Chevy finishes restoration of damaged 1 millionth Corvette

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The one-millionth Corvette looked like a pancake when it emerged from the sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum. After 1,200 man-hours of hard work, the convertible is perfect again.

Continue reading Chevy finishes restoration of damaged 1 millionth Corvette

Chevy finishes restoration of damaged 1 millionth Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2015 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Millionth Corvette now being restored after sinkhole damage

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The landmark millionth Corvette ever made is now beginning the process of restoration at the GM Design Center after it was swallowed up by a sinkhole last year at the National Corvette Museum.

Continue reading Millionth Corvette now being restored after sinkhole damage

Millionth Corvette now being restored after sinkhole damage originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corvette museum to fill in sinkhole, leave five cars unrestored

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Sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum

Preservation or restoration. That's the question that faces anyone dealing with classic cars, and it's the issue with which the National Corvette Museum is grappling in the wake of the sinkhole that opened up in its midst this past February.

In the months since the damage was inflicted, the museum had planned to keep at least part of the sinkhole open as a sort of memorial and tourist attraction so that visitors could see what happened. Unfortunately, it turned out that keeping the hole open would cost the museum more than closing it up. Much more, if you can believe it: instead of the earlier estimates that initially placed the cost of preserving a portion of the sinkhole at around $500,000, the eventual cost estimates rose to over $1 million.

Even if the museum had the funds in order to do so, the visible portion of the sinkhole would still require 35-foot retaining walls, steel beams and other reinforcements (not to mention proper humidity control required to deal with vapors emitted from the hole) that would have defeated the point altogether. So in the end, the board of directors have voted at its quarterly meeting to completely fill it in.

The hole itself, however, is not the only area in which the museum has had to choose between preservation or restoration. General Motors had originally pledged to restore all eight of the Corvette display models damaged in the natural disaster, but following an outpouring of requests from visitors and fans, both Chevy and the museum have opted instead to keep five of the less-damaged Vettes in the same condition in which they were extracted from the sinkhole.

In the end, Chevy will still restore two of the more substantially damaged Corvettes itself - namely the 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil" prototype and the 1992 C4 convertible that was the millionth Corvette ever made - and will bankroll the restoration of the '62 model to be undertaken off site. The others will stay as they are. So while you may not be able to see the sinkhole for much longer, you'll be able to see at least part of the aftermath in those heavily patina'd cars for the foreseeable future.

Continue reading Corvette museum to fill in sinkhole, leave five cars unrestored

Corvette museum to fill in sinkhole, leave five cars unrestored originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Corvette Museum votes to preserve sinkhole

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National Corvette Museum sinkhole

Since the catastrophe, attendance has shot up 59 percent.

The people behind the National Corvette Museum really know how to turn lemons into lemonade. In February, a 40-feet wide by 60-feet deep sinkhole opened up in the middle of the museum's Skydome, eating eight rare 'Vettes on display. But the folks in Bowling Green, KY, are turning the tragedy into opportunity. The natural disaster has turned into a major attendance windfall for the museum, pulling in record crowds. And now, as previously hinted at, the museum's board has officially voted for new plans to keep the crater in place in modified form - even displaying cars in it.

The museum's board felt that it had three options available: completely repair the sinkhole, leave it as-is or modify it slightly to be somewhat smaller. In a vote, the members decided on the third option, which would reduce the cavity's size to 25-feet by 45-feet wide and 30-feet deep. That might be further modified after studies into how having an open hole in the Skydome will affect the humidity and heating costs. Regardless, the hope is to leave enough room to display two Corvette models down there, possibly the ones most badly damaged in the collapse.

"We have to look at creative ways to generate interest in the Museum. It would be so much easier to just be a regular automotive museum with our Corvettes on display, but we have to think outside the box," said Executive Director Wendell Strode in the museum's statement.

After the initial shock of the sinkhole subsided, the museum's administrators realized that the giant crater might turn out to be one of the best things to ever happen to the institution. Since the catastrophe, attendance has shot up 59 percent compared to last year, with increased revenue at its gift shop and restaurant, as well. It has become a real tourist attraction.

