Topic: Astronauts' sports cars and family automobiles
star61 Member
Posts: 317 From: Bristol UK Registered: Jan 2005
posted 01-31-2005 05:24 PM
Does anyone own or know of the whereabouts of any of the cars owned by the members of the first three astronaut groups?
The Corvettes are well known, and I believe Scott Carpenter had a Shelby Cobra (based on a picture in an early sixties National Geographic). Maybe even John Glenn's Peugeot is still around?
The Apollo 12 crews Corvettes would be a real find, particularly if CMDR, LMP and CMP is still on them.
cklofas Member
Posts: 221 From: Euless,TX USA Registered: Mar 2003
posted 01-31-2005 11:01 PM
Al Bean's Corvette is owned by a private individual in Houston. I saw it on display in 2002.
He has completely restored it to the point it looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. He told me he has been actively seeking the other two but after 20+ years he feels that they were probably sold as scrap.
star61 Member
Posts: 317 From: Bristol UK Registered: Jan 2005
posted 02-01-2005 05:29 AM
It certainly is sad if they were scrapped, but I guess we can;t save every piece of space history, however peripheral.
Fezman92 Member
Posts: 1031 From: New Jersey, USA Registered: Mar 2010
posted 06-27-2011 10:25 PM
Does anyone know what family sized cars did the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts (or their wives) drive?
I know that there was a deal or sorts with Chevy, but was that an exclusive thing like with the Mercury 7 LIFE interviews?
posted 06-28-2011 03:48 PM
Many of the Apollo guys were also driving specially leased Vettes from the Rathman dealership in Melbourne. The Apollo 12 crew had matching 1969 Stingray coupes with custom paint designed by Alan Bean.
The June 1971 issue of LIFE magazine shows Jim Irwin, David Scott and Al Worden with their red, white, and blue Vettes parked behind a moon buggy.
As an aside, of the Mercury 7, the only guy who opted out of a hot little Corvette was John Glenn, he chose a Chevy station wagon.
Rusty B Member
Posts: 239 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Oct 2004
posted 06-28-2011 03:56 PM
Mike Collins and Ed Givens both had Volkswagen Beetles according to Google newspaper archives.
Rusty B Member
Posts: 239 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Oct 2004
Wally Schirra drives an Austin Healy to and from work at Langley. Deke Slayton settles for a station wagon. Gus Grissom is the would-be sports car type. He drives a slightly out-of-date, black, four-door English Austin sedan requiring almost constant tinkering, which he does himself... Colonel Glenn has a spanking new German Prinz... Al Shepard, who lives at Virginia beach, is the proud owner of the white Corvette... Carpenter rides in a vintage Lincoln which he bought for less than $100 and tuned up himself. Cooper jockeys the motor scooter...
Milwaukee Sentinel, Feb. 1, 1961:
Al Shepard commutes to work at Langley in a Corvette...
Press-Courier, Feb. 28, 1962:
As Cmdr. Schirra nosed his white Corvette onto US I wondered if the drivers sharing his...
Eugene Register-Guard, Aug. 26, 1964:
[Walt Cunningham] just sold a Corvette, still owns a Porsche. But he's never raced them.
kr4mula Member
Posts: 642 From: Cinci, OH Registered: Mar 2006
posted 06-29-2011 10:48 AM
I think the intent was to find out what *family* cars the astronauts (or their wives) drove, aside from the sporty ones most of them gunned around in. Obviously the kids weren't going to the dentist in a Corvette and the wives had to drive something while their husbands were at work or away.
Rusty B Member
Posts: 239 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Oct 2004
posted 06-29-2011 11:21 AM
This is the only one I've been able to find, and it doesn't mention the brand of car.
Pat Collins, wife of Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins; "She's got a silver station wagon; Mike's got a little tan Volkswagen." - The Times-News, July 17, 1969.
Just found another:
Boca Raton News, Nov 18, 1973:
It may be Monday before the wife of Skylab 3 commander Gerald P. Carr finds out where he left the keys to their sports car. Joan Carr asked chief astronaut Donald K. "Deke" Slayton to schedule a private chat with her husband... Jerry didn't tell me where he put the keys to the MG, Joan disclosed...
The station wagon was the minivan or the SUV of the 1960s.
star61 Member
Posts: 317 From: Bristol UK Registered: Jan 2005
posted 06-30-2011 11:02 AM
In one of my old National Geographics, there is a photo of the Glenn and Carpenter families outside a house (I think Carpenter's). In the open garage behind is an AC Cobra! Very hot motor.
And I know it surely is not a family car...
golddog Member
Posts: 210 From: australia Registered: Feb 2008
posted 06-30-2011 02:28 PM
The Cobra was Scott Carpenter's car; you can read about it in "For Spacious Skies."
Jay Chladek Member
Posts: 2272 From: Bellevue, NE, USA Registered: Aug 2007
posted 06-30-2011 04:16 PM
quote:Originally posted by kr4mula: I think the intent was to find out what *family* cars the astronauts (or their wives) drove, aside from the sporty ones most of them gunned around in.
