Eight Corvettes damaged or swallowed by sink hole at the National Corvette museum

[Sad, little man]

Keith... What did you do!?

http://www.wcvb.com/news/sinkhole-collapses-part-of-corvette-museum-in-ky/24431338

http://gtxforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=260&d=1392221930

260

[Godson]

I hope to god that the black quad light is not the powered 'vert.

On further inspection, it looks as if it is not the Hardtop Vert

[Yw-slayer]

At first I thought this was one of the usual joke birthday threads. Sadly, no...

[Godson]

I think the most sad is the 1 millionth being part of the damage.

[The359]

I think the bigger loss is the two development prototypes on loan from GM.

[Kchrpm]

I was trying to drill in from underneath, and then I farted near my lamp. My bad.

[Phil_SS]

Imagine how many people have been standing in that hall, probably just yesterday. The timing of it is very fortunate. Hopefully they are able to get the cars out of the hole and fix them.

The museum will probably be forced to move to a new location. One hell of an insurance claim if it is covered. If it is not, it may shutdown the museum permanently.

[Kchrpm]

They were getting ready for the 20th anniversary celebration this August, and the opening of the track hopefully around the same time. The timing was lucky for the safety of the people working and attending there, but rough for the overall calendar.

[thesameguy]

Wow, that is crazy! How long has the museum been there?

[Kchrpm]

20 years.

[Random]

Karst!

As posted on another forum, there's a civil engineer out there looking at a lawsuit, since sinkhole-prone material right under the building should have been found in the original site investigation. Caveat is that this could have happened due to a broken water line or something; will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals.

As Phil pointed out, very fortunate that it didn't happen during business hours.

[thesameguy]

Derp. I didn't "20th anniversary" as "the museum's 20th anniversary." Don't mind me.

[Godson]

I think the bigger loss is the two development prototypes on loan from GM.

Perhaps from a financial standpoint. Technically, those are cars that can not be driven on the road legally. The one millionth car signifies how the design has stood the test of time.


A prototype doesn't signify that.

[Kchrpm]

These are the cars that fell in

https://plus.google.com/photos/104141664400556036641/albums/5979568634002499569

1993 ZR-1 Spyder on loan from General Motors

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y9nyLAGqHPc/UvvCRYdPPnI/AAAAAAAAC5s/XMc8krNpr_8/w883-h591-no/spyder.jpg

2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil" on loan from General Motors

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Vb7U_SZnPSw/UvvCPMS1KkI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/Yv0e3mXS1PI/w832-h591-no/bluedevil.jpg

1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette (left)
2009 White 1.5 Millionth Corvette (right)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HCo1yNCcrZ8/UvvCPJ_eRgI/AAAAAAAAC58/6tAwczWgutg/w1044-h541-no/Milestones.jpg

1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette (top)
1962 Black Corvette (bottom)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9PIK6lzoEiU/UvvCQUKPtdI/AAAAAAAAC5w/B2WqNc-Y6js/w901-h591-no/1962_02.jpg

2001 Mallet Hammer Z06 Corvette

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PzYbj5uvB4E/UvvCRd5_HII/AAAAAAAAC50/Lf3q19gfy-A/w835-h591-no/mallett_01.jpg

[thesameguy]

Ugh.

Their insurance company is going to love them.

[Godson]

Someone is going to die...suicide or financially

[Kchrpm]

They have updated the album with more pictures of the current situation.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-phbjcCsS_oo/UvvVw8Nx-_I/AAAAAAAADN8/h1aNAN22Ydo/s720/DSC07561.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-52MJ50OPRtE/UvvWO_rll0I/AAAAAAAADMM/W7FSumg1CVQ/s640/IMG_0188.jpg

[Kchrpm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xwnKie79mKo

[Random]

That last one really conveys the scale of the collapse. Wow.

[21Kid]

If I can't have them NO ONE can!!! :mad:

That is crazy. :o

[thesameguy]

They look like toys down in that hole.

