You might recall the coverage
of Alan Bean’s Corvette in the September
issue of Vette Vues Magazine. In that
article, we learned about the unique program
from Chevrolet for the Astronauts.
It started with a man named
Jim Rathmann. Some of you might remember him
from winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1960.
When he retired he owned and operated a
Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership in Melbourne,
Florida. Melbourne is about fifty miles
south of the John F. Kennedy Space Center
and a launch site for NASA.
Jim Rathmann became friends
with many of the astronauts. He negotiated a
particular lease arrangement with Chevrolet
to put the astronauts into Chevrolet cars.
For $1 a year, the astronauts could lease a
car. They could choose any Chevrolet they
wanted. We learn that six of the first group
of astronauts picked Corvettes.
Alan
Bean’s 1969 Apollo XII Corvette
For a quick look back at Alan
Bean’s 1969 Apollo XII Corvette, we learned
that Alan Bean said in an exclusive
interview in 1969 that the Apollo 12 lunar
team – Bean, Pete Conrad, and Dick Gordon
asked Rathmann for three identically
prepared Riverside Gold Corvette coupes.
They had 427/390 and were customized with a
unique two-tone design dreamed up by Bean.
The men were photographed with their cars
for a story and published in Life
magazine.
Year’s later, Al Bean’s
Corvette was discovered by Danny Reed from
Austin, Texas.
Our feature Corvette was once
again discovered by Danny Reed in Austin,
Texas and who believed it to be another
“special lease” astronaut car. What are the
odds of finding Alan Bean’s 1969 Apollo XII
Corvette, then 46 years later, Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette on used car
lots in Austin, TX?
The
crew of Apollo 15 pose by the subsatellite
they would release into lunar orbit.
Commander Dave Scott (39), Command Module
Pilot Alfred Worden (39), Lunar Module
Pilot James Irwin (41).
For a little history on the
car, the Apollo 15 lunar-mission crewmembers
Commander Dave Scott, Command Module Pilot
Alfred Worden, Lunar Module Pilot James
Irwin, chose a more-patriotic theme for
their 1971 Corvettes, once again provided
through Rathmann.
The cars were Mille Miglia
Red, Classic White, and Bridgehampton Blue.
They and their Corvettes were also
photographed for a story in Life
magazine in the red, white and blue order,
representing the colors of the American
flag.
Danny tells Vette Vues
Magazine, “In 1971, I bought Alan
Bean’s Gold & Black 1969 Corvette in a
closed bid from General Motors. I found it
on a GMAC car lot in Austin. Now, 46 years
later and thanks to my Corvette friend Carl
Sanger, it seems I’ve stumbled across
Astronaut Al Worden’s 1971 (CMP) Apollo XV
Corvette, once again on a used car lot in
Austin, Texas.”
While Danny and his Alan Bean
AstroVette were doing the Corvette Invasion
show, he received a text from Carl Sanger
telling him that there was a Corvette posted
on Craigslist and it was once owned by an
Astronaut.
Danny says, “I checked the
location, and it was located in a small
camper & used car lot, three houses past
the turnoff to the event – about a mile
away. I called, set up an appointment, left
a deposit and bought the car July 20th, the
48th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and the first
man on the moon.”
Danny learned that this
astronaut Corvette, basically a “barn find,”
was kept in an open field for years.
“The good news – is it is
‘Numbers Matching!’ The crew had requested
their cars to be equipped with the 454 cubic
inch, 390 horsepower, 500 ft torque
engines.”
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Astronaut Corvette
was recently found and was located in a
small camper & used car lot in Austin
Texas.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Astronaut Corvette
was recently found by Danny Reed who also
found the Alan Bean’s 1969 Apollo XII
Astrovette 46 years earlier.
Danny
learned that this astronaut Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette,
basically a “barn find,” was kept in an
open field for years.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette
As
you can see, Alfred Worden’s 1971 Apollo
XV Corvette’s interior will need some
restoration.
All
in all, Alfred Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV
Corvette doesn’t look to be in too bad of
shape for being 47 years old.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette’s will
need some paint!
The
crew had requested their cars to be
equipped with the 454 cubic inch, 390
horsepower, 500 ft torque engines.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette and the
crew had requested their cars to be
equipped with the 454 cubic inch, 390
horsepower, 500 ft torque engines.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette Trim Tag.
Cover
of the June 1971 issue of Life
Magazine which has Alfred Worden’s 1971
Apollo XV Corvette inside.
June
1971 issue of Life Magazine
June
1971 issue of Life Magazine
This
photo appeared in the June 1971 issue of
Life Magazine. This is the text
under the picture of the astronaut’s
Corvettes. “Next, to the brand-new red,
white and blue Chevrolet Corvettes
belonging to Apollo 15’s three astronauts,
James Irwin, Alfred Worden and David Scott
(left to right), the LRV looks homely but
also quite functional. The cost of
designing and producing three Rovers-one
for each of the three final Apollo
missions-plus spare parts and other
paraphernalia was $37,800,000, almost
twice the contractor’s original estimate.”
Since
Danny has taken ownership of the car, it
has been documented by the NCRS Historical
Document Services, and like Alan Bean’s
1969 it is one of the “Special Lease”
cars: 26-000 / Florida Zone Car /
delivered to Rathmann Chevrolet in
Melbourne, Florida / Build Date:
2/13/1971.
The Apollo XV Corvette is
currently in Danny’s warehouse with
“Stretch,” a rare
1971 Chevy truck once owned by his Boat
Racing friend, John Annin.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette
The
Apollo XV Corvette is currently in Danny’s
warehouse with “Stretch,” a rare 1971
Chevy truck once owned by his Boat Racing
friend, John Annin.
What are Danny’s plans for
this historical Corvette? “I plan to get Al
Worden’s Corvette drivable.”
Many of you noticed that the
Corvette had aftermarket valve covers and
air cleaner, Danny is replacing them with
original stock parts.
Danny will be revealing his “Barn Find” at
the Corvette Chevy Expo in Galveston Island
Texas this March 10 & 11, 2018.
Interestingly enough, Galveston Island is
just thirty miles south of NASA’s Johnson
Space Center. We are also excited that Danny
will be bringing Alan Bean’s Astrovette to
display alongside Alfred Worden’s 1971
Apollo XV Corvette.
Alfred
Worden’s 1971 Apollo XV Corvette, had
aftermarket valve covers and air cleaner,
Danny is replacing them with original
stock parts.
If any of our readers are
familiar with the car or have photos or
information about its history, please let us
know, and we will pass it on to Danny as he
documents its history. Email