Destroyed While Inside the Corvette Museum

Corvettes destroyed by sinkhole - Ever since I heard about the sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum, It was on my list to see it and I knew it was only a matter of time until I got up to the Bowling Green, Kentucky area. 8 priceless Corvettes swallowed up by a sinkhole! It happened February 12th 2014, early in the morning about 5:40 am. Fortunately, no one was in the building at the time. The security video is amazing so definitely check it out online. Anyway, the motion alarms start going off, cops come inside and find a huge sink hole directly in the middle of the famous Corvette Skydome. 8 very rare Corvettes had to be pulled out of the 30 foot deep hole by cranes and pulleys. Unfortunately, 6 of the cars were destroyed beyond repair. The 1984 Corvette Pace Car and the 1.5 millionth Corvette ever made were among the total loses. The 2009 Zr1 "Blue Devil" was spared of major damage. The 1 millionth Corvette was completely repaired.
Advice when visiting - I arrived pretty early right around when they open up so the place was relatively empty which allowed for a a good amount of time in the Skydome by myself as well as a nice stroll through the rest of the museum.
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[@PaulHojda]

I think it's quite awesome that they kept the wrecks. It makes visiting that place even more interesting now

[@nickakers7985]

It’s almost like artwork, I’m glad they didn’t just scrap them.

[@GrumpyIan]

Museums are here to preserve history, and I'm glad they didn't scrap them either. Though it would be cool if they had an artist make models of the cars so we could see what they originally looked like.

[@sda9995]

U can't see them now

[@kornwillis9200]

It's good to see the museum saved what they could even if some of the cars were completely destroyed.

[@oscarelenes6438]

Im a chevy fan for life and it looks like mother earth wanted her self a few Corvettes her self.

[@slimegooner]

Yeah, I’ll bet that if you said that to the people at the museum they would agree

[@itsjustnopinionok]

Oscar Elenes junkyards are full of vettes. And so are country fields, barns, ponds and lakes. I think the earth is pretty sick of cars of all kinds right about now.

[@addisonp6]

heck yeah,

[@sjcea0512]

Sad but thank God this happened at night and no human beings were injured or killed!!

[@diegomiko6888]

SJC Cobra but the corvettes were hurt! >:( some of them died

[@Karmy.]

Corvettes > humans >:(

[@Karmy.]

Brisdad53 agreed!

[@azimaz5483]

Corvette garbage

[@Mr.boxxchevy]

Humanoidz or homosapiens

[@logankai7427]

The millionth corvette was smashed but some garage restored it and gave it back to the museum

[@digitalrailroader]

that "Garage" happened to be General Motors themselves. and they managed to save every one of the signatures that the Bowling Green assembly line workers had put on the car in 1992.

[@matthoye4974]

I feel like he didn't give the white '1,000,000th' vette justice in this vid by just mentioning that it "did way better than the others" It was damaged to the point they didn't know if they were going to be able to repair it. It took a team of GM mechanics and crew a ton of man hours to restore and (as digitalrailroader mentioned) salvage all signatures

[@tgroves7549]

@@matthoye4974 my guess is that the guy that took this video had no clue of the white corvettes value and history, im sure if he known or read the plaque next to it he woulda mentioned all that.

[@keket5001]

Didn’t know this! Thanks for sharing. That’s great they were able to fix some.

[@zanemurcha2675]

I love how even though a massive Sinkhole opened up and all these cars fell in. They kept the museum open.

[@macdaddyjill]

Oh my I remember seeing this on the news, my heart sank. Glad the didn't junk the damaged ones.

[@MobileInstinct]

Its very surreal to be in that place. I'm also very glad they didn't junk them.

[@GrumpyIan]

History in the making, and museums are here to preserve the history.

[@gmp3699]

Thanks for sharing, although it's heartbreaking to see so many wrecked Vettes.

