Autoblog

eBay Find of the Day: Neil Armstrong's '67 Corvette

Jeff Sabatini — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet, GM, Celebrities

How much would you pay for a derelict '67 Chevrolet Corvette with a 427? If you said about thirty grand, you'd be in the ballpark - but that would still be all the money in the world for a barn find like this 'Vette. The owner admits the car hasn't run in over 30 years and she (the car, not the owner) clearly needs to get involved in a serious relationship with a body man.

But what if we told you that Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, the hero of the NASA Apollo program, and by all accounts a genuine good guy, was the first owner of the car? How much would that make it worth? Better hope your guess has six digits in it, because bidding on eBay Motors for this derelict but potentially highly collectible car has already shot past $120,000 - and has yet to meet the seller's reserve price.

Before readying the checkbook, however, we might suggest actually reading the seller's ALL CAPS description. It's a wonderful tale that starts with the car being provided by Rathman Chevrolet, the famed dealership that leased Corvettes to astronauts for $1 per year. A NASA employee allegedly bought the car after Armstrong turned it in and the seller claims he's hounded that NASA employee for 30 years trying to buy the Corvette, but it was only two months ago that he claimed his prize. There's a whole lot more to the story, including buying a carburetor in Texas and wanting to turn the car into a National Corvette Restorers Society "Survivor."

The bottom line, however, is that the seller is now trying to flip the Chevrolet, without much in the way of evidence that the car belonged to Armstrong, at least that's presented in the eBay Motors auction. Perhaps we're just being skeptical, but before spending over $100,000 on a car for which the majority of the purchase price is for its provenance, we'd like to see more in the way of authentication than one Protect-O-Plate photo. Since Neil Armstrong is still alive, we hope that whoever winds up restoring this Corvette does a more thorough job of vetting and presenting its history.

eBay Find of the Day: Neil Armstrong's '67 Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bonhams to auction Lincoln fit for a pope... or an astronaut

Noah Joseph — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Sedan, Auctions, Lincoln, Celebrities, Specialty

Not a lot of people have use for a parade car. The pope would, as would a group of astronauts returning from a mission in space to be showered with ticker tape. And if you think you deserve a parade of your own, this could be your vehicle of choice.

The venerable auction house Bonhams has got a very rare 1964 Lincoln Continental landaulet up for grabs at its upcoming event at the Quail Lodge during Pebble Beach weekend. Based on the Continental introduced in 1961, this enormous 21-foot-long beast of a car actually borrows its underpinnings from the Thunderbird - only it can carry a couple more passengers.

This example was prepared by Lehmann-Peterson coachbuilders out of Chicago in order to transport Pope Paul VI upon his 1965 visit to New York City to address the United Nations General Assembly and give mass at Yankee Stadium. It packs exterior step plates and handrails for ride-along security, a raised showcase seat in the back, a PA system, and a removable roof section, clear canopy and rooftop windscreen to shield the dignitary while basking in the adulation of the assembled masses.

Ford shipped the car off at a moment's notice to Bogota, Colombia, for another papal visit a few years later, where the high altitude required the car be fed by jet fuel provided by the Colombian Air Force. But in case that wasn't enough, the car was retasked to fête returning astronauts during the peak of the NASA space program. The heroes of Apollo 8, 11, 13 and 15 all rode in this limousine, and now it's expected to fetch between $250,000 and $350,000 when it hits the auction block on August 18-19 at the Quail.

Bonhams to auction Lincoln fit for a pope... or an astronaut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA to send R2 droid robot co-developed with GM to space station

Zach Bowman — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, GM

General Motors R2 - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you've got an unnatural fear of human-like robots, it's time to look away. It turns out that Chrysler isn't the only manufacturer getting cozy with NASA these days. General Motors just announced its new robot co-developed with NASA will soon be shedding its earth-bound shackles to help on the international space station, in addition to its duties to here on our home planet. Called Robonaut 2, the 300-pound man-like machine is designed to be as physically similar to a human being as possible in order to allow the robot to share tools with astronauts.

The first R2 will be scooting up to low orbit aboard STS-133 this September, where it will undergo testing in zero-gravity. At this point, GM says the robot lacks the necessary protection to operate outside of the space station, but that over time, new models may eventually take dangerous space walks instead of humans. The company also hopes that the robot will be able to aid in exploration of our solar system.

Neither GM nor NASA is saying exactly how much an R2 costs, which is a shame. We could use an extra set of hands around the garage.

Given the recent cancellation of NASA's Constellation program, we're likely to see more partnerships between independent companies and the space exploration agency crop up in the near future. The Obama Aadministration is hoping that independent industry will step in to fill the void left by government funding, and in order for that to be successful, NASA is going to have to share its knowledge.

