NCM Sinkhole: The ’84 IndyCar Corvette Pace Car That Pushed Boundaries Before Plunging

It’s hard to believe that over a decade has passed since Mother Nature sucked eight Corvettes deep into the ground underneath the National Corvette Museum’s Skydome. In the blink of an eye, security cameras caught the moment pieces of Corvette history plunged below the earth. The Museum was rebuilt, and the Corvettes were recovered, so it’s only appropriate that today’s featured Corvette is part of what the NCM calls “Resiliency in Action, Moving Forward from the Sinkhole.” [Author’s Note: This article is FREE and not behind a paywall. Yes, FREE! If/when any pop-ups appear, please click to dismiss them and continue enjoying the article. One may require two steps–first, the arrow on the left, then the x on the top right.]

In better days…

What’s Inside Today’s NCM Feature

1. 1984 Corvette PPG IndyCar Pace Car Highlights
2. The Full Collections Spotlight Post From Our National Corvette Museum
3. The Full Photo Gallery From The NCM
4. Related Features From The CorvSport Archives
5. Sinkhole Security Camera Footage From The NCM

1) 1984 Corvette PPG IndyCar Pace Car Highlights

• In 1984, Chevrolet joined forces with PPG Industries to create a Corvette built to lead the CART IndyCar World Series.
• The 205 HP Cross-Fire Fuel Injected 350 was replaced by a 450 HP, 401 cubic-inch V-8, built by Katech, mated to a BorgWarner T5 5-speed transmission, which featured a modified overdrive.
• George Foller created the performance chassis that features coil-over shocks at each corner, and Diversified Glass Products covered all of the custom work with an equally custom body design.
• This special Corvette was then covered with PPG’s Deltron Acrylic Urethane Orange Glow Candy paint.
• The PPG Pace Car joined the Museum in September of 1994, when the NCM first opened its doors, and was one of the very first exhibits.
• Because of the PPG Corvette’s amount of custom one-off body parts (only the roof panel and doors were original Corvette parts), the damage was too extensive to be repaired.
• It now anchors the brand-new Collections Spotlight Area inside the National Corvette Museum, a dedicated space to showcase rare and significant vehicles from the collection on a rotating basis.

2) The Full Post From Our National Corvette Museum

“In 1984, Chevrolet joined forces with PPG Industries to create a Corvette that would do more than just pace a race, it would turn heads and raise heart rates. This was no ordinary Corvette. Built to lead the CART IndyCar World Series, the PPG Pace Car pushed boundaries with a 450-horsepower Katech-built V8 engine, a Borg-Warner 5-speed transmission, and coil-over suspension on all four corners. Every detail was engineered for performance, including a custom exhaust system that made sure you heard it before you saw it.

What really sets this Corvette apart is its survival. In 2014, this car was one of eight to fall into the infamous sinkhole beneath the Museum’s Skydome. Due to its one-off construction and rare components, it was deemed too unique to restore. Instead, we’ve preserved it exactly as it was recovered, an authentic piece of Corvette and Museum history.

Today, it anchors the brand-new Collections Spotlight Area inside the National Corvette Museum, our dedicated space to showcase rare and significant vehicles from the collection on a rotating basis.