Pretty girls and show cars have always went together. Notice how the seats raise to lift this lovely lady out of the car. Images courtesy GM Heritage

When it came to designing dream cars for the auto shows, Chevrolet definitely knew how to go out on a limb. In 1967, the company introduced a concept car for the 1967 show season that was an unconventional blending of Corvair and Corvette. The car was known as the Astro I, and almost 50 years later, it is still an eye-catching piece of artwork.

The story goes that the Astro I was imagined by a young designer who was under the direction of GM’s then Vice President of Design, Bill Mitchell. Although the car was never able to run under its own power, Astro I was still deemed a big success for Chevrolet and GM Styling. Show goers that attended the New York Auto Show were witness to the car’s public debut, and most if not all were also amazed by the two-seater’s futuristic design. Even today, the car has a futuristic look. Since the roof line of the car was less than three feet from the ground, many couldn’t believe that it could actually accommodate two passengers. This fiberglass-bodied execution in styling used a semi-monocoque construction.

The front of the bright red rocket closely resembled the Mako Shark show car, and unbeknownst at the time, the rectangular grilles in the V-shaped nose section and pop-up headlamps located on the leading edge of the hood, gave onlookers a preview of what the front of the 1968 Corvette would look like.

The rear of Astro I resembled a race-car design typically found on Can-Am cars. A pair of panels along the trailing edge of the car were designed to open, providing air braking when needed, and air extractors were mounted on the rear deck to vent engine heat. But, the Astro I’s most unusual feature was its clamshell-style roof. Since the car had such a low overall height, conventional doors were not an option. The entire body – beginning directly behind the windshield, was one-piece construction, and tilted up and back via a motorized screw mechanism.

While the top was opening, the two seats would also rise out of their normal position to help occupants get in and out of the car. As the clamshell closed, the seats would return to a normal, semi-reclined seating position. Seated passengers were greeted by a variety of aircraft-inspired design ideas, that included the moving, “head-to-toe” bucket seats, and a control pod that was positioned to the left of the driver and featured twin hand grips that replaced a normal steering wheel.

Underneath the car was a four-wheel independent suspension system, using four-wheel disc brakes and magnesium eight-bolt wheels. The rims actually utilized removable outer rims that were available in a variety of widths. The two-seater however rolled on 5 1/2-inch wide wheels in the front and 7-inch wide wheels in the rear with Goodyear redline tires.

Because of its very low profile, a V8 engine was not used. Instead, the Corvair’s pancake-style engine was to be the basis of propulsion for the machine. Engineers took a basic Corvair engine, and added new cylinder heads that featured a belt driven, SOHC valvetrain and hemispherical combustion chambers. Fuel delivery would be accomplished by a pair of prototype GM three-barrel, inline carburetors that used Weber internals. The carburetors were designed to position the carburetor barrels directly over each intake port, giving the air-fuel mixture a straight shot at the valves. But, keep in mind that this car was never driven under its own power.

The Astro I is still owned by GM and was completely restored several years ago. As of this writing, it is a part of the GM Heritage Center Collection.