Despite being an avid enthusiast for decades, I can’t recall ever reading anything about this type of program, so when an Ohio man contracted by GM recently posted the details on Reddit, I was hooked with curiosity. A cursory Google search titled “What does GM do with damaged Corvettes at the factory” mostly yielded a page full of articles from the infamous tornado that ripped through Bowling Green in late 2021, which, coincidentally, this Reddit member was involved in. There are so many questions, like for starters, why do these Corvettes have to be cut in half?!?
But first, this is how ClutchKickAutos55 opened his Reddit post:
As you can imagine, Clutch’s “fun fact” teaser got the vibrant Corvette Reddit community whipped up with a frenzy of questions, and as the number of posts ramped up to a hundred, Clutch did his best to address the enthusiastic crowd. Let’s begin with the most obvious burning question:
1) What Do You Do With Them, And Why Are These C8s Cut In Half?
From a liability standpoint, cutting them in half makes sense, as GM needs to guarantee the Corvette is not resold as a whole. But seeing such a beautiful creation in literally two pieces certainly hurts. Here is more on the liability aspect and our second burning question:
2) Are These C8s Totaled, And What Happens To The Vins?
3) How Are These C8 Halves Used?
Now, that is a cool factoid I did not know (or had forgotten). I’d love to know the price for a complete C8 front end, but that is one of the queries Clutch was unable to address.
Here are some industry insights on brand-new vehicles getting totaled out:
Clutch’s connection to the Corvettes from the 2021 tornado:
As you can see, there are other reasons these brand-new vehicles end up at Clutch’s shop in Ohio.
Another Interesting Tidbit: They were selling complete drivetrains for $11,000
I wonder how much this dash from Clutch’s shop would fetch?
Here are some of the more expensive components at Clutch’s shop.
Well, CorvSport readers, were you as intrigued by these C8 halves and parts as much as I was? I hope at least one of your burning questions was answered, and thanks for joining us today! If you want to keep up to date with all the fresh Corvette news and maintain a pulse on the lifestyle and culture of this exciting, iconic brand, CorvSport has the fastest-growing Corvette community on our Facebook page, with over 173,000 followers (54,000 since January 2023!). Come join other hardcore enthusiasts and say hello, Douglas B.
