Bowling Green

[Dan D.]

My wife and I vacationed in Tennessee and Kentucky last week (10 days total). Needless to say that while in Kentucky we visited the Corvette assembly plant and museum. This was an awesome experience and I suggest that anyone that has not done this, should experience it. Even my wife enjoyed it, which I did not think was possible.

The plant tour was way more than I expected (2-1/2 hours), and was amazing to see just how they build these cars. The museum was just as good. The sink hole has been repaired and the Skydome is open to the public again. 6 of the 8 sink hole Corvettes are now on permanent display in the same place that they were destroyed. And you can't begin to imagine just how badly these cars were destroyed. There is nothing left to them. Below are a few pictures of them.

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This is a rock that they removed from the top of the 1993 ZR1 Spyder. It is about 2-1/2' wide, 7' long, and about 18" thick. It has to way tons! It is on display by the entrance to the museum.

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They left a small area of the sink hole open so you could see just how far down it really is. And I want to tell you it is DEEP. The glass covers the hole. You can put your camera on top of the glass and take pictures. Several people were doing it.

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This is the sphere that extends from the Skydome floor up through the roof. Half of the Sphere base was over the edge of the sink hole, but the Sphere did not move and remained intact. It is supported at the roof which helped keep it stable. If that had come down the damage would have been much worse that it was.

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We took over 400 pictures on the trip (2500 miles), many of them at the museum. This is but a sample of the photos we took. Too bad you are not allowed to take pictures of the assembly plant, but that is completely taboo.

-Dan-

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Bowling Green

Hi Dan,
Thank you for sharing your experiences and for the photos. My wife and I took a similar vacation a couple of weeks ago. It was our first time at both the museum and assembly plant. It really breaks your heart to see those destroyed corvettes doesn't it? Also, how cool it must be to be able to walk into the museum and see a sign in front of one those beautiful new vettes that has your name on it as being the new owner and coming there to take delivery. The assembly plant visit was also amazing to be able to get a close up view of how they assemble the greatest sports car in the world. Like you, I too was amazed at how much my wife really enjoyed both places. Funny thing, as I stood there watching them put the cars together and looking at all the bins filled with hundreds of plastic parts,nuts, bolts, and various fasteners, I told my wife; "just think, 40 years from now someone will pay $100's of$$$$ for that little bolt because of the markings it has on it." I was going to post some photos to share also, but just haven't had the time. Thanks again.

[Dan D.]

Re: Bowling Green

Hi Jimmy,

Put those photos up. Would love to see them.

I had similar thoughts on how much fun it would be to have your new Corvette sitting there, waiting to be picked up. That would just be so cool. Every one I saw was a Z06 too. There were 8 of them when I was there.

-Dan-

[Harmon C.]

Re: Bowling Green

Did you take a picture of my 73 in the body drop at the museum?

[Dan D.]

Re: Bowling Green

Don't know Lyle, but I will look at all the pictures I have. My wife took a lot of pics, but there is so much in that museum, the chances that I have any of a unknown body drop is probably pretty low. But I will look.

-Dan-

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Bowling Green

Lyle,
I have it, it is included in the attachment below. Having trouble loading these. Keeps telling me that these files are to large to download Getting them on one at a time. Will add more. The third photo shows a small section of the tape marking the edges of where the hole was in the floor before reconstruction. It traces around the entire area to show you how massive the sink hole was.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Bowling Green

Here are more of the cars that went down in the "sink hole"

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Bowling Green

Thanks Dan for starting this thread. I too, thought it would be nice to share these for those who haven't had the opportunity to see the cars on display at the museum, especially the ones that they rescued! In the last group of photos below I have included a photo of the new cars on display in the main entrance ready and waiting to be picked up by the new owners, the blue "Zora" 74 that is on display, and finally one of me living the dream.

[Dan D.]

Re: Bowling Green

Very nice photos Jimmy. Just wondering when you were at the museum. We were there on October 13, and that must be close to when you were there. We may have just missed each other - unknowingly.

-Dan-

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Bowling Green

Dan,
We were at the museum on Sept. 20th and the Assembly Plant on Sept. 21st.

[John H.]

Re: Bowling Green

Too bad you are not allowed to take pictures of the assembly plant, but that is completely taboo.

-Dan-

Dan -

I could never understand the GM prohibition on picture-taking in the plant - it's not as if there are any national security-level or commercial technology secrets there to be hidden. When I was the Viper plant manager for six years, I encouraged visitor photos and videos, and arranged several times for the Viper Club of America to bring in a videographer to tape the entire assembly process, including the engine build, for their future judging or research reference.

I also set up a no-cost option with the Marketing folks for 200 cars where the customer could have a disposable 35mm camera go down the line with the car (in the clear envelope with the broadcast sheet) and the Team at each workstation would take a picture of their operation; at the end of the line the camera went in the glove box, and the customer could get it processed when the car was delivered. The Viper customer could also take delivery (at no cost) of the car at the plant, and get a private tour; had lots of folks like Jay Leno, Tim Allen, Reggie Fountain (Fountain Offshore Boats), etc. in the plant every year.

[Dan D.]

Re: Bowling Green

I agree with you John. There can't be any security risks that I can see, so it has to be manufacturing technology that is deemed to be proprietary. But I did not see anything that I would consider proprietary.

They are very emphatic about it - there are signs everywhere. Not just cameras and recorders, but phones, backpacks, purses, open toed shoes and high heels. The later two are most likely safety concerns, and you certainly would not want any camera flash bulbs going off either.

All I could think of is how much fun it would be to take some pictures and video. And if it was your car going down the line, then it would really be wonderful.

But in spite of this, I still consider it the experience of a lifetime.

-Dan-