Autoblog

Tulsa police testing booty-shaking Rumbler sirens

Michael Harley — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Government/Legal, Technology, Police/Emergency

In a move sure to please more than a few motorists, police in Tulsa, OK are testing new sirens on their patrol cars with a tone low enough to send vibrations through targeted vehicles and their occupants. It sounds strange, but as cars become more isolated from the outside world, it has become increasingly difficult for cops to grab the attention of wayward motorists. Locked in our motorized cocoons, a wailing siren just can't be heard over the din of cell phones, Sponge Bob and iPods.

This new and innovative (and non-sadistic) approach called the Rumbler is designed to blast a deep tone up to 70 yards away to alert drivers through vibrations in their backsides. The Tulsa police have three units in use, with three more expected within the next ten days. Law enforcement officials in Washington DC, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida are also trying the technology. Talk from the officers and the public indicates this apparently harmless approach works pretty well. If put into widespread use, it seems to us that the booty-shaking siren just could become the best part of being pulled over.

Follow the jump for video of the Rumbler in action and hear what the new sound of police sirens may soon be in your city. Thanks for the tip, Screwtape!

[Source: KTUL - Tulsa Channel 8 News]

Continue reading Tulsa police testing booty-shaking Rumbler sirens

Tulsa police testing booty-shaking Rumbler sirens originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will there be anything left? Tulsa Belvedere set to be de-rusted

Dan Roth — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Chrysler

The SS Belvedere emerged from its not-so-dry-dock almost two months ago, in all its ferrous oxide glory. Apparently the offer of restoration by Boyd Coddington has either been refused or rescinded, but either way, the Mopar is headed to New Jersey for a spa treatment. Safest Rust Remover, a product of the Ultra One Corporation, is going to take a crack at dissolving just the rust, and leaving everything else intact. It makes us wonder, once you dissolve that rust, will there be merely the lacy suggestion of a '57 Plymouth, rendered in mid-century steel?

A website has been launched so you can keep an eye on the progress. All reports about the Safest Rust Remover product are positive, and the non-acid mixture is used to clean Manhattan's Holland and Lincoln Tunnels. A vat half the size of an Olympic swimming pool might be needed, but maybe there's hope for the old girl yet. The game plan for the car is to not restore it, just clean it up and get the engine running -- once those goals are met, a re-unveiling back in Tulsa will be planned. They should get those Skoda bakers for the event so there's at least one perfect looking Belvedere there.

[Source: Hemmings]

Will there be anything left? Tulsa Belvedere set to be de-rusted originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Jul 2007 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Winner of buried Belvedere determined, passed away in '79

John Neff — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:05:00 EST

Filed under: Classics

click above image for a gallery of the buried Belvedere's unveiling

Don't know how we missed this, but apparently the winner of the 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried with a time capsule in Tulsa, Oklahoma some 50 years ago has been determined. His name is Raymond E. Humbertson, and 50 years ago he guessed that the population of Tulsa would be 384,743 in 2007. He was off by 2,286 people, as the population of Tulsa stands today at 382,457. Nevertheless, Humbertson's guess was the closest, which makes him the winner.

Unfortunately, Humbertson died of cancer in 1979 and his wife also passed away in 1988. His closest living relatives are two sisters, who will take ownership of the prize - a completely rusted 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. The announcement of the winner was made on Friday, June 21st at the East Tulsa Dodge dealership where the car was on display after it had been exhumed from its watery tomb. It's since been moved to a storage building.

Perhaps it's tragically fitting that the man who has won the buried Belvedere is no longer with us, as Humbertson is likely cruising in the afterlife with his '57 Belvedere that's equally deceased.

Thanks for the tip, Tom!

[Source: buriedcar.com]

Gallery: Tulsarama unveiling buried 1957 Belvedere

Winner of buried Belvedere determined, passed away in '79 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The other Tulsa time capsule

Chris Tutor — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:38:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

What is it with Tulsa burying cars? By now, surely everyone has heard of Tulsa's buried Belvedere. Placed in its "watertight" cement coffin in 1957, it didn't do too well over half a century. But technology then was not nearly as advanced as it is now, right? So how would one go about burying a car today with the hopes of it surviving 50 years?

In 1998, Tulsa buried a preproduction Plymouth Prowler, and we'll find out how well it does when it's dug out in 2048. This time though, the city did it right. Instead of ancient 1950s technology of concrete and plastic wrap, Tulsa chose a "seamless plastic box" filled with an inert gas, which was then put into an above-ground mausoleum and partially covered with dirt. They also drained all the car's fluids and replaced them with synthetics. We can't help but wonder if in 2048, the world will again turn its eyes on Tulsa to see a badly-decomposed car pulled from the ground and laugh at the ancient 1998 technology used to preserve it.

