The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

A corrosion question

2007

This may be informative, or maybe just fun for the participants here.

In 1957 a new Plymouth was buried in a concrete tomb in Tulsa. It will be disinterred this June. Apparently some sort of preservation was attempted, but it's not clear how extensive it was. In some accounts Cosmoline is mentioned, but in others the car was simply wrapped in plastic.

Some expect the car to emerge in pristine condition; others expect a heap of rust.

I think the car has been subjected to a 438,000 hour 100% humidity test, even if the tomb has not leaked. It there's been water infiltration, even worse.

My guess is that only the glass, tires and a few bits of stainless trim will be recognizable. Everything else will have to shoveled into trash cans.

What do y'all corrosion experts think? Shovel it up? Haul it to Barret-Jackson and auction it for a $million? Something in between?

http://www.buriedcar.com/

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina

---

It all depends on the tomb and the preservation methods, about which we probably don't know enough. But my parents had a '57 Plymouth. I remember that the fenders were perforated in just a couple of years. So I think the conservators didn't know enough corrosion science in those days to be able to preserve it well, and I strongly doubt that it will be towable, let alone driveable. But it will be fun to find out.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007

---

Bring your shovel...

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
2007

---

Update! Well, it certainly wasn't drivable, so I get partial credit. But now I realize that "towable" wasn't a good description because anything can be dragged; it wasn't clear from the presentation whether the wheels could still roll, but surprisingly to me there was air in the tires.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007