Photos reveal the condition of several collector Corvettes rescued from the aftermath of the natural disaster. Last week, a powerful tornado tore through Mid America Motorworks in Effingham County, Illinois, leaving behind catastrophic damage that company officials say destroyed buildings, inventory, and critical infrastructure.
The storm transformed one of the most recognizable names in the Corvette aftermarket into a disaster zone virtually overnight. Now, as cleanup efforts continue, some of the facility's most valuable automotive treasures are finally emerging from the wreckage.
New images posted to Reddit show several Corvettes, and even a C3 trailer, as flatbeds carry off the cars. The vehicles are in various stages of damage, but are heading to temporary storage facilities where specialists can begin assessing what is salvageable.
View Price on AmazonMid America Motorworks CEO Michael Yager posted to social media last Friday to update fans on the situation; he says that the cleanup effort is well underway and thanked many local partners who have helped out. His father Mike Yager—the founder of Mid America—posted online that "All buildings on our property that were hit by the tornado will be totally pushed in! All headed to a landfill.”
Despite the scale of the damage, no fatalities were reported among employees, and support from the Corvette and Volkswagen communities quickly poured in. There's other good news to be excited about as well. Perhaps most encouraging is the fact that multiple historically significant Corvettes appear to have survived.
For example, a black C5 pictured appears to be one of General Motors' alpha prototypes, of which only 14 were ever made. A white C5 beta prototype also appears to have survived mostly unscathed. A black CERV IV concept has its roof crushed in, but the body looks mostly intact. Hopefully, these can all return to show-and-display condition in the not-too-distant future.
Founded in 1974, Mid America Motorworks eventually grew into one of the world's largest suppliers of Corvette and air-cooled Volkswagen parts. The company also became home to the MY Garage Museum and housed numerous historically significant vehicles, including the final C4 Corvette ever produced.
While rebuilding the facility will likely take years, the successful recovery of these cars represents one of the first positive developments to emerge from the disaster.
Source: roadandtrack.com
