Any hopes of the 1958 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried in Tulsa Oklahoma surviving in showroom condition were dashed when the sarcophagus lid was removed and water was found in the concrete container. Now Miss Belvedere has been removed and put on display for the crowds to see. What is left is in pretty poor condition, but a few details remain, like the citizens signatures on the decaying white wall tires.
When the car was buried, there was a contest held to see who could guess the population of Tulsa in 2007. The winner or his heirs will be the proud owners of the rusting hulk and a $100 savings account, which will have grown to $1200 by now. The entrants were recorded on microfilm and were encased in the time capsule that was buried with the car. It will be very interesting to see what the outcome of the contest is and where the car ends up. Most certainly the rotting remains will be worth many times more than the bank account, so it may just be a matter of time before we see Miss Belvedere on e-bay.
Photos from KOTV
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Here are some high resolution pictures of the car and the items that were stored inside it. Looks like a “fixer upper”
Pics:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=8700431#8700431
Thanks Bobby! Great shots.
It definitely could use a bit of polish.
This is what you should envision when an ad says “lo miles.”
Where can Miss Belvedere be viewed? How much is the cost? I really want an upclose view of the old girl
I would assume somewhere in Tulsa. Unfortunately it’s a long way from Toronto!
Look who is going to ‘clean up’ Miss Belvedere
http://www.safestrustremover.com
I live in Tulsa. I’ve seen it aired on T.V. It’s too bad to see the way it ended up looking like after being unearthed. I wasn’t disapointed. I went to the Car Show when they displayed it. I would like to see what the Car would look like after it was washed. Also, If it was to be Sandblasted. There wouldn’t be nothng left of the Car. Don’t waste your time trying to remove Rust. Just take a Sandblaster to it. I should know I work at a Body Shop. I’ll tell ya something. If you want great, choice trim. Well, That car was alot of great, straight as a arrow trim. I would give it creidt for that!
I think they should just stick it in the ground for another 50 years. Then see what it looks like. LOL
I live in Tulsa, and have since 1965. I first heard of this car on Jack Frank’s “Tulsa Memories” video series. This featured rare and unusual facts and footage from Tulsa’s. Originally taken from home movies and archives of 1960’s news footage from the local CBS affiliate. I heard his talk and I then spoke with Jack Frank at my mother’s church in east Tulsa, at a “senior’s” program that they formerly offered. His programs were originally aired on our local PBS affiliate.
You can search “Jack Frank” to learn more, and order for purchase a DVD about the 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. I believe a “Belvedere” search may also render similar results for those interested in historical archives. There is a DVD chronicling archives, past, and present of the “Belvedere” story. I attended the “send-off” at our fairgrounds building here recently. It was emotional, and I met and spoke with the nephew of the man who made the correct guess for the car. ( …of Tulsa’s 2007 population.) Next year, in 2008, “Miss Belvedere” returns to Tulsa for her final unveiling. Look forward to this! Marty, Tulsa.
Surely would appreciate any notice you could give me, whenever this vehicle is due to begin a real cleaning and inspection. I do so hope that wisdom will prevail and not the fuzzy thinking that seems to be determined to creep in under these circumstances and dictate that everything be left just as discovered! I am sure that the majority would most appreciate a thorough clean-out and clean-up, and I, for one, would love to see it restored to original and started. This will guarantee its place in history, rather than leaving it a dead mess which will, after a time, be nothing more than a giant monument to incredible lack of foresight and utter stupidity. What an interesting display of things it would make to show ‘before and after’ progress pictures, original photos of the interment, complete coverage of the first revealing in fifty years, and then, the car itself, rescued and returned to original, despite the ravages of time.
The people restoring her have promised to keep us up to date on the progress.
Ultra one has done a terrible job at keeping the website informed and up to date with what is going on with Miss Belvedere….I don’t know what they are doing, but it’s like they have lost interest…………they don’t seem to be doing anything…..
See my update on the car at
http://forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=19781&posts=48#M130509