1 Millionth Corvette is Restored and Back Home

BAY CITY, MI – After 1,200 man-hours, four months, a lot of sweat, and crazy attention to detail the 1 millionth Corvette is restored and back in it’s home at the National Corvette Museum.

In February 2014, the 1 millionth Corvette, along with seven other Corvettes, fell into a sinkhole that opened up in the museum’s Skydome area. Chevrolet promised to restore it because it’s important to the Corvette’s history and story.

The project was sent to the Design Center on GM’s campus in Warren, MI. There was a combination of 30 engineers and craftspeople that worked on the restoration. The most important part was to preserve as much as they could, but there was a lot of significant damage done to the car. They were fully prepared to take on the challenge though with a highly skilled team and specialty shops at their disposal.

There was a lot that needed to be done for the Corvette to look new again. The most prominent fixes were:

• Hood, front fascia, lower panels behind the font wheels and doors were all replaced 
• Number of ancillary parts under the hood were replaced
• Rear fascia and front exhaust system were repaired
• Front sub-frame was straightened out
• Wheels were reconditioned
• Soft cover on the instrument panel was carefully removed and replaced
• Red leather seats were restored with a few replacement patches

One of the unexpected surprises of the restoration was what the team found under all the damaged parts. While taking the car apart they found signatures on each piece that was signed by the employees that built the Corvette 23 years ago.

After all that, we can happily say the 1 millionth Corvette is restored and looks brand new again in its rightful place at the National Corvette Museum. You can get your own Corvette at Graff Bay City today. We can also fix up your vehicle at our dealership. Our team of service techs can take care of any car repair in Bay City, MI.

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help you find the perfect car, truck, or SUV for your new family! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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Three Corvettes Recovered From Sinkhole

BAY CITY, Mich.– Remember when news broke last month that a massive 40-ft. sinkhole opened up under the National Corvette Museum, swallowing eight rare Corvettes? How could you forget it, right? As sad as it is to think about those classic Corvettes covered in rubble, we do have some good news to share–three Corvettes were recovered from the sinkhole this week!

This week crews got to work in Bowling Green, KY, uncovering three of the most accessible vehicles from the National Corvette Museum sinkhole. First was a 2009 Corvette ZR1 Blue Devil that only endured minor damage from its 30-ft. fall and was able to start up and drive through the museum doors. The second, a 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Edition Corvette, sustained quite a bit more damage with broken windows and significant damage to the front and rear. The third car posed more of a challenge for crews since a five-ton slab of concrete from the museum's floor was resting on the front of the 1962 black Corvette, which meant both the car and concrete had to be removed simultaneously. But two cranes got the job done!

While three Corvettes were recovered from the sinkhole this week, the remaining five will have to remain buried until workers can further stabilize the sinkhole, a process that could take two to three weeks. From there recovery of the remaining vehicles could extend through August 3rd!

Ready to own your own Corvette so you can make sure it's taken care of? Stop by and we can help you make it possible with our Auto Loans at our Midland Area Chevrolet Dealership! Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706. For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our websites: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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