Chevy Is Prepping to Restore the One Millionth Corvette
The one millionth Corvette (in white)
It’s nearly been a year since a massive sinkhole ripped across part of the National Corvette Museum and gobbled up eight iconic Corvettes. In the last ten months, the museum has removed the Corvettes from their earthy grave, put them on display, roped off the sinkhole as part of an exhibit, and determined, along with Chevrolet, which Corvettes would be able to be salvaged. Now that the museum has begun to fill the sinkhole, restoration has gotten under way.
Ultimately, it was decided that only three of the eight would be repaired. The other five Corvettes will remain on display in their damaged state, as a sign of their history and the museum’s history. The three Corvettes to be restored include the 2009 Corvette ZR1 prototype (Blue Devil), the one millionth Corvette ever made (a white 1992 convertible), and a ’62 Corvette. The Blue Devil is the first to undergo restoration but made a pit stop in Las Vegas at the SEMA Show last month before hitting the operation table.
The 1992 Corvette sits among other damaged models.
Next on Chevy’s agenda: restore the one millionth Corvette. (Chevy is handling the restoration of the Blue Devil and the one millionth Corvette, and will fund restoration of the 1962 Corvette.)
The five Corvettes that will remain as is include the following: the 1984 PPG Pace Car, the 1993 ZR-1 Spyder, the 1993 40th Anniversary Corvette, the 2001 “Mallett Hammer” Z06, and the 1.5 millionth Corvette (from 2009).
According to GM Authority, the process has been so long because it requires a lot of planning. And not just, “Oh, what should we do on Saturday before Helen’s birthday party, honey?” planning, but real, arduous planning. Chevrolet must keep the priceless Corvettes as original as possible, yet no one really knows just how deep the damage goes until the work actually starts. Chevrolet also still does not know where the restoration process will take place—or even how for certain components of the cars.
It’ll be a long road before these three Chevys return to the status of their glory days pre-sinkhole, but let’s rest easy knowing (hoping?) they’re in good hands.
News Source: GM Authority
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