greatbear: (Default)
The time capsule and "Miss Belvedere" keep getting more and more interesting as I learn more. Granted, the car was heavily damaged by the water infiltration into the vault. Still, the car is just as intriguing as if it came out of the ground looking factory fresh. I wish I was there to see it in all it's waterlogged, oxidized glory.

While Miss Bel has been taking up the spotlight, there was also a true, sealed time capsule buried alongside her in the vault. While the time capsule looked much like the car when it was removed, the seal was fully intact, and once opened it revealed it's contents. Everything placed inside the capsule in 1957 came out looking like the day they were sealed inside. While the items themselves might not have been too significant way back when, the passage of time and the context of the Tulsarama vault have some of the items speaking volumes 50 years later.


Pamphlets from the true heyday of the Automobile.


It's tough to see in the pictures, but the one is titled "Oil. The Biggest Bargain In America". The orange one reads "The price of gasoline. It's a bargain". A white paper to the left is titled "ESSENTIALS FOR ADEQUATE OIL SUPPLY" from what appears to be the Independent Petroleum Association of America. I cannot make out any other text on that paper. Incredible. In 50 years time, things changed so much. But have they? All things considered, oil is still the biggest bargain in America, as it relates to energy use and production. How about in another 50 years, though?

The above picture was taken from the Buried Car website. There are dozens more showing the time capsule items, details of the Belvedere inside and out, and other artifacts. The gallery is here. It's a must-see.

Not to be outdone, though, the ol' Belvedere has a little surprise. A litte elbow grease on the front bumper, and there's a hint of the shiny glory that once was:


Miss Belvedere offers a glimmer of hope to the world.


There is so much to learn here. The past can say so much, be it from a rusty car, a time capsule, or from all the people who made the event such a hit, then and now. If you think of it, we are all time capsules.

Belve-dear

Jun. 15th, 2007 09:02 pm
greatbear: (Default)
Surprisingly enough, the 1957 Belvedere was hoisted from it's crypt in one piece. I caught the very end of the live unveiling to the public, the car seemed in much better condition that I expected it to be. The hood was open, people were cleaning the car up. Legendary hotrodder (and ceaseless drama queen) Boyd Coddington is on hand to see if there is any hope for the soggy car. I'll find more as stories hit the web.

Even if there is not much hope for the car, I still think this was a pretty damn cool event. Time capsules fascinate me. I love old Mopars. And here is probably the only wedding of the two I will ever see.

More to come!

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Phil

December 2016

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