Sinkhole 'erupts' inside National Corvette Museum

[Ed Blown Vert]

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Chevrolet


A 40-foot sinkhole developed inside the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, swallowing up eight vehicles, including two that were on loan from General Motors. No one was in the museum at the time of the incident, which happened early this morning.

According to the NCM, motion sensors were set off at 5:44 AM, leading museum authorities to discover a 25 to 30-foot deep chasm, that Executive Director Wendell Strode called "pretty significant." The sinkhole developed in the museum's Skydome, although it can't be seen on any of the museum's webcams (the Enthusiast cam is the closest look we can get to what's going on).

The Louisville Courier-Journalreports emergency personnel remain on the scene, and have only allowed museum employees to remove a single vehicle - the only remaining 1983 Corvette, which was part of a mere 44-vehicle run.

The two cars on loan from GM were a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder and a 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil," while the damanged museum-owned cars included a 1962 Corvette, the millionth Vette ever built (a 1992), a 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 and the 1.5 millionth car produced. None of the damaged vehicles were on loan from private individuals. The extent of the damage to these vehicles remains unclear at this time.

According to the official press release from the NCM, the Skydome is closed as damage is assessed by structural engineers, although the rest of the museum remains open. Take a look below for the museum's official press release.Continue reading Sinkhole 'erupts' inside National Corvette Museum
Sinkhole 'erupts' inside National Corvette Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Feb 2014 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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[Whamhammer]

That is just crazy! I was there for (part of) my honeymoon in 2010. I hope that the cars aren't totaled, alot of history there. I wish that mother nature had shifted the sinkhole a few hundred feet over to where the pink-diamond-clad Corvette was and took it instead of cars with the likes of the Blue Devil!!!

[trev0006]

10 more pictures from their webcam

[SMWS6TA]

I feel like

[Whamhammer]

When I start my job in the next few weeks, part of my first check will go as a donation to the National Corvette Museum to help them out. I know that insurance will cover this stuff, but we need to make sure that we keep this testament to America's sports car going strong. I may "only" have owned Trans Ams, but the technology and concepts employed by the Corvette go into both the Camaro and Firebird /Trans Am. I've had a great time with my cars and much of it is owed to the Corvette. I also had a great time on part of my honeymoon when we visited Bowling Green and the museum staff took us on a tour of the Corvette plant and the museum itself. In the future, I would love to buy a Corvette and take deliver at the museum. I encourage all members here that have benefited from the Corvette to make some donation, no matter the size to show our support!