[@JoeSliced]

This hurts as a car guy. Edit: HOW DID THIS GET 200 LIKES? Guess the car guys love me ;)

[@NJB_Designss_]

Zawper Hand agree

[@webgamer8310]

I'm so mad that happened to the Corvettes

[@themacintoshnerd]

Agreed I never was that guy who dreams about Corvettes but I know there important and it just hurts

[@outdoorstv7298]

Zawper Hand yes it dose

[@melissamamers6380]

i am a big Corvette fan but it still hurts

[@roughracer9077]

It hurts looking at these crushed Corvettes😣😖😭

[@clevelandcbi]

3:20 Even the seats looked depressed.

[@michaeljabczynski5220]

Was there in 1994 for the 1st caravan for the grand opening. Great time. Can't wait to go back next year for the 25th anniversary celebration.

[@techmaniac43]

you must be breaking the youtube policies. That's very graphic, how they did not give you a strike in the video ... Poor vettes.

[@Dunki113]

@Ockie Ditchbank the video is not fit for innocent eyes to see

[@pugestpug5879]

OMFG THAT IS WAY TO GRAFIC FOR MY EYES IM SCARED FROM THOSE CORVETTE

[@pugestpug5879]

Ockie Ditchbank WTF YOU TALKING ABOUT IT IS A JOKE MORON

[@semajameslllkkaniaru7068]

It's good to see the museum saved what they could even if some of the cars were completely destroyed.

[@richardpehtown2412]

This totally reminds me of the train derailment in 1969, when a freight train left the tracks of a washed-out section near El Capitan Beach, Ca. during a severe (yet to be named El Nino) rainy season. On board were hundreds of new Chevrolets including a number of Corvettes. The scene was absolute carnage and took months to clean up. The cars were written off and bulldozed into the ground, but not before many scavengers made off with lots of high performance parts. A guy I know nearly fell into the passenger side window of a Vette that was buried on its side in the mud. Along with the destruction of over two hundred Chevy vehicles and much rolling stock, the remains of four hobos were discovered amidst the wreckage, having taken the (last) ride of their lives while sacked out in brand new cars, traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

[@canadianfloormasters]

Your footage is outstanding! You go to interesting places you dig deep into information while filming. Seriously you have a natural talent that many on youtube only wish they had. Thank you for making me feel like I'm right there with you looking at all that ultra cool historical footage. Those thumbs down sad souls must be helpless challenged other you tubers that are jealous of your great work. Wayne from Ottawa , Ontario , Canada.

[@jasonrehak6320]

Corvettes are my #1 favorite cars and I got to see that in person ...very depressing to see ...thankgod no one got hurt or killed ....Long live and love the Corvette ❤️

[@ctuan13]

I'm a Ford guy, but damn, this is so sad 😔

[@johnkempton5269]

ctuan13 I own a 647hp 2012 ss/rs Camaro but the 2019 Mustang is the most beautiful bodied car built in America. A car guy is a car guy. Thanks for the condolences brother!

[@1985_Honda_CRX_Si]

Acceptable ford guy

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

I'll say imagine if the Ford museum had something like this happen and that 1896 Quadracycle or whatever got sunk and mangled up!

[@Spoonerism69]

I’m just glad that zr1 came out almost untouched

[@keeyahnhakim6032]

Yeah but sucks they still couldn’t repair it because the suspension was badly damaged

[@russellriggs7814]

I’ve been in the Corvette museum and my grandmother used to work for the Corvette plant and my grandfather still works there.

[@keket5001]

Russell Riggs I’ve always heard it’s a great place to work! I live in bg as well

[@tonywestbrook6436]

Thanks for posting this vid. I saw it in person a few weeks after it happened. It was a lot worse than what the TV showed. Seeing the black 58 or 59 vette hurt the most but I think it survived well. And the blue ZR1 cranked up when they got it out.