You know what's crazy to me? There is no surveillance video of the collapse. I am shocked there weren't security cameras in the building recording all this!

[Kchrpm]

There is a live webcam in that area (link (http://www.corvettemuseum.org/webcam/camera6.shtml)), it's turned off right now. There is a chance they have just chosen not to release it, and/or it was too dark to see anything.

[tigeraid]

AH GAWD NOT THE MALLET. :smh:

[Crazed_Insanity]

Probably no easy/safe way to get those cars out... :(

Yeah, great silver lining is that nobody's hurt. Amazing.

[KillerB]

That last one really conveys the scale of the collapse. Wow.

Yeah, the cars look like toys down there. That's one hell of a sinkhole. Karst is limestone, where caves are formed where water dissolves away the rock. I'm with Russ, unless there'd been a big pipe leaking for a long, long time, whoever sited that building is in for one big lawsuit.

I used to see things like that growing up, but that was because the town had been mined out from underneath.

[Rare White Ape]

Bugger!

Hopefully the damage is mostly superficial, and can easily buff right out.

[Kchrpm]

The video of the collapse has been released.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IukDWhf7U9I

[Random]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbQF8_ZcwQk

Short helicopter tour of a portion of the hole (why didn't they turn around?).

That's a big hole. <-- technical civil engineering term.

[Sad, little man]

I wonder if there are any plans to get them out of there. I mean, super rare Corvettes or not, I can't imagine sending anyone in there to attach any kind of straps onto them to lift them out. Is there any assurance that it won't collapse further?

[Random]

Might be able to haul them out with a crane booming over from a "safe" distance, but yeah, someone would have to be in the hole to attach the strap(s).

That little helicopter should be able to give them a pretty good look at the hole geometry so that someone can make a judgement over the safety of the surrounding areas.

[Kchrpm]

Professional super rough estimate, Russ: are they boned for August?

[Kchrpm]

Latest update from NCM says that they will be open tomorrow, the civil engineers have said the area surrounding the Skydome are safe.

[Random]

Depends how much information they have (or don't) on the rest of the foundation there. A hole that big under the building? Either they got *really* unlucky with their pre-construction investigations, or they didn't do a great job originally and are going to have to go back and do it again. That said, it doesn't take very long to drill exploratory holes, particularly if you throw money at the problem (multiple rigs/loggers).

Plus they gotta fix the hole they have. Heh.

My professional super rough estimate would be that it really depends how much money they can throw at the problem. :|

edit: every civil engineer out there has to be wondering, "and how did they determine that?!"

[Kchrpm]

I'm sure the monetary consideration is why they are providing so much media detailing what's going on, they need donations now more than ever.

[Godson]

They could attach straps with a guy Mission impossible-ing it.

I'd think the fix would be to pour concrete into the entire area. But I'm not an engineer

[Rare White Ape]

I keep expecting to see Bebop and Rocksteady jump up out of that hole.

[Kchrpm]

Local geologist agrees with Russ's initial take and expands on them:
http://jalopnik.com/heres-why-a-kentucky-sinkhole-might-have-swallowed-tho-1522180308

[Kchrpm]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84BJC6r37o


During a press conference today on Corvette Boulevard, Mike Murphy with Scott, Murphy & Daniel construction provided an update and timeline on the work to be done.

Highlights of the press conference include:

- This is very common for this area, what's not common is for a sinkhole to swallow eight Corvettes.
- It is repairable. The building foundation and structure is in good condition.
- They will be securing the sinkhole and surrounding areas to ensure that even if we have sinkholes on the property in the future it will not affect the Museum.
- It will take 2-3 weeks to stabilize and secure the area (red spire, walls of the sinkhole) then the process of vehicle recovery will begin.
- They will be making sure the sinkhole is safe and that no further damage will occur before starting vehicle recovery.
- It will take 4-6 days to retrieve the vehicles
- After that, they will replace earth and the floor system
- They have a good plan and it takes action tomorrow with no problems foreseen

"We are confident that it will be done in time for the Museum's 20th Anniversary Celebration in August. You won't even know that this has happened," said Wendell Strode, Museum Executive Director

[Kchrpm]

The sign has always been there, now it's a little more necessary.