And instead of the bobby pins, cigarettes and tranquilizers the Belvedere had in its glovebox, the Prowler is entombed with a pair of inline skates, a cell phone, the front of an ATM and a large collection of Beanie Babies. Yeah, that should age much better than smokes and drugs.

The buried Prowler did at least survive a few years longer than its nameplate.

[Source: Tulsa World via Hemmings]

Video: The other Tulsa time capsule originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More pics of Tulsa's rusty 1957 Plymouth Belvedere unearthed

John Neff — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:36:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

click above image for 26 new pics of the '57 Belvedere unveiling in Tulsa

Since we weren't able to get an Autoblogger on a plane pointed at Tulsa last weekend to catch the unearthing of a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere buried underground for 50 years, we called Chrysler because we thought, hey, they built the car way back when, maybe they'll have someone on hand with a point-and-shoot. And they did. Max Gates from the Safety and Regulatory Communications department of Chrysler escaped his cubicle to attend the festivities surrounding the reveal of Tulsa's time capsule and "Mrs. Belvedere".

Of course, by now we all know that Mrs. Belvedere spent much of the last half century under water, her underground sarcophagus having been breached by mother nature and flooded countless times in the past 50 years. In Gates' pics, we get our first close up look at the extent to which the '57 Belvedere is ruined with rust. What's interesting is that there are no rust holes or rust spots, there's just a veneer of rust completely covering the vehicle making it look as if the car were plucked from its tomb and deep fried right before the unveiling.

We haven't heard any news about who correctly guessed what the population of Tulsa would be in 2007 and therefore has won the '57 Belvedere, nor whether it's been confirmed that car customizer Boyd Coddington will restore the vehicle before it's awarded to the winner. For the winner's sake, we're hoping he or she isn't given the car in this condition.

[Source: Chrysler Group]

Gallery: Tulsarama unveiling buried 1957 Belvedere

More pics of Tulsa's rusty 1957 Plymouth Belvedere unearthed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tulsa's buried Belvedere revealed! It's a rust bucket

John Neff — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:05:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Chrysler

click above image to view more pics from the '57 Chrysler Belvedere's unveiling

Tonight was the big unearthing and unveiling of the 1957 Chrysler Belvedere that was buried in front of the courthouse in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma 50 years ago. After the car's underground tomb was opened earlier in the week and it was discovered filled with water, no one was sure what condition "Mrs. Belvedere" would be in. Brenton Burke, a friend of Autoblog, was present at the unveiling and filed this report.

"Three men from OSU's automotive school pulled the cover back and there she sat. Mrs. Belvedere was in ruins. Just destroyed... I was totally bummed and the old people around me really took it hard... They then continued to show flicks of interviews with people who watched the event, while Boyd et. al. tried to open the various compartments. They succeeded with the trunk and hood, but were having difficulties opening the side doors. In the trunk was some fun stuff. They had put the gas in glass jugs, then placed those in steel containers. There was a six pack of beer and some other destroyed memorabilia. The beer was still in tact! They opened the hood and removed the plastic cover that disintegrated over it, and showed us the mold/algae covered engine. At that point, there was nothing much left of the car.

They proceeded to cut open the big steel boiler that doubled as the real time capsule. It was perfect. They cut it open and pulled out an American Flag that looked brand new. Awesome! There were postcards, letters from the school districts, etc. Most of the stuff was random memorabilia that the people of Tulsa threw in, last minute, and un-documented."

More after the jump.

[Photos: Brent Burke]

Gallery: Tulsarama unveiling buried 1957 Belvedere

Continue reading Tulsa's buried Belvedere revealed! It's a rust bucket

Tulsa's buried Belvedere revealed! It's a rust bucket originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tulsarama time capsule a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere

John Neff — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:52:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

On June 15th, 1957 the residents of Tulsa, Oklahoma buried a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere beneath a downtown sidewalk in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse. At the time Tulsa has more cars per capita than any U.S. city besides Los Angeles and a fierce rivalry with Oklahoma city. The time capsule stunt was meant as a way to celebrate the city's love of the automobile and one-up Oklahoma City.

The car was filled with all sorts of 1957 mementos, including a case of Schlitz beer, 10 gallons of gasoline, 5 quarts of oil, the contents of a lady's purse, as well as photos and maps of the Tulsa area. No one knows what condition the Plymouth is in, but townsfolk from the era say city officials took every precaution to ensure the car would still be pristine when it was exhumed. That date will come next year during Tulsa's centennial on June 15th, 2007, fifty years to the day after the car was buried.

[Source: BuriedCar, ForwardLook.net]

Tulsarama time capsule a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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