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| Photo Credit: Chevrolet |
The performance prowess of the Chevrolet Corvette often insulates through ability to escape an uncomfortable situation quickly. However, for eight Corvettes on February 12th of this year, nature swallowed them before they had a chance to apply their V-8 muscle.
More than six months ago, the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green,Kentucky, a large sinkhole developed within the facility's Skydome
section. With the hole opening overnight, it timing most fortunately
spared human harm. The casualties of the sinkhole was limited to some
high quality motorized display pieces. In total, eight Chevrolet
Corvettes were the victims of a sudden deep fall. This weekend, the
National Corvette Museum provided some details on their recovery
efforts. Pledging to fill in the opening within the Skydome,
Chevrolet has provided updates on three of the vehicle's damaged in
the natural occurrence.
The
2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 prototype (termed the Blue Devil in
relations to than-Vice Chairman Bob Lutz's alma mater) and the the
one-millionth Corvette, a white 1992 convertible, will be restored by
General Motors. Both cars were loaned to the National Corvette Museum
as part of General Motors' corporate collection. The "Blue
Devil" Corvette was one of first cars recovered from the
sinkhole. Damaged by the fall, that particular vehicle faired better
than other casualties of the sinkhole. Upon its retrieval, the
recovery crew started the Corvette ZR1 prototype's engine. The 1992
Chevrolet Corvette was also promptly retrieved from the sinkhole.
Both cars will be restored under the direction of Chevrolet.
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| Photo Credit: Chevrolet |
The
museum will restore a third Corvette thanks to funding from
Chevrolet. The oldest victim of the sinkhole, a 1962 Corvette, will
be returned to original condition by a quality restorer. General
Motors has pledged a total of $250,000 US to the National Corvette
Museum in response to the disaster in February. “Our goal was to
help the National Corvette Museum recover from a terrible natural
disaster by restoring all eight cars,” said GM's
executive vice president of Global Product Development Mark
Reuss. There has been no timetable on the completion date for the
three cars under restoration at this time.
As
for the remaining five Chevrolet Corvettes, the decision has been
made to leave the recovered vehicles unrestored. Among the vehicles
is the 1.5-millionth Corvette and the Mallet Hammer modified Corvette
Z06 that were last ones recovered from the collapsed Earth. Those
vehicles were in the worst condition of all the vehicles affected.
Opting to keep the vehicle's unrestored, the National Corvette Museum
is responding to some requests to preserve the Corvettes in an
alternative manner. Already examples of America's greatest and most
enduring sports car, the five remaining Corvettes will maintain the
historical significance of the sinkhole disaster itself. Responding
to this decision, National Corvette Museum executive director Wendell
Strode said, “For Corvette enthusiasts, the damage to the cars is
part of their history, and part narrative of the National Corvette
Museum. Restoring them all would negate the significance of what
happened.”. Other pieces being left unrestored includes a 1993 40th Anniversary Corvette, a 1984 PPG Pace Car and a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder.
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| Photo Credit: Chevrolet |
Following
the disaster, not all news was bad for the National Corvette Museum.
Due to media coverage and fascination in the eight Chevrolet
Corvettes involved in the sinkhole fall, attendance at the museum
jumped 60 percent in the four months following the incident.
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