Gallery: General Motors Robonaut 2

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading NASA to send R2 ~~droid~~ robot co-developed with GM to space station

NASA to send R2 ~~droid~~ robot co-developed with GM to space station originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andrew J. Feustel: Astronaut, Hubble mechanic, car guy

Chris Tutor — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Etc., BMW

Sometime today, astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis are scheduled to begin fitting the Hubble telescope with three new gyroscopes. But why does Autoblog care? Well, apart from the fact that the whole mission is super cool, one of the galactic grease monkeys wielding a wrench today will be Andrew J. Feustel. He's one of us car guys who really wanted to be an astronaut and found a way to make it happen.

His official NASA bio reads like your typical lab-coat-wearing science geek. He graduated from Purdue with an M.S. in geophysics and from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario with a Ph.D. in geological sciences. Under "Organizations" he lists membership in the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the American Geophysical Union and, to top it off, the BMW Car Club of America.

ABC's World News Tonight interviewed Feustel in his garage as he worked on his M3. In the background is the 1966 Austin Healy he gave his wife. To help pay for his college education, Feustel restored old cars. His son races karts. In short, Feustel is one of us. He's a car guy. And today, he'll be looking for 4mm sockets several miles above the planet.

Good like Andrew. If you get time, we'd love to get our first comment from outer space.

[Source: ABC World News Tonight]

Continue reading Andrew J. Feustel: Astronaut, Hubble mechanic, car guy

Andrew J. Feustel: Astronaut, Hubble mechanic, car guy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2007 Russo & Steele, Scottsdale: 1967 Gus Grissom Corvette goes for $275,000

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:24:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Chevrolet

Click on the image for a high-res gallery of photos of these cars

1967 Chevrolet Grissom Corvette 427 - #6645

This little red Corvette has quite a pedigree. Although it was originally Lynndale blue, the Rally Red paint was applied 25 years ago. It has just 31,499 documented original miles, a 427/435hp tri-power engine and a 4-speed M-21. It also features the HD suspension, off road exhaust, transistor ignition, leather seats, Strato-Ease headrests, tinted windshield, AM/FM radio, speed warning indicator, telescopic steering wheel, and redline tires. It's had a professional body-off restoration that is documented with the included photos. Another multiple award-winner including NCRS & Corvette Bowling Green. Pretty impressive 'Vette, but obviously it's the fact that NASA astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom was the original owner that helped net this car a $232,500 price at auction. Read the whole fascinating back story from the Russo and Steele catalog after the jump.

[Source: Russo and Steele, Corvetteblogger.com]

Related Items:

Astronaut Gus Grissom's 427 'Vette for sale on eBay

Gallery: 2007 Russo & Steele, Scottsdale: 1967 Chevrolet Grissom Corvette 427

Continue reading 2007 Russo & Steele, Scottsdale: 1967 Gus Grissom Corvette goes for $275,000

2007 Russo & Steele, Scottsdale: 1967 Gus Grissom Corvette goes for $275,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Astronaut Gus Grissom's 427 'Vette for sale on eBay

Alex Nunez — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Etc., Chevrolet

Astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom is an American hero and icon.

One of the original Mercury Astronauts, he was the second American in space, the first American to go into space twice, and would have been the first to do so three times had he not died tragically in January 1967 when he and fellow Astronauts Roger Chaffee and Edward White fell victim to a fire during a launch pad test at Kennedy Space Center.

The Astronauts, unsurprisingly, had a thing for fast cars -- Corvettes in particular. Gus was no exception and owned a red 1967 427 Corvette with which he used to regularly challenge Alan Sheppard (also a 'Vette owner) to races in Florida. Grissom pretty much dominated Sheppard thanks to the 4:56 rear he had installed in the car. Sheppard wasn't immediately let in on that little secret, which explained why Grissom was so unbeatable in the quarter mile.

Since his death, the car changed owners several times and underwent a frame-off restoration along the way. Today, it's a beautiful, concours-level machine, absolutely loaded with optional equipment like leather seats, power steering, power brakes, and power windows. The most important options have nothing to do with luxury, however. The 427 CID / 435-horsepower monster underhood and the four-speed manual it's mated to are this 'Vette's heart and soul, and also make it a valuable car regardless of its famous original owner.

Highly desirable in its own right, the Corvette's association with Grissom elevates it to Very Important Car status. It's up for auction at eBay, and as of this writing, the current bid is $200,099. The reserve has not yet been met.

Based on what the seller has written in the auction description, if it goes unsold on eBay (the listing runs until 6/26), it will probably make its way to Scottsdale next year for the Barrett-Jackson auction, where it should generate significant interest and draw big money.

If you have deep enough pockets, though, it's there for the taking this weekend. Check it out. The auction listing tells the car's full history, and it's a great read.

Thanks to CorvetteBlogger for the tip!

[Source: eBay via CorvetteBlogger]

Astronaut Gus Grissom's 427 'Vette for sale on eBay originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jun 2006 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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