THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF SANDRA WEST'S FUNERAL

So your Caps Lock got stuck?

1963 330 America sn 5055gt

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/vintage-thru-365-gtc4-sponsored-vintage-driving-machines/5290-woman-buried-ferrari-3.html

S/N 5055 Detail

https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2017/03/photo-of-the-day-972/

 

Beautiful car. Beautiful woman. Only in Tejas!
T

 

There is lots of interesting information on Sandy West in this section, if you search for it. There are even some posts from her nephew about riding around with her in her Daytona (I think? Or was it a Dino?).

 

The story was just repeated in our FCA magazine..

But as you state, the Thread here, her nephew found, and chimed in!!

Of course the car is still there.
It was crated and capped in wet concrete.

I hope that grave robbers take note of one detail (from the FCA article)..

While the survivors battled against the provisions of the will, lovely Sandra was "temporarily interred".....meaning that by the time they put her in the drivers seat of the car, "in lingerie, positioned comfortably", it was probably not the appearance she expected, when she wrote the provision.

More zombie like, with rotten squishy parts, I would imagine....

 

Her nephew shared with me, that he was given a choice between a Rolex and her extensive stamp collection.

He picked the watch, which loses time.
He thought in retrospect, he should have taken the stamps!!!

I believe she had both later models, parked in Hollywood.

 

This most amazing part of this story is what hasn't been told!!!!

There is a lurker here that has an amazing first hand story to tell!

Please POST!

Shawn

 

I saw this additional aspect to the story alluded to in at least one other thread but if it has been told on this forum I haven't seen it. I hope the unnamed lurker will share it here or in the other thread.

 

Is this related to her being buried in the 330 America because it was worth less than the Daytona and already damaged?

 

No one saw the car publically, (think about the multiple parties: car delivery, crating company, here come the Funeral Home, with the unearthed remains) so yes, the theory was it was the damaged car, which at the time, was the least value.

I think the picture above, in this thread is a 250 Lusso??

Man, Shawn,..if there was someone there that actually saw it go down, THAT would be interesting!

 

I thought that came out in the old thread with the nephew. She was buried in the damaged 330 and the Rolex that was gifted to the nephew belonged to her husband Ike.

 

Far more than saw it....

 

It was stated in one of the articles that the judge ruled that the damaged 330 not be repaired before interment. Something tells me she wouldn't have been happy about that-- seems like she would have wanted the car looking good.

I remember reading someplace that one of the stipulations made by the cemetery was that all of the fluids be drained. I wonder if the engine and gearbox were removed.

 

Funny things we do. The mummies in Egypt. Mind you it's a bit grander in scale and perhaps has more to do with the after life and mans attempt to wish such for himself. But who hasn't said I want to be buried in my Ferrari or with my favorite worldly possession. Most of us are simply placeholders for the next person. Best to drive the hell out of em while you can, whatever that may be.

 

I figure my favorite possessions won't do me any good after I'm dead so I'd like to leave them to people who will value them as much as I have. Sadly, finding the right recipients is easier said than done. So I'd rather have my things sold off and the proceeds donated to my favorite cause rather than just have stuff thrown in a hole in the ground along with me. Each to their own though.

 

The wood crate wasn't structural, so as it has rotted, the concrete cap which has no reinforcement has or will collapsed on the 330, crushing the car and the corpse.

Not to mention the water table of the cemetery,..... there likely isn't much of a Ferrari left .

 

I recall reading about this sometime ago. i believe the article mentioned that the engine was not in the car. Perhaps someone knows more about this...and where it ended up?

 

If a collapse occurred, it would be seen in the soil.

This was not a normal burial or situation that was half assed.

 

Somebody who works at the cemetery would probably know. Sounds like an interesting investigative story for a budding journalism student.

 

I'm pretty sure if you search, there is video of it.

 

Sandra West: The Most Famous Burial in San Antonio's History - The Sisters Grimm Blog

On May 19, 1977 Sandra Ilene West finally received the funeral she desired in the glare of television lights and in front of over 150 spectators. The box containing Ms. West and her beloved Ferrari 330 America was lowered into the 20 foot long grave and then covered with cement. The funeral director indicated that the cement was added as the cemetery was in a high crime area and he feared the car would be back on the street in a day!
Today the blue Ferrari, the 1964 330 America s/n 5055 and its owner rest together under a simple stone at the San Antonio Masonic Cemetery, likely the most bizarre if not the most famous burial in San Antonio's history.

 

This is the best comment ever. Such a cool story.