[@zenstoic2024]

That should buff right out

[@kamiyuro3522]

Matthew Hood lol just needs some TLC

[@chevymontmarlo]

Is it just me or I will get c4 parts

[@keeperofeurobeat8421]

Craigslist be like

[@Corvettelloydminster]

Matthew Hood lmfao

[@Thatoneguy-uc9jq]

Just a couple hits with a hammer and it seemed like nothing happened

[@dj1283]

That 2011 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is legendary car especially after that fall because it has barely scratch when it fallen.

[@JoeSliced]

5:07 I've been watching you ;)

[@olivery407]

yes!

[@Lilmisscostumedrama]

Zawper Hand ha ha goddit!

[@MannoulaZ]

Where are your vides

[@marksmusicplace3627]

I own a 2001 C5 corvette and I live in Clarksville TN which is only 1 hour away. I been to the corvette museum 8 times and have pictures of the cars before they were destroyed and I been there after they rebuilt the dome area. The museum is still a great place to visit and after going and seeing how the history and the structure of how corvettes are. I am glad I own one.

[@frwystr]

corvette owners man 😂

[@thedestroyer9945]

Poor things

[@tomstraub1148]

I like it more this way, with the wrecks, and the immaculate vehicles all in the same place. Makes the museum more interesting !

[@patmccamy4126]

I remember when this happened!!!! Wow!!!! Thanks for sharing this!! Pat

[@nelsonrupiza7789]

So apparently almost nobody in the comment section realized that the corvettes that got smashed are extremely rare. Hell the 1993 zr1 spyder is one of a kind...

[@danielhooper502]

They are hunks of metal dude

[@2006BansheeRider]

​@@danielhooper502art comes in many forms dude

[@2006BansheeRider]

​@@danielhooper502art comes in many forms dude

[@ticnatz]

I'm so glad I was able to visit before the repair was made. Pretty amazing.....

[@MichaelSparda]

My home state! I’ve driven past this museum four times on my way home from leave. Just never had time to stop. One day I’ll get to see it.

[@steffyhobmann5037]

This is devastating!! Are they positive the ground won't give out again?

[@MyeeMusic]

Steffy Hobmann Exactly has I’d be terrified to be there

[@Shloomy_Shloms]

I would assume when they rebuilt the floor the took measures to prevent any future sinkholes

[@Vap3king]

It might because bowlingreen Kentucky is known for caves

[@rydoggo]

They filled the sinkhole with concrete.

[@aeromedical6750]

I used to live in Bowling Green and was a Geology major at Western KY University. Bowling Green sits on a limestone karst landscape with hundreds of miles of underground caves. The land is prone to sinkholes that can spontaneously appear when the roof structure of the cave becomes too weak to support the weight of the land above it and a collapse occurs (sinkhole). To help mitigate this, engineers use technology like ground penetrating radar to determine if the land is stable enough to support building on it. Even with that, nature still rules and you get this kind of event. There is NEVER a 100% guarantee that a sinkhole collapse won’t occur on this kind of topography.

[@saleens7993]

This coming from a HARDCORE Saleen fan - those crushed Vettes were really hard to look at :(

[@shawngarrett9750]

It's terrible. We're from Jax Fl but we have family in bowling green. The scary thing was we were in there 1 week before it happend. I've got really cool pictures before they were destroyed!!

[@ripjeffhanneman5838]

I like your channel, Chris. You manage to get the HOLE story.

[@dougslittlediesel]

When I was there they had got the cars out but the hole was still open. I drive a truck but also am a heavy equipment operator and a experienced excavator operator to. I asked the director how far did they sound the ground. He said 20 ft. Standard solid ground check. The top of the cavern that fell in was at 25ft.And they have a pond that's a sink hole and on the property next to it on the west side of the property has a huge sink hole and a cave entrance. So the whole complex sets on top a piece of ground like that of Swiss Cheese. Anybody that goes there walk around outside the fence and you will see them.

