After a short stint as an OTR driver and still holding my Class A CDL Id like to find a worthy GMC truck just to drive to one of the big truck shows. Some truckers wore full length snowmobile suits in them, just to stay warm! But the pontoon-hauler wasnt quite as fancy as this one. No operation of the . It doesnt have the sunshade, but otherwise it is a dead ringer. On our channel we upload daily, our original, walkaround videos of Trucks, Busses and Commercial Vehicles. GMC Astro had a windshield that seemed to come down to knee level! uplevel sound and CB systems. [1], In a major change from precedent, when introduced in 1969, the Astro/Titan were marketed exclusively with diesel engines. The white cabooses may be aluminum, but the black caboose is made of metal. Six Easy Ways To Keep Your Truck Cab Organized On The Road. The Sleeper Bunk. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. We have everything you need to maintain your GMC in top condition to avoid truck breakdowns and get it operating properly again. By the mid eighties, they were doing pretty well for themselves: theyd moved into a big new facility, had expanded their lineup to include such things as portable ice houses and their trademark line of peddle-boats, and of course they were still cranking out pontoons left and right. No wonder they were called Freightshakers! Ford made a big cabover on air bag suspension that leaned in the corners and felt like it was going to tip over sideways when the driver climbed in or out. Heres the (much older and smaller) Bedford TK: The new model has replaced the line of C/M 90/9500 trucks. The Road Commander cab has certainly outlived the Astro, granted only tangentially as the White/WhiteGMC/Volvo/Autocar/etc Xpeditor, further modified as the modern day Autocar ACX. Nothing on earth sounds as good to me as a screamin Jimmy Diesel. We take a look at the exterior and interior of the vehicle, so you can receive a general idea and appreciation of a certain brand or model.Our coverage is from Truck, Auto and Commercial Vehicle Shows in USA, Europe and Canada.Thanks for watching!! The cabover truck design is outdated for the North American highway infrastructure. Its Hall-Scott gas engine was still running well, but the truck just was too slow to be competitive in the late 1960s, and it was actually driven to its resting place in the woods at the local wrecking yard, where it sat for years before being scrapped. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. In 1986, General Motors created the VolvoGM joint venture with Volvo Trucks, leading to the discontinuation of the Astro in 1987. The only parts in stock were routine maintainence and some high wear items. Theres something very nostalgic about seeing these rigs on the road today. IHC dealers usually at least understood that an out-of-service truck meant someone wasnt making their wages. You can read the full disclosure policy, which is pretty dull, but here it is. I am actually the current owner of the truck on this article. Manufacturer. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. There are a few reasons this might happen: To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page. During WWII, GM supplied the US Army with more than 600,000 GMC trucks. I love the old KW100E. The cabover interiors are usually made with a black finish that makes them look like they have some kind of black paint on them. The GMC Astro (also known as the Chevrolet Titan) is a heavy-duty (Class 8) cabover truck that was manufactured by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors from the 1969 to 1987 model years. As far as I know this is a Bedford KM, the heavy-duty TK. In contrast to the Crackerbox, the cab of the Astro was lengthened nearly six inches into a 54-inch BBC length with two sleeper cab configurations available. Interestingly enough, the people in the front office werent just strategizers and makers of budgets and blueprints. It also lacked most of the personalized touches this one hasno fancy clearance lights or custom paint jobs here! This truck was tight, the Cummins was purrfectly quiet and smooth and I was liking that. We/I cant go anywhere without people coming out with cameras and cell phones to take pictures of my truck. It was supposedly a big advance in truck design for its time. But now a sighting of a working cabover truck on the road is more rare. The left front cab mount failed, the cab has swung around to the right some and landed on the motor. The total length of the cab was a mere 48 . I got to test drive one with a 9L CNG motor and Heil Frontloading refuse body Dec of 2012 and was impressed with it. Depending on when it was made its Road Expeditor II, an Autocar or a Western Star. The Astro 95 was the best-styled truck of its time, and one of the best ever. Another controversial feature of it was I drove many 10s of thousands of miles in the late 70s. Beat me to itthe White was clearly an Astro rip-off, although there isnt exactly a lot of leeway with big COE trucks in making them look distinctive, at least in the idiom of that time. This went on after the HD line was sold off. Of course, being a cabover it tilted forward for access to that huge Detroit Diesel mill. We opened the doors, bolted together 2 10 shelving beams, wrapped the beams with rugs for cushioning, stick them thru the cab hook up the hoists and gently reposition everything back in place. I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. the standards the H series set, yet be more streamlined and beyond. The new model featured better visibility and improved driver ergonomics. With their squared-off styling and strange proportions, GMC's aluminum cabover trucks of 1959-68 quickly earned the nickname "Crackerbox.". Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. The Astro 95 is my first big truck of the week, and also the biggest truck in my files. Among their factory leftovers was a small group of V-bottom boats. Her fleet of 95s did cross country turnarounds with two drivers, Indiana to California and back in 5 days over the Rockies, the drivers loved them. I am partial to the old 2 stroke Detroits. My Mom ran a truck leasing operation in the 70s-90s (NationalLease/LendLease) and back in the 70s when the 95 came out it was a VERY big deal. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. [1] In 1977, the Cummins KT450 and Caterpillar 3406 became options; the larger engines required the addition of a larger radiator. The model was discontinued in 1987. Its the only one of the three weve seen that has a black, red, and blue interior. William C. Durant established General Motors (GM) as the holding company for Buick on September 16, 1908. The GMC Astro was offered in single or double rear axle configurations. The Kenworths had dog houses big enough to sleep on. Also seem to recall some connection with carnival equipment. Description. Thats actually not an Astro. