Sinkhole in the Corvette Museum

[lakeholme]

Jeez! That video is hard to watch. Does anyone really believe they can retrieve any of those cars? Or, will it just be a grave site with a memorial??   

I'm told that the Kentucky EPA prohibits leaving them in there due to the gas/oil in them (although I'm not sure that the lowest ones could be retrieved.. and they may determine that it's too dangerous to hook onto them to retrieve them).  Personally I hope they find a means to get the top ones out, and hopefully, if safety isn't an issue, then retrieve them all to be restored.  The only means I can conceive of how to retrieve them would be to disassemble a portion of the yellow dome, and use a crane to hook them and lift them out.   If they were mine, I'd sure go down there and hook them up (with appropriate safety cable/harnesses)..

I wonder if they keep only a few gallons in the tank at the museum? When we display cars at our convention center, they want them as close to empty as possible.  Anyway, one or more of those cars are bound to leak gas and fumes.

[69Z28-RS]

Tragedy to say the least.
What's the story of the '62 Corvette?
Why is this one here?

The '62 was donated to the Museum by the 'only owner it ever had'.   The previous owner (before the NCM) bought it new while in high school, using money he'd earned..  Had it all those years, then wanted it to be preserved somewhere it could be enjoyed by many; it was said he would never drive it in the rain while he owned it, and if he had it out on the road, was constantly observing the weather, so he could dash home before any bad weather (ie. rain) happened..    Unfortunate for that car.. and I'm hoping it can be saved and restored (for the original owner's sake)...

[HawkX66]

Are we sure this is legit? It really looks like one of my sons threw a couple Matchboxes in a sandbox hole... The more I see the pics, the more sick I get. I saw a story where a museum rep said they might add the cars to a survivor exhibit that shows cars that survived tragic events like this. Consipiriacy theories anyone? Big marketing gimmick to get people to the museum?

[69Z28-RS]

Are we sure this is legit? It really looks like one of my sons threw a couple Matchboxes in a sandbox hole... The more I see the pics, the more sick I get. I saw a story where a museum rep said they might add the cars to a survivor exhibit that shows cars that survived tragic events like this. Consipiriacy theories anyone? Big marketing gimmick to get people to the museum?

No, it's REAL..   TOO real...  still an on-going situation being reported on all over the country..  CNN  ..  USA Today...  etc..

[cook_dw]

There is a reason central Kentucky is called cave country.     It may be solid ground 30 or 50ft and then there would be a hole from an unknown branch of a cave system and all it takes is weight and erosion.   Id be willing to bet that this will ultimately be explored.  They'll almost have to verify that there isnt more of these pockets under the museum.

[HawkX66]

Are we sure this is legit? It really looks like one of my sons threw a couple Matchboxes in a sandbox hole... The more I see the pics, the more sick I get. I saw a story where a museum rep said they might add the cars to a survivor exhibit that shows cars that survived tragic events like this. Consipiriacy theories anyone? Big marketing gimmick to get people to the museum?

No, it's REAL..   TOO real...  still an on-going situation being reported on all over the country..  CNN  ..  USA Today...  etc..

I was just kidding around Gary lol

[ko-lek-tor]

Are we sure this is legit? It really looks like one of my sons threw a couple Matchboxes in a sandbox hole... The more I see the pics, the more sick I get. I saw a story where a museum rep said they might add the cars to a survivor exhibit that shows cars that survived tragic events like this. Consipiriacy theories anyone? Big marketing gimmick to get people to the museum?

No, it's REAL..   TOO real...  still an on-going situation being reported on all over the country..  CNN  ..  USA Today...  etc..

I was just kidding around Gary lol

Just prior to that pic, those cars were parked on a "grassy knoll"lol.

[lakeholme]

There is a reason central Kentucky is called cave country.     It may be solid ground 30 or 50ft and then there would be a hole from an unknown branch of a cave system and all it takes is weight and erosion.   Id be willing to bet that this will ultimately be explored.  They'll almost have to verify that there isnt more of these pockets under the museum.

You can tell from the pictures that there are caverns that go on down.  Gary may be right.  They may have to demolish the Skydome and start all over again.  Sad state of affairs....

