2001 Mallett Hammer Z06: Pulled from the Corvette Museum Sinkhole

The Last Corvette Pulled From the Sinkhole at the Bowling Green Kentucky Corvette Museum



It was a sad looking piece of crumbled up steel when this Corvette was pulled from the sinkhole. What was once a red customized Vette that was fitted with a roll-bar, no longer resembled its original form.

Kevin and Linda Helmintoller were the original owners of the vehicle and spent 10 years customizing it before donating it to the Corvette Museum just a few months earlier before the sinkhole incident. Although General Motors executives have said that all eight Corvettes would be restored back to their original condition, this last one may be the exception.

When Kevin Helmintoller found out it was time for the Mallett Hammer Corvette to be retrieved, he drove up from Florida to witness it and told the museum staff this, "I expected bad, but it's 100 times worse ......  it looks like a piece of tin foil... and it had a roll cage in it! It makes all the other cars look like they're brand new."

So what will Corvette do to restore this particular victim of the collapsed sinkhole? Probably nothing, they will probably keep the last vehicle as a reminder of the horrible accident that occurred that day. Never the less, all eight Corvettes that were damaged in the wreckage will be on display at the museum through the month of August.

Rare Corvettes Damaged By Sinkhole at National Corvette Museum

Bowling Green, Kentucky "National Corvette Museum"

Bowling Green is not only the home to the biggest Corvette plant in the world, but also home to the famous Corvette Museum. The museum is host to some of the most rarest Corvettes know to man. From vintage to new to prototype, a lot of Chevrolet's prized possessions sit on display in the museum.

Unfortunately, Wednesday morning, their quiet comfortable home came under attack by a force of nature. A sinkhole the size of 25-35ft deep and 40ft around, swallowed several Corvettes right in the Sky Dome area of the museum.

The museum stated in a press release, "It is with heavy hearts that we report that eight Corvettes were affected by this incident."

Corvettes that were effected:

• 1993 ZR-1 Spyder
• 2009 ZR-1 Blue Divel
• 1962 Black Corvette
• 1984 PPG Pace Car
• 2001 Mallett Hammer ZO6
•  1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette
• 2009 White 1.5 Millionth
• 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette

Luckily one Corvette was saved that was in danger. Thanks to emergency officials okaying the move, an 1983 Corvette was saved. There is no telling what kind of danger other undamaged cars are in, but they will stay put for the time being while the rest of the structure of the Sky Dome is inspected along with the rest of the museum. 

Bowling Green sits in the midst of Kentucky’s Western Pennyroyal area, where many of the state’s longest and deepest caves run underground. To this day nothing like this has happened and comes as much of a surprise to the community. Luckily no injuries were reported in this incident.

As a car guy, I visited the museum when I was young, it was an awesome place. It is very sad to see what happen to some of Americas most beautiful cars.