Hey Chris, what's the story on the moon cart? The time frame is right for Project Apollo. Russ Farris
1963 GT Hawk R-2 4-speed
1964 Avanti R-1 Auto
1963 GT Hawk R-2 4-speed
1964 Avanti R-1 Auto
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1963 GT Hawk R-2 4-speed
1964 Avanti R-1 Auto -
Is that history research television show 'History Detectives' still on PBS? If so, it would be worth contacting them and giving them this lead for a possible future episode. They may be able to prove beyond a doubt that it was for the moon mission and may be able to find more information about its purpose.
Okay, I just found the link for their website and they are looking for stories like this. Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/index.html
Love birds...Red Hawks in mating season.
In the middle of Minnestudeasigpic
In the middle of MinneSTUDEa. -
Well, from what I have been able to gather from it, and what I have been told about it, it was built as a proposal for the US government to be used for the Apollo moom landing. It was apperantly built in 1963, and close to the time that Studebaker closed down the South Bend plant, and as a result, the engineering dept. where it was built. Since it was built in '63, it was just left there and eventually migrated next door to Newman & Altman for a few years while South Bend Lathe used the engineering building. Then after that move, it found its way back to the engineering building. The cart and a few other prototype pieces migrated with it also, but they arent part of this thing. The cart has foam type, no air tires. The reason for this was incase it got a plat tire, it would be hard to pump it back up on the moon, so no air tires seemed logical. It is made of Aluminium tube, so it has no rust and it rather light. It does have a few steel parts. The steering bracket and the castle nuts that hold the wheels on. It steers with two drive shaft yokes and a U-joint welded to two pieces of stell, brackets. I have found some numbers on it: "63-E" and "705". It appears that the tag for it was misplaced or broken off. Here are some pics:
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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Chris, will you contact the 'History Detectives' show or should I do it for you?
They may be able to access NASA files, among other things. Plus, if they feature it on the television show, you could get yourself on television! Wouldnt that be fun? Seriously though, they are looking for subjects like this. You got nothing to lose.
sigpic
In the middle of MinneSTUDEa.Comment
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Well, looks like I don't have much to loose, nor much of a choice![:0][quote:Originally posted by Milaca
Chris, will you contact the 'History Detectives' show or should I do it for you? They may be able to access NASA files, among other things. Plus, if they feature it on the television show, you could get yourself on television! Wouldnt that be fun? Seriously though, they are looking for subjects like this. You got nothing to lose.
] Heck, lets go for it. I mean, how often do you see a moon cart[?] This is just the kind of weird stuff that they are looking for, so it's bound to end up on the show. You emal, or me[?]
Both would double the chances of it getting on the show.
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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Chris wrote:
The cart has foam type, no air tires. The reason for this was in case it got a flat tire, it would be hard to pump it back up on the moon, so no air tires seemed logical.
Uh, Chris...you'd better re-think this reasoning.
Yes, it [u]would be difficult</u> to keep air in them, but not for the same reasons we have here on Earth![8]
KURTRUK
(read it backwards)
Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong. -A. LincolnKURTRUK
(read it backwards)
Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong. -A. LincolnComment
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True, the tires are pretty big. Ah Ha! That's the reason it has no air tires and didn't go to the moon! If it had air in the tires, it's so light it might float away![quote:Originally posted by kurtruk
Chris wrote:
The cart has foam type, no air tires. The reason for this was in case it got a flat tire, it would be hard to pump it back up on the moon, so no air tires seemed logical.
Uh, Chris...you'd better re-think this reasoning.
Yes, it [u]would be difficult</u> to keep air in them, but not for the same reasons we have here on Earth![8]
KURTRUK
(read it backwards)
Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong. -A. Lincoln
)][)]
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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Well, I just submited the story to History Detectives. I hope I get a response.
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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I think the "moon cart" theory is a wild tale someone made up after seeing the thing. I find that theory hard to believe without some documentation. (Aside from "this is the story that was passed on from...") Even then I probably still wouldn't believe it.Comment
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...but so odd a device will have some sort of interesting backstory, irrespective of whether or not it was intended for Apollo. And Chris might be able to cajole the TV folks into showing quick grab shots of his '40 and/or the Model N bits...more profile-building for our favourite make of car. I hope this proceeds! BTW "History Detectives" is seen up here in Canada on the (Canadian) Discovery Channel (a different beast from the similarly-named US outlet); I've seen quite a few episodes of it and very much enjoy the show.
S.Comment
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Well, it is sitting near the '40!quote:Originally posted by Steve T
...but so odd a device will have some sort of interesting backstory, irrespective of whether or not it was intended for Apollo. And Chris might be able to cajole the TV folks into showing quick grab shots of his '40 and/or the Model N bits...more profile-building for our favourite make of car. I hope this proceeds! BTW "History Detectives" is seen up here in Canada on the (Canadian) Discovery Channel (a different beast from the similarly-named US outlet); I've seen quite a few episodes of it and very much enjoy the show.
S.
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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Contacted HD. No response, yet... Now what[?]
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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Be patient Grasshopper. If Elyse Luray comes to your door, invite her in and tell her what a great guy I am and that I am single....
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In the middle of MinneSTUDEa.Comment
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Ok, I can tell her that I'm a great guy and I'm single, but man that would look weird in front of my girlfriend...quote:Originally posted by Milaca
Be patient Grasshopper. If Elyse Luray comes to your door, invite her in and tell her what a great guy I am and that I am single....
[)][:0]
Chris Dresbach. South Bend, In.
1940 Champion two door.
Parts of the 1952 Model N prototype.
1963 Prototype moon cart built by Studebaker.
Chris DresbachComment
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Well, my thinking - if it IS a "moon cart" it was done as a proof of concept prototype, either on some engineers's own time or with minimal investment from the company, on speculation. In 1963 Grumman was still finalizing the design of the Lunar Module - the specs for such a device probably were not fixed yet.
20 billion 1960s dollars were spent on Apollo. I don't think any of that made it to Studebaker.
They did own the subsidary (I forgot the name)that made the heat shield for the Mercury program though, so who knows? Russ Farris
1963 GT Hawk R-2 4-speed
1964 Avanti R-1 Auto1963 GT Hawk R-2 4-speed
1964 Avanti R-1 AutoComment
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