Typically with the Vette leases, it meant the wife would also get to drive a GM wagon depending on if they had kids or not. As for which specific makes, take your pick and you are probably right for at least one of the families.
dtemple Member
Posts: 786 From: Longview, Texas, USA Registered: Apr 2000
posted 07-01-2011 06:01 PM
quote:Originally posted by Fezman92: I know that there was a deal or sorts with Chevy, but was that an exclusive thing like with the Mercury 7 LIFE interviews?
This article gets into that a bit, though the story is mainly about Alan Bean's 1969 Corvette.
uk spacefan Member
Posts: 168 From: London Registered: Jan 2007
posted 07-14-2011 12:26 AM
Jack Swigert once owned a Karmann Ghia - the people at Boggs Space Books can confirm this as years ago they had a speeding ticket for sale on their website with the details on it.
Swigert literally lived life in the fast lane.
Fezman92 Member
Posts: 1031 From: New Jersey, USA Registered: Mar 2010
posted 07-14-2011 12:40 AM
Darn, so I can't say that my dad's '63 Lincoln was the same car that the early astronauts drove, although by grandfather got it because he did work at Philco-Ford (aka Ford Aerospace) back in the 50s-60s, so there is that...
ColinBurgess Member
Posts: 2168 From: Sydney, Australia Registered: Sep 2003
posted 07-14-2011 01:53 AM
Charlie Bassett's pride and joy was an old A Model Ford that he had restored and loved driving around.
The type escapes me at the moment, but wasn't John Glenn known for driving an old family saloon for years after he became an astronaut?
star61 Member
Posts: 317 From: Bristol UK Registered: Jan 2005
posted 07-15-2011 08:17 AM
I think Glenn had an old (new at the time) Peugeot somewhat similar to a certain detective with a penchant for old rain coats!
garymilgrom Member
Posts: 2143 From: Atlanta, GA Registered: Feb 2007
posted 07-15-2011 09:13 AM
The article referenced by dtemple about Bean's Corvette mentions that Glenn owned a Prinz, which was made by NSU and was similar to Peugeots of that era.
I think the astronauts were like many servicemen who spent time in Europe — fascinated with foreign cars in all shapes and sizes.
moorouge Member
Posts: 2486 From: U.K. Registered: Jul 2009
posted 07-16-2011 09:02 AM
According to an article in the motoring section of The Telegraph, Shepard's was the original 'Astrovette' and one of his original cars is on permanent display parked next to the Saturn V at the Kennedy Space Center.
It also mentions the following:
Michael Barratt drives a Toyota Prius
Mark Kelly drives a Ford Fusion
Roger Crouch drives a Honda CR-V and also a Toyota RAV4
Susan Kilrain drives a Ford Escalade
Thomas Jones drives a Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Robert Springer drives a Lexus SUV
Jon McBride drives a 2003 Corvette
Al Worden drives a Porsche 911 cabriolet
Rusty B Member
Posts: 239 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Oct 2004
posted 07-16-2011 09:58 AM
The May 19, 1967 issue of Life magazine (viewable online at Google books) has a picture of Wally Schirra's red Maserati sports car and gold Toronado. Scroll to bottom of linked page for picture.
This page from the same Life magazine shows Walt Cunningham working on his sports car.
Paul78zephyr Member
Posts: 814 From: Hudson, MA Registered: Jul 2005
posted 07-18-2011 02:32 PM
quote:Originally posted by moorouge: Susan Kilrain drives a Ford Escalade
No such vehicle: either Ford Escape or Cadillac Escalade.
I loved the fact that Scott Carpenter drove a Shelby Cobra!
MadSci Member
Posts: 244 From: Maryland, USA Registered: Oct 2008
posted 02-25-2012 12:43 PM
We know about the matching Corvettes while training to fly to the moon, but what do they drive now? For moonwalker Buzz Aldrin the secret is out.
If you've ever wondered, "What car would an astronaut who's landed on the moon drive?" we have your answer. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to step on the moon, drives a 2011 Volvo C70 convertible around Los Angeles with the vanity plate "Mars Guy."
"It's a Volvo, blue-ish silver and just a neat-looking car. It's a convertible hardtop. I pull up at a stoplight and I can change the top from up and down during the stoplight. That's a little dicey, though," he laughs. "I mostly have the top down."
Philip Member
Posts: 6284 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 10-15-2016 05:51 AM
quote:Originally posted by Rusty B: The May 19, 1967 issue of Life magazine has a picture of Wally Schirra's red Maserati sports car and gold Toronado.
Astronaut Walter Schirra driving a Maserati Ghibli, 10:55 in this video. Schirra owned at least three Maserati sports cars: 1963 GT-3500, 1966 Ghibli and 1971 Bora.
dtemple Member
Posts: 786 From: Longview, Texas, USA Registered: Apr 2000
posted 10-16-2016 08:59 PM
Here is my article I wrote for the August 2001 issue of Car Collector magazine on the 1969 Corvette driven by Alan Bean.
