First 2 Corvettes retrieved from sinkhole at museum

A worker unstraps the 1993 40th Anniversary Chevrolet Corvette from the crane that removed it from the sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum on Monday, March 3, 2014 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The 40th Anniversary Corvette, along with seven other Corvettes, fell into the sinkhole February 12. This vehicle was the second Corvette to be recovered. It appears to have sustained major damage after its nearly 30-foot fall.

Photo credit: STEVE FECHT/CHEVROLET

Two of the eight Corvettes swallowed Feb. 12 by a sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., were lifted out of the hole today and placed back in the showroom.

As a crowd of spectators cheered and thousands of viewers watched online, the 2009 ZR1 Blue Devil -- one of two cars on loan from General Motors -- and the 1993 Ruby Red 40th anniversary edition were lifted by a crane and placed at ground level.

The Blue Devil, which appears to have endured minor damage during its nearly 30-foot plunge, was driven about 20 feet to the museum's doorway, said Katie Frassinelli, a museum spokeswoman.

Video of the retrieval showed that the Ruby Red 40th anniversary edition sustained broken windows and severe damage to its front and rear.

A black 1962 model is scheduled to be retrieved Tuesday, but will be much 'trickier' as a five-ton slab of concrete rests on the front of the vehicle, the museum said.

Two cranes will be used to simultaneously lift the car and the concrete, the museum said.

Other Corvettes to be retrieved are a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder, the other car on loan from GM; a 1984 PPG pace car; the 1-millionth Vette, built in 1992; a 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06; and the 2009 1.5-millionth Corvette.

Recovery of the vehicles is expected to take through Aug. 3, Frassinelli said.

The museum plans to display each vehicle after it is recovered until all eight are taken together to a small shop within GM Design in suburban Detroit for restoration.

Webcams are positioned around the sinkhole and pictures are available on the museum's Web site.

You can reach Andrew Thurlow at athurlow@crain.com.