Throwback Thursday: That Time the Earth Swallowed a '62 Vette
The 1962 Corvette damaged at the Kentucky sinkhole will finally see the light again. The restoration starts soon, and the National Corvette Museum visitors can actually see the progress.
Kentucky Sink Hole
The National Corvette Museum was constructed in 1994 and opened to the public that year in September. The museum not only offers fans of the American sports car to see the evolution of the models through the years but also allows new customers along with up to three guests to take delivery of their vehicle at the location with a VIP tour of the plant.
Two years ago Corvette enthusiasts all over the world woke up to the startling news that the museum in Bowling Green had suffered an insane tragedy. On February 12, 2014, a sinkhole had opened up inside the Museum and swallowed up rare one of a kind Corvettes. Eight Corvettes were damaged in the disaster, and only five of them were able to be salvaged from the sinkhole. One of them was this beautiful 1962 black Corvette that will be able to live again after careful restoration.
(Update: This post was originally published on 2/12/14 when a sinkhole swallowed eight Corvettes at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.)
Saving the '62
The next morning, workers toiled tirelessly on retrieving the eight Corvettes. Here you can see them pulling up the 1962 Corvette, not knowing what condition of damage it would ultimately be in.
Retrieving the Corvette
There were various opinions regarding the sinkhole and if it should stay as a feature for the tour. The sight of the '62 Vette being pulled up brought a lot of heartache to all Corvette enthusiasts who gazed upon the site.
Still Glorious
Once the classic Vette was pulled out, museum workers quickly realized that it could be fixed, it just wouldn't be easy. However, the museum's attendance went up through the roof after the disaster, going from 150,000 in 2013, to 220,000 after the sinkhole.
Breaking Hearts
People consider this 1962 C1 model to be the biggest loss in the sinkhole disaster. After retrieving the eight damaged Corvettes, the museum placed them on a display like they were before the sinkhole, (except they were severely damaged).
Can't Break American Muscle
Here, we see the damaged C1 on display, but the sinkhole disaster only assisted in boosting the attendance up. This damage to the museum resulted in a 30-foot deep pit that swallowed up numerous beloved classics. The museum was able to salvage the "Act of God" and turn it into a moment in history in which attendees can look through a glass-window down the crater.
Restoration Starts Now
In February of 2017, the National Corvette Museum decided to fully restore the 1962 Corvette and bring it back to life. The pained classic will need approximately $15,000 worth of parts, and the restoration process should take close to a year. All of the efforts to restore the C1 will be performed inside of the museum, so attendees can follow the progress of the process.
Check out the 1962 Corvette update video HERE.
For help with service and maintenance on your Corvette check out the how-to section of CorvetteForum.com