Posts: 178 From: Crawfordville, FL Registered: Oct 2014
posted 03-10-2018 10:08 AM
For some variety, I'm working on a 1969 Corvette model that I plan to complete as Al Bean's Apollo 12 Corvette and I was wondering which state these leased cars were registered in, Jim Rathmann's state of Florida or the astronauts home state of Texas?
Gordon Eliot Reade Member
Posts: 261 From: California Registered: Jun 2015
posted 07-26-2022 04:03 PM
As a student at Walter Hays Elementary School in Palo Alto, California many of my classmates were disdainful of those who they considered to be on a lower socioeconomic level to themselves and their families.
I was embarrassed when my father bought a "preowned" 1963 VW Bug to use as a second car just around town and for very short trips. In those days Bugs were everywhere but the young scholars who I attended school with considered them to be a poor person's car. They were okey for starving college students and hippies but that was about it. What would they think when they saw my dad driving one?
But while reading LIFE Magazine I came across a photograph of Mike Collins driving his car and guess what? It was a Bug exactly like my dad's! From that moment forward I referred to our Bug as the Mike Collins car. My friends were impressed! Thank you Mr. Collins.
Editor's note: Threads merged.
micropooz Member
Posts: 1802 From: Washington, DC, USA Registered: Apr 2003
posted 07-26-2022 05:44 PM
Oh man! How did I miss this thread back in September 2019, when Bean's 'Vette was on display on the National Mall? Pics below:
Grounded! Member
Posts: 571 From: Bennington, Vermont, USA Registered: Feb 2011
posted 07-28-2022 07:10 PM
I had a conversation with Al Worden once about Jim Rathmann and the corvettes the astronauts drove back then. He was a good friend of Rathmann, especially in later years. I asked him if he had a corvette back then and he replied "no, a volkswagon."
sts205cdr Member
Posts: 759 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Jun 2001
posted 07-28-2022 07:48 PM
quote:Originally posted by star61: I think Glenn had an old (new at the time) Peugeot somewhat similar to a certain detective with a penchant for old rain coats!
Glenn drove a Prinz way back when, made by BMW. Not that Falk wouldn't have picked it for Columbo's car. They showed him a modern sedan, but he saw this beat up 503 Peugeot. They used two or three during the series. The way to tell the difference is the positioning of the side mirrors.
Gordon Eliot Reade Member
Posts: 261 From: California Registered: Jun 2015
posted 07-30-2022 10:51 AM
In the documentary "First To The Moon: The Journey of Apollo 8" at 34:29 we see Bill Anders driving a gorgeously restored 1959 VW Van with the windshield open. It's never explicitly stated but it is strongly implied that the vintage van is Anders' personal car. All I can say is, What a sweet ride!
bernoullis Member
Posts: 16 From: UK Registered: Feb 2009
posted 08-16-2022 01:34 AM
Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden's 1971 Chevrolet Corvette rediscovered and ready for restoration
Posts: 53476 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-11-2024 11:00 AM
Porsche release
Forty Years: Astronaut Dr. Anna Lee Fisher is reunited with the 911 Turbo
On the 40th anniversary of her Shuttle mission, Dr. Anna Lee Fisher looks back in a short film by Porsche.
Dr. Anna Lee Fisher started out as a medical professional – the training for which she regards as the toughest challenge she ever faced. As a reward, in 1977, she purchased a Porsche 911 Turbo – her pride and joy.
Soon after, she would leave the medical profession to join the astronaut corps, and she said goodbye to her treasured Garnet Red sports car and focused on her dream of flying into space. Forty years to the day since Dr. Anna Lee Fisher realized that dream, a short film captures the moment she was reunited with a 911 Turbo – igniting the spark once again for a car she'd said goodbye to four decades previously.
"I've always loved Porsche from the time I was little," Dr. Fisher recently reminisced from behind the wheel, "My mom and my grandmother are from Germany, and one of my uncles had a Porsche and used to take me on rides all the time."
The inspirational life and career of Dr. Anna Lee Fisher
These rides in her uncle's Porsche cemented her love of adventure. After listening at age 12 to a radio broadcast of Alan Shepard becoming the first American in space, Dr. Fisher dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Dr. Fisher's origins in medicine are credited by her in helping prepare her for the rigors that would await as she was accepted into NASA's astronaut training program in 1979, part of the first group of women to enter the U.S. program – emerging as a Mission Specialist.
Mission STS-51A lifted off on November 8, 1984, from launchpad 39A – the same launch site that saw humankind depart for the Moon. Their mission would last just over seven days and cover three million miles – retrieving two satellites along the way. Dr. Fisher would become just the fourth American women and the first mother to reach space, spending 192 hours living off earth.
Dr. Fisher would go on to work on the creation of the International Space Station and the Orion program. She retired from NASA in 2017, but her love for space exploration and speed remains undimmed, as she freely admits. "I have collected quite a lot of speeding tickets ... you would think they'd understand."
posted 01-31-2005 05:24 PM
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