[@LethalH080]

Been there while they had the dome blocked half off and the sinkhole open

[@mikereacts8997]

It is very scary to see how thin that floor used to be and possibly still is today

[@rooboty7137]

Don't forget that there were tons of (at that time) solid ground under the cars. It's hard to predict sinkholes. They couldn't prepare for everything.

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

Gotta hand it to them to make the best of a terrible situation. They most definitely did not let a "good tragedy go to waste"!

[@Ssupermom12000]

Sad to see such beautiful cars destroyed.

[@tonichecavalari5956]

I like the blue corvette at ( 2:22 ) , that beautiful blue color & that "Ritzy" style !

[@robertaviles8451]

And now a new 2022 Vette will set you back by about $100k 💸💸💸💸💸

[@ccov89]

So cool. Been wanting to see the sinkhole corvettes.

[@bvcltd.3250]

Only in a Corvette museum would the smashed, destroyed carcasses of ruined cars be more interesting and get more attention than the pristine, shiny perfect cars.

[@foxygamer1foxy120]

BLUE CORVETTE IS FINE

[@arneminderman3770]

Great video! Thank you.

[@JakesFable]

Then in 2021 they had a terrible tornado. That poor place has seen some hell unfortunately. Luckily I got to go there before it all got destroyed.

[@duduliang4060]

Why didn't they restore the other ones? Was it because they were too severely damaged?

[@rizon72]

I'm glad they didn't try to repair them. In a way, it makes it even more special despite the tragedy to the car.

[@ollieb927]

So is this place now secure from above? Still that big gap and cave below. I guess they had filled at least 30feet of concrete from floor level down to make the site safe

[@gphilipc2031]

The good thing is no Peeps were injured.

[@FMChimera]

They're making more people every day. They aren't making those vettes.

[@pacificnorthwesterner946]

sentient human life is worth more than a fucking automobile :)

[@ofacupofsugar9866]

I lived there when it happened. It was like everything just stopped for a few days, My brothers and I went to see the hole before they fixed it. Its at least 35 feet deep. The community was in shock.

[@pokeytrucker5296]

What about the black 62 Corvette that fell in the sinkhole? I didn't see it on display

[@davidszakacs6888]

Very cool museum. We visited it and took the factory tour last year.

[@mikemarks9919]

I remember seeing the ZR1 Spyder when I was a kid I believe I was 16 year old I seen it at a car show and now I see it like this it's a shame

[@RobsNeighbor]

Thank you for this video

[@mikemedwetz8740]

You really do a fantastic job buddy!!!

[@MobileInstinct]

+Mike Medwetz Thanks Mike

[@tylernewell1126]

When I visited there I was almost in tears amazing vacation idea btw

[@donk2c]

Seeing those corvettes make me sad

[@egesevindi]

In my country, our mechanics can fix 2:12 in just 3 or 4 months. And if the chasis is not bad, they can fix wrecked ones too

[@davidgrigg5092]

Just glad no one got hurt

[@aduptuniform2647]

Funny thing is some guy bought that black 62 corvette in high school and gave it to the museum to protect it, then this happened, good thing is the 62 survived, with three others

[@josebaez8451]

Nice Video Buddy!!!

[@carloscarmartin2754]

my son loves your vids. wants to make some of his own in a year or two (he's 11). can you let us know what kind of camera, stabilisation kit, editing sw etc you used.

[@thewalkingbrick420]

For sale:corvette slight body damage runs drives fine!👌

[@2233golf2]

First sound at the entrance.."My old man..." by Zac Brown Band.....great song...

[@Mrs5guysni]

These can be posted on Craigslist for perfect condition

[@rubyred93chev]

_Actually, the two that went slightly unscathed were a black 1962, and the Blue Devil. The 1992 - one millionth to the left of the Blue Devil was in rough shape, but fortunately 'GM' top brass stepped in to save the car _*_(check out KZbin to find the refurbishment done by the design studio there in Warren, Michigan)._*

[@CB-jw2tr]

were is the corvette museum

[@marioaquilina248]

I'm not an American car fan but this is so sad. Corvettes are good looking cars.