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1921957_10151904435342441_1508467475_n.jpg

[speedpimp]

If an earthquake is like a love tap from earth, then a sink hole is the equivalent of a neighbor borrowing your tools and never returning them.

[Kchrpm]

Four cars are out, four more to go.

http://jalopnik.com/check-out-these-amazing-photos-from-the-corvette-sinkho-1536977408

[Godson]

Badass.

[Kchrpm]

Seven up, one to go. Problem is they don't actually know where the last one, the Mallet, is residing.

http://corvettemuseum.blogspot.com/2014/04/seventh-down-one-to-go.html

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/10177976_10151985707322441_1908534550_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/988819_10151986561707441_121862912_n.jpg

[thesameguy]

Ugh. What a mess.

[Random]

Dirt is heavy, y0.

[thesameguy]

And Corvettes are plastic! :D

[Godson]

Really sad about the Mallett. :(

[overpowered]

:(

[Kchrpm]

They're bringing up the Mallett.

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/10176118_10151996951867441_7435215771005332328_n.j pg

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1613966_10151996951722441_5489790036911690948_n.jp g

[thesameguy]

Ugh. Why bother...? They should have left it there and put a headstone in the museum.

[Kchrpm]

They're going to put them all on display as is once the area is reinforced and rebuilt, and then send them to GM's concept car garage to rebuild them after, if I remember correctly, the big museum anniversary this summer.

[Kchrpm]

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/1012887_10151997091987441_3778050673734411402_n.jp g

[Mr Wonder]

:(
Ouch. That was the one on loan right?
I know they can rebuild it but it won't be the same car. I'm not really sure what you can salvage from that other than the VIN plate.

[Godson]

http://media.tumblr.com/6272e52479dd9e56f9e94d45e0f36745/tumblr_inline_mstosifnwc1qz4rgp.gif

[Kchrpm]

Louisville woman donates her 40th anniversary Corvette to replace the damaged one.

http://www.wlky.com/news/corvette-donated-to-replace-car-destroyed-by-sinkhole/25553896#.U1HfOw4b1fA.email

[Godson]

:toast:

[Godson]

And the Board of Directors is thinking about keeping part of the sinkhole open... (http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1092984_corvette-museum-to-keep-sinkhole-open)

[Kchrpm]

Nate, Ashley and I went there on Saturday.

https://plus.google.com/photos/116674493483634194038/albums/6035572990264515665

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-14Jzm1IRpzU/U8KqMXkuT4I/AAAAAAAEAZo/1DKT7PsMg40/w737-h553-no/DSC00760.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-g3Uo2mpwEz0/U8KqIOr-KXI/AAAAAAAEAZA/YwJbDv10nlk/w737-h553-no/DSC00755.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9BIYs84HUUg/U8KqQbAdH_I/AAAAAAAEAag/Gsk_TRRga1c/w737-h553-no/DSC00765.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hrzKrnkvPCw/U8KqSHzZqTI/AAAAAAAEAa0/ZunEgaJJTp4/w737-h553-no/DSC00767.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-etedgASRPfM/U8KqN-zwgKI/AAAAAAAEAZ4/-vcyfX1HtAs/w737-h553-no/DSC00762.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rBaqZuEaY08/U8KqOxZMBfI/AAAAAAAEAaA/XiXB2kOy0ws/w1044-h230-no/DSC00763.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FeHdgqCACtU/U8KqPtbVZUI/AAAAAAAEAaY/jAmlKIOzzEY/w415-h553-no/DSC00764.JPG