[dannystarr]

I can tell ya right now I would volunteer to get lowered down there tomorrow if I could. I remember in 86' I was working on an off shore oil rig 7 days a week 12 hours a day. We were building it for Chevron. After completion to haul it away they had one of two of the biggest pieces of Eq. I had ever seen. One was one of two cranes that are the largest in the world. The other was a carrier out of japan, also one of the biggest in the world. They lifted that sucker up and put it on the carrier like it was a bag of candy. I think it was in two pieces, but still. Of course they wouldn't need THAT crane, but why would you leave ANY of them down there. Hook them up and pull them out one at a time. What's the problem. They make chain and cable plenty long enough. Have them contact me if they want someone to be lowered in the hole ... Danny

[festival]

Chevy will oversee the restoration of all 8 cars.

http://www.4-traders.com/GENERAL-MOTORS-COMPANY-6873535/news/General-Motors-Company--Chevrolet-to-Oversee-Restoration-of-Damaged-Vintage-Corvettes-17947941/

[69Z28-RS]

I can tell ya right now I would volunteer to get lowered down there tomorrow if I could. I remember in 86' I was working on an off shore oil rig 7 days a week 12 hours a day. We were building it for Chevron. After completion to haul it away they had one of two of the biggest pieces of Eq. I had ever seen. One was one of two cranes that are the largest in the world. The other was a carrier out of japan, also one of the biggest in the world. They lifted that sucker up and put it on the carrier like it was a bag of candy. I think it was in two pieces, but still. Of course they wouldn't need THAT crane, but why would you leave ANY of them down there. Hook them up and pull them out one at a time. What's the problem. They make chain and cable plenty long enough. Have them contact me if they want someone to be lowered in the hole ... Danny

I can tell ya right now I would volunteer to get lowered down there tomorrow if I could. I remember in 86' I was working on an off shore oil rig 7 days a week 12 hours a day. We were building it for Chevron. After completion to haul it away they had one of two of the biggest pieces of Eq. I had ever seen. One was one of two cranes that are the largest in the world. The other was a carrier out of japan, also one of the biggest in the world. They lifted that sucker up and put it on the carrier like it was a bag of candy. I think it was in two pieces, but still. Of course they wouldn't need THAT crane, but why would you leave ANY of them down there. Hook them up and pull them out one at a time. What's the problem. They make chain and cable plenty long enough. Have them contact me if they want someone to be lowered in the hole ... Danny

I've sent your username here on CRG to Wendell (director of the NCM); I'm sure he will be signing in here to get you to sign the 'waivers' required...     (J/K)..

[Azure1969Z/28]

Chevy will oversee the restoration of all 8 cars.

http://www.4-traders.com/GENERAL-MOTORS-COMPANY-6873535/news/General-Motors-Company--Chevrolet-to-Oversee-Restoration-of-Damaged-Vintage-Corvettes-17947941/

Hate to be a Debbie Downer but I'll bet about half of those Vettes won't be recovered. Too dangerous, sinkholes are extremely unstable and the cars not shown in the pics look like they are under tons of dirt and concrete. RIP

[dannystarr]

Awesome!! I hope you are not kidding, I am ready. I will let ya know how my training and harness fitting goes.... Danny

[festival]

Awesome!! I hope you are not kidding, I am ready. I will let ya know how my training and harness fitting goes.... Danny

If anyone can get what it takes (resource wise) to extract the cars out of the hole it is Mark Reuss.

When the cars are recovered, they will be shipped to the Mechanical Assembly facility over at GM design where an individualized restoration approach will be determined for each car.   Some cars will likely require entire body replacement to repair.   

Mechanical Assembly restores the vehicles in the GM Heritage Collection and GM’s historic concept cars, so they know how to resurrect the dead so to speak.

[HawkX66]

 Some cars will likely require entire body replacement to repair.  Mechanical Assembly restores the vehicles in the GM Heritage Collection and GM’s historic concept cars, so they know how to resurrect the dead so to speak.[/quote]

I know it's an old debate, but at what point is it not the same car and can you still call it the 1 millionth for instance? Where is the "heart" of the car. The drive train? Maybe. A completely rebodied car to me can be a nice car, but it isn't the same car as before. It's a new one.