Hey, something just reminded me of this. The unearthing is coming up in just over a month! If I was anywhere within a day's drive of Tulsa, I'd be tempted to check it out.

My guess is that the concrete vault maintained its structural integrity, but it could have filled with water at flood times, or who knows what. Surely the 50-year-old plastic bag coouldn't have held... My guess is that the car will be rusted all to hell, but I hope there are some good photos that come out of what it looks like! I enjoy splendorous things in decay, and that looks like a very cool car.

I wonder if they'll be able to track down the winner or their relatives? I'm just really fascinated by this for some reason.

Recent article

I also want to see photos of the case of Schlitz.

 

Excerpt from the article:

A base sheet of vapor-proof barrier material, made by Dobeckmun and called Metalam, was placed on a steel platform, and the car was placed on it. The material was made of cotton scrim laminated to polyethylene sheeting, aluminum foil and vinyl.

Rust and corrosion protection was provided by sheets of volatile rust inhibitors. These were built by Orchard and used to cover the engine and interior areas of the car. Additional sheets of the material were placed on the car top and under the chassis.

A huge KCL-made plastic bag was positioned over the car with the bottom edges heat sealed to the base sheet, leaving a 4-inch slot opening. The air in the bag was then vacuumed out through the remaining 4-inch slot, producing a hermetically-sealed container. Finally, the car was lowered into an underground concrete vault and sealed.

 

I hope the gas fumes didn't chemically react with the plastic sheets. It should be interesting.

 

I'm thinking about driving down there to check it out. And there's a car show!

 

Awesome, I was hoping that someone would go! I hope you make it - definitely take some photos!

 

Yup I will. Good thing Tulsa isn't that far away from me. I'll be in Tulsa the weekend before that too for a Scion show. I'll go try and check out the spot while I'm there.

 

That's still pretty amazing.

Man, would Jay Leno love to get that into the Big Dog garage.

 

I'm still planning on going to this. Thank God gas prices went down...

 

OK, a few more days. Who is going?

 

http://www.kotv.com/news/topstory/?id=129390

The top was removed from the vault today, and several feet of water were found inside. Evidence seems to point to the entire car having been underwater for an undetermined amount of time. We still don't know what the car will look like once the plastic covering is removed, but at one point in one of the videos in the link, it looks like the plastic covering (which supposedly would last 1200 years) completely ruptured.

Stupid 1957 technology.

 

Doh!!!

 

Rats.

Sadly, though, I was expecting this. Hope for the best, expect the worst. Anyone who has tried to fix a leaky basement will tell you that it's nearly impossible to keep something sealed from water infiltration underground.

 

oh no!

 

yah, tupperwear needed to sponsor a large plastic box for the car.

 

I still find the whole thing exciting. I plan to watch online Friday night when the unveil the rustbucket

 

That's the spirit!!!

 

It may not be in great shape, but hopefully it is a restoreable car for someone. I wonder how many miles it had on it before it went in?

 

I think it had pretty much zero miles on it. It was (is?) a brand new car.

Regardless of the condition, it's going to be fascinating to watch the unveiling. I wish I could watch live, but I have work and then dinner plans on Friday. It sounds as if the footage will be archived, and I'm sure it will end up on Youtube. I wouldn't be surprised if it's overloaded for the live unveiling, anyway. I think that's supposed to be at 1 PM EST, if I'm not mistaken.

 

I think the article said it was a brand new car & unless I read wrong I thought the live unveiling would be at 7PM Friday night but I am gonna go back & check cause I don't wanna miss it.

edit: I checked & the website says this:
Organizers say this just creates that much more mystery around the car's unveiling. News On 6 anchor Terry Hood hosts our live special Friday evening at 7 o’clock. The unveiling can also be seen live, streaming on the internet at kotv.com.

Of course that might just be when the TV show is I dunno if the actual unveiling is earlier in the day but it does say "live".

edit 2: OK now on the buriedcar website it says "unearthing" is at noon & "unveiling & opening" is at 6:30PM so MBE they are taking it out of the ground at noon & taking the cover off that nite

 

Guess they forgot the weather stripping and water shield wrapping of the container... he he

 

Make no mistake, I want to see it. Even if the car is toast, it's still a historic moment, and there are other items in the capsule as well.

As for being a brand-new rustbucket, anyone remember the Chevy Vega?

 

Yes, let us not forget the case of Schlitz!

 

Yea. The Cosworth is the only one not worth crushing.

 

The best-laid plans o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain
For promised joy.

from "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns

 

Four hours to go!!! :impatient :impatient :impatient