Photo: collectSPACE
Corvette was the car of choice for many astronauts in the 1960s-1970s, especially since the brand was closely associated with the Apollo manned space program during that period. That was due to a special plan in which astronauts were given the possibility to lease any Chevrolet car for a year at the meager sum of $1.
The 1971 Corvette C3 featured here is one of the Chevrolets given to astronauts as part of that special lease deal. It was used by Apollo 15 astronaut Alfred Worden and is a particularly special vehicle, considering it’s one of only six “AstroVettes” that received custom livery. Just three of those machines are still in existence.
Al Worden’s coupe was painted in Classic White with red and blue stripes, matching the patriotic red-white-and-blue color scheme of the Apollo 15 Corvettes.
The Apollo 15 AstroVettes were red (driven by Jim Irwin), white (Worden), and blue (the model owned by Dave Scott) and featured corresponding stripes to complete the American flag color scheme. The same colors were used by the three Apollo 15 crew members onboard the spacecraft to identify their meals and personal items.
Worden’s customized ‘Vette is now set to get a new lease of life as it will undergo a full restoration aimed at returning it to its former glory.
The C3 Corvette had spent years parked in a used car lot before being found by a collector in 2017 in its original condition, still wearing its custom colors but with visible deterioration signs.
The car has been on display at the Corvette Museum since then and is now being restored as part of Project AstroVette Endeavour, a joint effort between Luna Replicas, a space collectibles company, and William Worden-Penczak, Alfred Worden’s grandson.
“It’s a unique preservation of what we deem as a very important part of American history. It is a symbol for a very important chapter in aerospace history, as well as my family’s history,” Worden-Penczak told collectSPACE.
It is estimated the restoration will cost upwards of $150,000 - $200,000, so Worden’s grandson and Luna Replicas are planning public fundraising activities to fund the project. Their goal is to complete the restoration in time for the 53rd anniversary of Apollo 15 in 2024.
Al Worden’s coupe was painted in Classic White with red and blue stripes, matching the patriotic red-white-and-blue color scheme of the Apollo 15 Corvettes.
The Apollo 15 AstroVettes were red (driven by Jim Irwin), white (Worden), and blue (the model owned by Dave Scott) and featured corresponding stripes to complete the American flag color scheme. The same colors were used by the three Apollo 15 crew members onboard the spacecraft to identify their meals and personal items.
Worden’s customized ‘Vette is now set to get a new lease of life as it will undergo a full restoration aimed at returning it to its former glory.
The C3 Corvette had spent years parked in a used car lot before being found by a collector in 2017 in its original condition, still wearing its custom colors but with visible deterioration signs.
The car has been on display at the Corvette Museum since then and is now being restored as part of Project AstroVette Endeavour, a joint effort between Luna Replicas, a space collectibles company, and William Worden-Penczak, Alfred Worden’s grandson.
“It’s a unique preservation of what we deem as a very important part of American history. It is a symbol for a very important chapter in aerospace history, as well as my family’s history,” Worden-Penczak told collectSPACE.
It is estimated the restoration will cost upwards of $150,000 - $200,000, so Worden’s grandson and Luna Replicas are planning public fundraising activities to fund the project. Their goal is to complete the restoration in time for the 53rd anniversary of Apollo 15 in 2024.
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