Buried Fury

Jun 16, 2007 23 Replies

Update on the cars condition from a MOPAR forum via the SDC forum:

"I found this on the Forward Look forum:

I saw the car today. Anything can be restored, but in this case I'm afraid all that would be left would the stainless, set of glass (with the exception of the vent window Boyd's crew broke getting into the car) and the stainless steel VIN tag.

As I walked around the car, the driver door is rusted through, there is bubbling on every panel, and while the chrome looks shiny on the outer surface these often rust from the inside out (there is usually very little chrome on the back side).

One of the rear leaf springs fell off when the car was raised and from what I could tell from looking at the mirror they had under the car the U Bolts had simply rusted away. I get a feeling the frame is probably pretty thin.

Anything like heavy steel brackets look like they will be VERY heavily pitted if even usable at all. I don't know if anybody noticed last night at the unveiling but the inner trunk reinforcements (or what was left of them) literally fell off into the trunk.

I think on close inspection any exterior panel you will find are too thin to be usable.

Possibly the major engine castings could be reused, but after all this time I'd almost bet you end up with 8 sleeves. The tranny and rear end maybe the housings.....buy maybe not.

A few days ago I would have been the first say restore it, but on closer inspection I believe there would be so little of the original car left that it would be a travesty to do so. At this point personally I would really like seeing the car preserved in it's as is condition (after steps are taken to preserve it from further decay). And who know that may be what happens. I'm hearing rumblings that both the W. P. Chrysler Museum and 57 Heaven are both interested in buying the car once it's determined who owns it."

John Poulos wrote:

Watching the video of the films taken in 1957 at

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it looks to me that if the top of the vault had been left above ground level, somewhat like a mausoleum, the car would have stood a better chance. The 1957 film shows them spraying down the vault and the covered car with some sort of protectant before closing it up. They obviously had reason to think the vault would stay dry. Obviously, none of the planners had a leaky basement, which may not be common in Tulsa?.

The most likely place water entered the vault was at the lip under the lid, which looks to have been a couple feet under ground level. I imagine the planners in 1957 figured the concrete sidewalk above the lid would keep water out. Ground water can be extremely sneaky, though. And, if the rest of the vault held up, and water got in under the lid but could not get out (except by absorption through the concrete), all they did was build a cistern under the sidewalk.

Looks like the Prowler they buried in 1998 stands a better chance:

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at the risk of being macabre, think about the Plymouth the next time the understanding funeral director is trying to talk you into a $15,000 casket & burial vault for Aunt Tillie.......or better yet, the ghoul who told me he couldn't believe that I wouldn't spring for the optional innerspring mattress for my "dear Mother's comfort". lol.

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