Of course, going with the option of a reduced-size sinkhole always leaves the door open to fill it in completely, notes Christy Thomas, the museum's chief financial officer. "If the interest in the exhibit wanes, or if down the road we decided that we don't want the hole any longer there is always an option to put the room back how it was," she says.

If you want to see the original 60-feet-deep hole in all its glory, then don't worry. The museum is leaving it open until construction begins on the modifications, which are scheduled for September. Scroll down to read the full announcement.

Continue reading National Corvette Museum votes to preserve sinkhole

National Corvette Museum votes to preserve sinkhole originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Corvette Museum may preserve sinkhole as tourist attraction

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National Corvette Museum

The people at the National Corvette Museum are hoping to turn a catastrophe into an opportunity for continued success. Since all eight cars eaten by the 40-foot wide and 60-foot deep sinkhole were removed and put on display, the museum has seen an uptick in visitors to check the wrecked 'Vettes out. According to CNN, attendance was up over 50 percent for March. The next step might be stabilizing the hole and making it a permanent part of the Skydome hall along with some of the most damaged cars.

Several of the eight Corvettes appear to be salvageable as well. The museum's board of directors meets with restorers in May to decide the next step. However, a few of them, like the Mallett Hammer, might be beyond repair. It now looks like little more than a twisted ball of metal and may remain on display in that condition.

The board is also considering what to do about the sinkhole. "There is a possibility of leaving it here. Whether, it's just a portion or all of it, having a bridge over it, stairs that go down in it, a glass floor on top where you can look down," said Katie Frassinelli from the National Corvette Museum to CNN. "We're talking to the construction company and engineers just to see the possibilities." It would definitely be a unique exhibit. Scroll down to watch a video about its future plans.

Continue reading National Corvette Museum may preserve sinkhole as tourist attraction

National Corvette Museum may preserve sinkhole as tourist attraction originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 May 2014 19:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Corvette Museum says last sinkhole car extracted [w/videos]

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National Corvette Museum car recovery

The 2001 Chevrolet Corvette Mallett Hammer Z06 has been plucked out of the sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum, but it definitely couldn't drive away like the 2009 ZR1 did when it came out. With the Mallet finally recovered, all eight 'Vettes that went into the hole are finally out after eight weeks of work. As you probably know, a 40-foot wide and 60-foot deep hole appeared in the museum's Skydome in early February, enveloping some of the rarest cars on display. General Motors plans to restore them, but they will go on display as-is at the museum for the next few months.

The 700-horsepower and 575-pound-feet-of-torque Mallett Hammer was one of the two cars that were hidden under rocks and dirt when the sinkhole swallowed the cars. It was found upside down and was destroyed beyond recognition by some of the heavy boulders that landed on it. "I expected bad, but it's 100 times worse. It looks like a piece of tin foil ... and it had a roll cage in it! It makes all the other cars look like they're brand new," said Mallett-donator Kevin Helmintoller in the official museum statement.

All eight Corvettes will go on display at the museum next week in an exhibit called Great 8 and remain there until NCM's 20th anniversary celebration on August 27-30. The museum's next step is to meet with the construction team, geo-technical firm and insurance company to decide how to repair the Skydome. Scroll down to watch videos of the cars being extricated.

Continue reading National Corvette Museum says last sinkhole car extracted [w/videos]

National Corvette Museum says last sinkhole car extracted [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Apr 2014 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch the sinkhole work get underway at the National Corvette Museum [UPDATE]

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National Corvette Museum Crane

Recovery and reconstruction efforts at the National Corvette Museum are moving forward on schedule since a sinkhole erupted in the middle of the museum's Skydome about two weeks ago. As of a few days ago, a crane was in place on a reinforced portion of floor to begin lifting the rare copies of America's favorite sports car from the Earth.

As expected, it has taken a few weeks to stabilize the building and ensure its safety before the crane could be brought in. The recovery team had hoped to have the cars removed by March 5, but it appears that it will take somewhat longer than that. Still, with the lifter now on scene, the Corvettes can finally start to be removed. Once extricated, the eight 'Vettes will briefly be on display at the museum completely unrestored and then will be taken to the General Motors Mechanical Assembly facility to be repaired.

According to Dennis Smith, one of the engineers working on the project, movement in the complex is being continually monitored, but so far there have been no problems. Scroll down to check out the videos of the crane being moved into place and a time-lapse video of the work done last week.

