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Topic: Corvettes and Astronauts

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Corvettes and Astronauts (5/15)
5/10/11 1:09pm

Adams' Apple

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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20128

If you've seen the Apollo 13 movie, you've seen Tom Hanks driving a Shark in it. There were Corvettes for the space program guys as far back as the early '60's, and the association with the two has never stopped. Guys that ride in meeeeelion mile per hour rockets just have a need to go fast on the ground, too.

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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

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Corvettes and Astronauts (6/15)
5/10/11 7:05pm

chances r

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spicewood, TX - USA

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Sold them Both

Joined: 9/13/2009
Posts: 72

I have 1969 Convertible that I will eventually begin a rebuild on.Have to finish one before i can dig into the second. Anyway, it originally belonged to a NASA Engineer. In his words, "We engineers felt that those guys that actually got to do the flying were gonna get them Gold Corvettes,, then us guys that got 'em them deserved 'em too." He told me stories of walking out into the parking lot there in Houston and there were (gold) vettes everywhere. I truly look forward to bringing that one out of the ashes, if not just for the history of it, because the old guy really had a true love affair with that car. To hear him talk anyway.

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Corvettes and Astronauts (7/15)
5/11/11 12:28am

manget1

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Indianapolis, IN - USA

Vette(s):
Silver 1974 Convertible - L82 4 speed Low miles (was only 8,900 when I bought it in March 2006) - Now 54K miles. Original owner bought it as an investment for son's college expenses. 2008 Jetstream Blue Convertible

Joined: 9/3/2006
Posts: 2418

A few years back, the Mecum auction at Indy had a chrome bumper car that had documentation that it had been owned by Jim Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13 mission. The price was affordable, but the car was rough. Still, it would have made for a hell of a conversation piece!

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I wanted a Corvette my whole life, but I never dreamed of all the wonderful people I would meet because of it!

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Corvettes and Astronauts (8/15)
5/11/11 1:49pm

lukesvette

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HOWELL, NJ - USA

Vette(s):
1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.

Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812

Great Corvette and space race nostalgia. One of those Apollo Covettes is worth a purdy penny!!

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Corvettes and Astronauts (9/15)
5/12/11 11:52am

JoeTrecca
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Charlottesville, VA - USA

Vette(s):
1978 Silver Anniversary L82 Previously: 1965 300hp Coupe in 1967. 1967 435hp Coupe in 1968-70. 1969 350hp T-top w/ac and all power options.

Joined: 9/3/2010
Posts: 104

Regarding Corvettes and Astronauts, there is a fictional movie, Terms of Endearment, wherein Jack Nicholson (playing a retired astronaut) drives his '78 Silver Anniversary on the beach:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086425/

Sitting on the roll bar steering with his feet! I haven't tried that with mine... yet.

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Joe T

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Corvettes and Astronauts (10/15)
5/12/11 12:52pm

Adams' Apple

[QUOTE=JoeTrecca]...Sitting on the roll bar steering with his feet! I haven't tried that with mine... yet.[/QUOTE]

Let us know how that works out for ya, Joe....

I remember that movie...I did have to watch parts of it...it kinda sucked. Nicholson was really the only reason to watch it. I do remember seeing them flying down the beach steering with his footsies!

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Corvettes and Astronauts (11/15)
5/13/11 11:39am

vettejack

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Titusville, FL - USA

Vette(s):
1977 Coupe (White), 2006 Convertible (Victory Red). NCM Life Member #2221.

Joined: 12/19/2007
Posts: 154

My wife (Traci) and I participated in that Astronaut parade on the 7th of May. She is seen driving our silver '82 with Walt Cunninham from Apollo 7, in numerous photos and videos (he's the only surviving member). Go to this YouTube video for an official Chevrolet video they made of the parade. Yes, Chevy had a film crew there. Smile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Ux4dZSAqA

They also dropped off three specialty, C6 Vettes. My '06 convertible (Victory Red) also makes a couple of spots within photos and videos. A bit of the '06 can be seen tucked in behind the older lady that is interviewing how cool Astronauts are. Wink

Enjoy.

Questions? Feel free!!

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Corvettes and Astronauts (12/15)
5/13/11 12:28pm

vettejack

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Titusville, FL - USA

Vette(s):
1977 Coupe (White), 2006 Convertible (Victory Red). NCM Life Member #2221.

Joined: 12/19/2007
Posts: 154

Oh yea...forgot one thing to mention... Embarrassed

At our monthly Corvette meeting last night, 12 May, 2011, our club President informed us that a gentleman from California, named Bob Reich (I hope I have his name right) had emailed him (Pete Johnson, club president), that a certain individual from there in California heard, and saw, the video(s), and some photos, about the Corvettes and Astronauts parade featured on YouTube and other web sites that took place on the 7^th of May, in Cocoa Beach. This individual wants an application to join our club, the Cape Kennedy Corvette Club…and work the details through Mr. Reich.

That individual from California that wants to join our club: Jay Leno

Yep, that Jay Leno!

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Corvettes and Astronauts (13/15)
5/14/11 8:33am

lukesvette

Here's a cool pic for you:

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Corvettes and Astronauts (14/15)
6/3/11 5:36am

manget1

Wow John (nasajack), that was some cool stuff! How awesome that you were in the parade! I can only imagine what a thrill that would have been!!

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I wanted a Corvette my whole life, but I never dreamed of all the wonderful people I would meet because of it!

��

target=_blank>Click for another pic!�� And yet another!

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Corvettes and Astronauts (15/15)
6/3/11 5:39am

manget1

[QUOTE=manget1]

Later on, a Chevy dealer in Florida offered special leases to Astronauts. That dealer was Jim Rathmann. He was a former Indy 500 winner (1960). Wikipedia tells us this:

Rathmann later owned the Chevrolet Cadillac dealership in Melbourne, Florida where he befriended astronauts Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, and Gordon Cooper. Rathman convinced GM President Ed Cole to setup a program which supplied each astronaut with a pair of new cars each year. Most chose a family car for their wives and a Corvette for themselves.^[3] Alan Bean recalls Corvettes lined up in the parking lot outside the astronaut offices at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, and friendly races between Shepard and Grissom along the Florida beach roads. ^[4]

^{What neither this article, nor Wikipedia point out is that Rathmann was also the driver of the 1978 Indy Pace Car. The significance of that year, of course, is that it was the first year that the Corvette ever paced the race. What an honor. The Wikipedia article does note that Rathmann is still alive and is currently the oldest living winner of the 500}

[/QUOTE]

Last week, prior to the Indy 500, I learned more info about Jim Rathman. He is also one of only two people to have driven the Pace Car SIX times! A guy named Sam Hanks (sorry, don't know who that is) drove the Pace Car consecutively from 58 to 63, then Rathman drove it in 69, 72-74, 78 and again in 1982.

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I wanted a Corvette my whole life, but I never dreamed of all the wonderful people I would meet because of it!

��

target=_blank>Click for another pic!�� And yet another!

Quote

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