UPDATE: National Corvette Museum Sinkhole Buries 8 Rare Corvettes - Museum Accepting Donations

by Andrea L. Algar

News broke Wednesday about the 8 valuable Corvettes that were swallowed up and buried when a giant sinkhole opened up right in the middle of the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky. News was swift, and many enthusiasts were in sorrow to think that these legendary cars were lost forever. But are they?

Photo Credit: National Corvette Museum

General Motors announced yesterday that it will make efforts to restore all eight collector Corvettes. This won't be an easy task, since most are buried in the rubble at the bottom of a gigantic sinkhole that is 40 feet wide and estimated to be between 25 and 30 feet deep!

Structural engineers have reportedly been brought in to assess the site for safety and whether the vehicles can be retrieved from the Sky Dome. If any of the vehicles can be retrieved from the cavern that was created, they will be sent to the Mechanical Assembly facility at GM Design for restoration.

As reported in a General Motors press release, "The vehicles at the National Corvette Museum are some of the most significant in automotive history," said Mark Reuss, executive vice president of General Motors Global Product Development. "There can only be one 1-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." At least two of the cars have been valued at $1 Million apiece. Values of the other six vehicles have not yet been released.

Since the National Corvette Museum is privately owned and relies on fund raising and private contributions, they're going to need help restoring the facility and the attempts to retrieve the damaged cars. Most contributions come from private individuals and Corvette enthusiasts. The Museum is currently accepting donations on its website to assist in raising funds. Donations are tax-deductible.

As previously reported, the cars missing are:

• 1962 Corvette
• 1984 PPG Pace Car
• 1992 1 Millionth Corvette
• 1993 ZR-1 Spyder
• 1993 40th Anniversary Corvette
• 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette
• 2009 1.5 Millionth Corvette
• 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil"

BREAKING NEWS: Huge Sinkhole Swallows Rare Collector Corvettes at National Corvette Museum

by Andrea L. Algar

A 40 foot wide, 20 foot deep sinkhole suddently opened up and swallowed eight extremely valuable Corvettes in the Sky Dome at the Bowling Green, Kentucky National Corvette Museum at 5:30 am Wednesday, causing shock and potentially millions in damages. The Sky Dome is home to more than 70 valuable Corvettes.

Giant Sinkhole at the
National Corvette Museum

The story broke from a variety of news sources who reported that the Corvette museum's motion detectors alerted security that something was wrong in the facility. What employees found was nothing short of shocking, as they discovered the enormous cavern created by the sinkhole, with what initially appeared to be one or two Corvettes in the rubble. But, what was later revealed added more distress as a remote controlled drone armed with robotic camera showed that at least eight valuable collectable Corvettes were amid the ruins. One additional Corvette is pearched perilously on a riser above the sinkhole.

The enormous sinkhole came at a bad time for the National Corvette Museum, as it is poised for over 5,000 pre-registered people to attend its 20th anniversary in August. The milestone event will also mark the opening of a 184 acre Motorsport Park with grand opening events. No doubt celebrations will go on as scheduled, but plans for the park opening will likely be subject to site testings to determine if this acreage might contain potential for sinkholes as well.

Museum spokeswoman, Katie Frassinelli, reported, "When you go in there, its unreal. The hole is so big, it makes the Corvettes look like little Matchbox cars." Geologists and engineers who have examined the site have determined that the structure is sound, but that there is "a cave" underneath the Sky Dome. Its interesting to note that the Mammoth Cave National Park is only a short distance from the National Corvette Museum. I'm sure that geologists will look to see if there is any connection, or if more underground caverns may exist on the site.

As is typical with museum displays, many of the vehicles are not owned by the museum. Some are donated by collectors and enthusiasts, others are lent to the museum for display. Two of the Corvettes lost in the collapse are reported to be owned by General Motors, with the remaining six donated from individuals.

Thankfully, there were no classic Corvettes lost, but among the losses are irreplaceable cars. The missing include:

• 1962 Corvette
• 1984 PPG Pace Car
• 1992 1 Millionth Corvette
• 1993 ZR-1 Spyder
• 1993 40th Anniversary Corvette
• 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette
• 2009 1.5 Millionth Corvette
• 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil"

Watch the amazing video caught by on-site surveillance:



Have you ever owned a Corvette? Share your story and make a comment in tribute.

Will Classic Cars Disappear From Cuba Following New Rule Change?

by Andrea L. Algar

News from The Guardian reports that Cuba's council of ministers has changed strict rules that controlled what Cubans were able to do with classic cars made before 1959. This marks the first time since Fidel Castro took power that Cuban citizens have had much choice in what they drive and own. Some say the move threatens the very existence of classic cars in Cuba.

Photo Credit: The Guardian

The old law, in place since 1959, meant most car imports were banned. Those who wanted to buy a car in Cuba had to get permission to do so first. It also meant that the vintage American cars they had once been able to freely purchase became icons to the world and the envy of many collectors.

Cuba is well known for roadways full of beautiful old cars and trucks. Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, Fords and others. Many of these vehicles have been sought after by collectors worldwide. With regulations on imports relaxing, this is all set to change, and it has many enthusiasts and collectors worried.

Over the last fifty years of U.S. sanctions, both fuel and parts for cars have been difficult to purchase in Cuba. However, current president Raul Castro recently changed the restrictions Fidel Castro put into place in 1959, opening the car market to all Cuban citizens for the first time in 55 years.

So why are so many people worried? With the new car market opening up with little regulation and potentially long wait lists, there is concern over what will become of the classics. Will they be made available for export, or will they be tossed aside and left to rust?