UPDATE: The museum has begun extraciting the sinkhole cars, and lucky for us, they've let their cameras keep rolling. Scroll below for a multitude of additional videos, including the exhumation and subsequent cranking over of a ZR1.

Continue reading Watch the sinkhole work get underway at the National Corvette Museum [UPDATE]

Watch the sinkhole work get underway at the National Corvette Museum [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Mar 2014 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Corvette Museum to display sinkhole-damaged cars before restoration

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Corvettes in Sinkhole

If you've been following the news from Bowling Green, you know all about the sinkhole that opened up underneath the National Corvette Museum on February 12 and swallowed eight cars whole. You'll also know that officials have a plan in place to extract the cars from the ground and send them to Chevrolet in Michigan for full restoration. But in between, you might get a chance to see the damaged cars in their banged up, unrestored state.

This according to the Detroit Free Press, which cites a museum spokesman in reporting that the damaged cars will be put on display at the National Corvette Museum after they're pulled out of the ground but before they're sent to the GM Heritage Collection in Warren for restoration. That will give visitors a chance to see the damage inflicted by the geological calamity.

All told, eight Corvette display cars fell into the sinkhole, and they remain there while the plan to extract them gets underway. The cars include six vehicles that are part of the NCM permanent collection and a pair of ZR1 models on loan from General Motors.

National Corvette Museum to display sinkhole-damaged cars before restoration originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Feb 2014 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How the National Corvette Museum will extract cars from the sinkhole

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Corvette Museum

The rescue of the eight Corvette display cars that were eaten by a sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum last week has begun. Unfortunately, two of the cars are so thoroughly buried in soil and debris that they have not yet been seen. At least a geologist on scene says that he has not seen any further movement in the cars since the Earth consumed them.

According to this news video from Bowling Green ABC affiliate WBKO, the museum is working with geologists from Western Kentucky University and a recovery team to save the cars. An opening is being cut into the side of the Skydome (where the sinkhole developed) to insert a crane, and holes are also being cut into the floor to fill with concrete in an attempt to stabilize what's left of the weakened floor.

When the crane arrives, the extraction team plans to remove the cars' wheels and attach the cars directly to the crane's straps in order to provide a more secure connection than other methods. The team hopes to have all of the cars removed in the next two weeks.

After the cars are removed, GM has promised to oversee their restoration in-house at its Mechanical Assembly facility, which restores all of the GM Heritage Collection vehicles. Scroll down to get an in-depth scoop on how the Corvettes will be removed.

Continue reading How the National Corvette Museum will extract cars from the sinkhole

How the National Corvette Museum will extract cars from the sinkhole originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corvette Museum sinkhole repair timeline outline, Chevy to restore damaged cars

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National Corvette Museum

The eight cars swallowed up when a sinkhole erupted in the middle of the National Corvette Museum earlier this week will be sent to General Motors Design's Mechanical Assembly, which handles restorations for the GM Heritage Collection, in Warren, MI for full restorations. Vice President of Design, Ed Welburn, will oversee the process.

"The vehicles at the National Corvette Museum are some of the most significant in automotive history," said General Motors Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Mark Reuss. "There can only be one one-millionth Corvette ever built. We want to ensure as many of the damaged cars are restored as possible so fans from around the world can enjoy them when the Museum reopens."

As for the museum itself, authorities say the damage caused by the sinkhole is repairable, and the building's structure and foundation remain in good shape. Recovery of the fallen vehicles can't begin, though, until engineers stabilize the area around the sinkhole, which could take a few weeks. Following that, it's expected to take four to six days to recover all eight cars.

A timeline for the total repair of the facility hasn't really been detailed, although in a press release, Executive Director Wendell Strode said is confident the museum will be ready to host its 20th anniversary celebration in August. "You won't even know that this happened," Strode said.

Scroll down for the full press release on the restoration from GM as well as a news brief from the NCM, and click here if you'd like to donate to the museum's repair efforts.

Continue reading Corvette Museum sinkhole repair timeline outline, Chevy to restore damaged cars

Corvette Museum sinkhole repair timeline outline, Chevy to restore damaged cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Feb 2014 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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