Based on a production 1968 Corvette, the Astrovette was restyled by GM’s design studios to cheat the wind.

When it was introduced to the public in 1968, the Chevrolet Astrovette was described by some as an “aerodynamic study,” but that might not be totally precise. In his landmark 1973 book Corvette: America’s Star-Spangled Sports Car, the preeminent automotive writer Karl Ludvigsen called it a “pseudo-aerodynamic study.” Put another way, the Astrovette was a styling study with an aerodynamic theme. There’s no indication that the machine was ever tested in a wind tunnel or driven at high speed.

Under the direction of GM styling vice president Bill Mitchell, the designers started with a production 1968 Corvette convertible equipped with a 427 CID big-block V8 (the L68 with 3×2 carburetion and 400 hp) coupled to a Turbo-Hydramatic automatic transmission. The nose and tail were radically extended and sharpened to a razor’s edge, while rear fender skirts and a racing-style windscreen were reckoned to reduce drag even further.

With flush-fitting wheel covers and narrow Firestone tires, the Astrovette looked the part of a Bonneville record breaker, and under the fiberglass targa hoop was a functional roll bar. However, the cockpit was stock Corvette except for an Italian steering wheel. Paint was a Pearl White with Corvette crossed flags on the hood and deck, though at one point in its show-car career it wore Competion Orange. Later the Astrovette was returned to its original white, the color that won it the nickname Moby Dick in the GM studios, after Melville’s great white whale.

While the Astrovette’s aerodynamic credentials are open to question, there’s no disputing the show car’s dramatic look. MPC produced a plastic model kit in 1:25 scale, and Matrix offed a 1:43 diecast. Now in the possession of the GM Heritage Collection, the Astrovette is still around in fine condition, and it has been displayed at the National Corvette Museum and elsewhere.