Green Country Man Chosen To Drive The Buried Belvedere

We're uncovering more about the buried past of Tulsa's time capsule. It seems just before the Belvedere was buried, a teenager took the car for an illegal joyride, with the organizer's blessing.

Friday, June 8th 2007, 10:15 am

By: News On 6

We're uncovering more about the buried past of Tulsa's time capsule. It seems just before the Belvedere was buried, a teenager took the car for an illegal joyride, with the organizer's blessing. News On 6 anchor Terry Hood reports he did get in trouble after the fact, not for driving the car, but how he drove it.

It wasn't a Sunday drive, but a wild joyride when James Doyle got behind the wheel of a brand new Plymouth Belvedere.

"He was a little upset with me because, evidently, I wasn't paying a lot of attention to what was going on, and I must have raced around that track," Doyle said. "And I could hear the guy complaining to some people about driving this thing a little fast."

Doyle wasn't really an experienced driver. He didn't even have his driverâ€™s license, and only celebrated his 15th birthday a month earlier.

"So here I was 15 years old, driving this brand new Plymouth around the fairgrounds race track," Doyle said.

Doyle got the opportunity because the '57 Belvedere was pretty similar to his parents' '55 Plymouth.

"Had a mechanism sticking out of the dash on the left side, it was push button. You know, you didn't have to pull a lever on it, so I guess you could call it a typewriter drive," Doyle said.

Doyleâ€™s joyride at the fairgrounds was just a couple days before the car went underground. Now, the only racing at the fairgrounds is on horseback. And even though it was gone in a flash, lasting memories of the Belvedere are sparking excitement even now.

As for Doyle, he says it might not be a good idea for him to repeat his criminal commute.

"My eyesight has gotten so bad that I don't drive anymore," he said. "And anywhere I go, my wife has to take me."

Plus, he's not sure he should be pressing his luck a second time.

"I'm just glad that the statute of limitations has run out on stuff like that," he said.

Doyle plans to be downtown when the Buried Belvedere is unveiled.

Watch the video: Man Remembers Driving Tulsa's Buried Belvedere

WEB EXTRA: Extended Interview With James Doyle

The News On 6 will have exclusive coverage of the Tulsarama event on June 15, click here for information.

For more information about the Belvedere, click here.

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