interred with great fanfare. I think that's enough of a historical link for Oklahomans. Tulsa doesn't have the kind of stuff going on that occurs in Chicago, L.A. or New York, and it's important in that community. Edited April 25, 2014 by sjordan2
Sport Suburban Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 It may be important to that community but it was a failure and an embarrassment at the opening. That is why the city wants no part of it. Would you want your city's tax dollars spent on such a car to preserve and transport that embarrassment. I understand that it is so fragile and thin in spots that any vibrations from transport could shake it apart.
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