[@willhamilton9220]

Let me tell you, i live in bowling green, it was very devastating and people felt so bad. Im just now looking back at this

[@WheezySalmon]

so this is how your car is treated when you donate it to the museum lmao

[@GrumpyIan]

I saw these yesterday and I was thinking they should get cars of the same year and repaint them or get an artist to make models of the cars that where effected so people can see what they formally looked like.

[@andrewwilson8317]

Would of left them where they were and built a glass floor over the entire hole? Would attract so much interest. The sink hole did the museums bank balance no damage!

[@dcartellone2659]

For me my favorite vette would be the last year of the c4 ZR-1.I just love the c4 and maybe c5.the rest really have no emotional connection for me.

[@GETUPANDGO]

What an insane thing to have happen, I'd be freaked out to even stand in there...

[@craigmonteforte1478]

My Dad collected Corvettes for a while looking at the way those were destroyed so much in the sink hole kind of makes me wonder what would really happen in a severe crash to any passengers in one

[@MissKateKatie]

Corvettes are death traps.

[@eddiehardt]

Nice video dude. Hey, come to Illinois, there is an abandoned race track by my house called Meadowdale Raceway. You can still walk the entire track, too

[@Anthony-qj7qe]

Man that's sad to see....heartbreaking!! :(

[@paperiswhite1618]

Oh my god... Sad

[@kamsid5842]

At lest the museum has a new attraction crushed Corvettes!!

[@jamescoyle9972]

Glad I seen them all before they went in the sink hole

[@elijahduncan7802]

I went to this place after watching this and it was so amazing. I checked it out cause my mom was doing time trials at the ncm motorsports park.

[@Tyblorg]

Those chevys now live up to their old slogan. "Like A Rock"

[@BadcatFX]

I visited before the sinkhole. It was awesome :)

[@mattyaqin7501]

Can they just find a replacement?

[@bigmustang1972]

Haters will say that's where they belong. Thats where they belong.

[@setab1974]

I hate how people are saying that they should of left them in the hole, they are more apart of the museums history than the corvettes history.

[@jaypey43]

Sponge bob: Don't worry Cap'n will buff out those acratches

[@tarareads23]

What caused the sinkhole and are they sure it won't happen again? Very lucky that it didn't happen while people were there. I'm assuming the photos of all those people are donaters of cars and money to the museum? I couldn't read them. This was crazy to see. Thanks for sharing!

[@berrytharp1334]

That part of Kentucky is on top of the largest cave system in the world. It is extremely common for giant sinkholes and cave ins to open up. Those people are important people in the history of Chevrolet and The Corvette and those that raced it.

[@samemmitt6951]

I live in Edmonton which is close to the museum my friends Dad worked here and he had a lot of pics

[@AlbertPendergraff-rp7jp]

I am a life time member of the Corvette museum and that was the worst day ever and I have a 1977 Corvette that I owned sent's I was 16 years old and it will be at the museum in August for or anniversary

[@arlofs]

How smart to build a museum on a limestone area prone to sinkholes.

[@canadiancatgreen]

i never got the point of that sinkhole Did the signs say what the point of the sinkhole was?

[@stopit3467]

How much are they now

[@FDC42585]

Too devastated to watch 😔😔😔😔

[@callum52t]

The blue only had like a small hole but the white was crashed but because it was the 1 million th corvette they fixed it up

[@TheCanadianFurry]

damn, the 84 corvette is my favorite corvette and too see it mangled like that hurts me a lot, but i suppose it could be worse, like my dream car is a 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 if i saw one of those wrecked i’d probably cry to be honest

[@Corvettelloydminster]

Thank god the c6zr1 survived

[@nickjeffrey8050]

Surely another sinkhole will occur in the same area?