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. All rights reserved. The sleeper was scaled like the cab and was roomy and comfortable. We have large over head hoists and we can slip a second trolley hoist onto the beam from the next hoist over. And when I came on in 2006, things werent looking pretty. The GMC Astro 95 was introduced Numbers 1 and 2 could be done from the engine compartment. To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. The cabover truck is an icon. Following the 1980 model year, Chevrolet exited the heavy-truck segment; thereafter, alongside the Brigadier and General conventionals, the Astro was marketed solely under the GMC brand. Buyer's Premium . Jun 7, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by Lieutenant 107. In contrast to other GM brands, a key requirement of GMC franchisees of the time was the ability to sell and service the entire GMC product line. Easily find what you need from 2,312,977 parts available. The large carriers who were the big buyers of cabovers, switched over to the conventional style rig, and the bottom rapidly fell out of the market for them in North America, thus the fall in popularity of these trucks. CC Outtake: 1975 Austin 1300 MK3 Please Do Not Adjust Your Set, Curbside Classic: 1978 Oldsmobile Omega Grandmas BMW, Streetside Classic: 1974 El Cherito GMs BTV Dreams Project, In-Motion Classic: 1970 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible Hot Mustard. My son and I still drive this truck and trailer every week from San Diego California, to LA. Single rear axle. The one thing that cabover interiors are best known for is the way they can camouflage some of their interior panels. I thought the International Cabover was somewhat claustrophobic. I always wondered if the design of the original small grille on the Astro 95 was supposed to suggest an air intake rather than a radiator grille. All in all the Astro proved the old adage that you get what you pay for. The white cabooses weve seen are made of metal. cylinder engines, and Cummins power was available. (Ever the penny-pinchers, they opted to apply the same logo stickers to the trucks as they did to their boats.). Cabovers werent necessary dangerously. The model was dubbed the GMC B-Series and stayed in production for three generations. He later ran an early 90s GMC Brig as his assigned tractor for Yellow Freight before retirement. Also in common with GM products of the day Astros didnt age well, particularly inside the cab. Please email One could update the grille and headlights and the Astro 2.0 wouldnt look out of place today in a lineup of new trucks on the dealer lot. 1976 GMC Astro day cab over semi, Big Cam 350 Cummins eng., 13 spd., 11R24.5, spring ride, sliding hitch, 711,344 miles, VIN TDC926V578511 - new batteries Carlisle, Iowa. They are also usually found on the back of a car, but they can be found in other areas as well. 1985 Kenworth Cabover, K-100 Kenworth release the first of their cabovers, in 1955. For a typical dealership, this meant dedicating profitable space that would have otherwise gone to selling passenger cars. 1900. They were tough to get out of after a long day of driving, and the ride in them was pretty firm. A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Many RVs even up to today use the same glass. My first impression? For this reason, they are still popular in Europe, where the roadways are generally narrower, with tight clearances, and even more congested than in North America. The best trucks ever. [2] Along with single or tandem axle configurations, the GMC Crackerbox was available with a sleeper cab. Another future COAL . The wrap around dash was a natural because it sits on top of the engine. These rigs were once quite commonly seen rolling down the highways. A veteran 40+ years truck driver shares 10 of the all time, tried and true truck driving safety tips ALL professional truckers should know AND follow! It seemed the final nail in their coffin might have been the failure of a large chain of boat dealers, which happened to be one of their biggest distributors. Modern cabovers are built with more structural safety features to protect the driver in the event of a crash. Today, you can still find a fair amount 94, with LT1 power, velour seating, and a trunk rack. But, theyre almost all sitting in the weeds, done forever. I have a 1983 GMC Astro cabover I had for a few years and slowly fixing it up when I have time to. The Ercoa advertisement featuring the paddleboat and bikini-clad women was exactly what I was hoping to see! The Astro was available as a 58 in BBC Day Cab, and a 86 in BBC The driver would grab the outer rail and swing out and down! Today, it is one of the most recognizable marques in the industry. Alongside a 702 cubic-inch GMC V12 gasoline engine, the truck was available with the Detroit Diesel 6V71 and 8V71 engines. Find the 9 highest paying truck driver jobs in 2022. An uncomplicated and clean design, thats what makes a design timeless. Anytime the driver wants anything from the bunk, the process is the same. Even the old freight shaker cabovers! The early COE trucks were also very cold, as they werent well insulated. White trailers with a big "Food Lion" graphic. They were also louder than long hood rigs, as the driver was sitting right above the engine! Once you removed the enormous doghouse from the cab you could actually do the back 3 cylinders of an in-frame from the drivers seat. Aahhhh yes, I spent many a day in these. After a couple years of testing the idea was dropped due to the turbines poor fuel consumption. This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. 15,875 views May 7, 2017 158 Dislike Share Hunzolee 1.37K subscribers 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab at. A few fleet delivery customers but mostly farmers who only used the trucks come harvest time. Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. Truck has dual power windows tilt wheel, extra gages. Tires are good. Cabover interiors are usually found in the back of a car, and they are usually made of steel rather than plastic. As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. I know the mechanics at the garbage company in Truckee/N. USED - Door side vent, Does not include interior trim, Needs seal, Cab over. And you see a lot of Brigadiers out here too. As you say, its tough to be distinctive. To ensure long and trouble-free service life of your rig, use only high-quality GMC semi truck parts and accessories offered in our online store. As much as I enjoyed finally getting to climb around on the trucks, I was actually there for another reason. I wish I had shop space for those kind of projects, my wife gets annoyed when I leave a boat on our property for more than a few weeks. The cabover is one of the most unique interiors weve found. I may well have been the only guy in the Yellow Pages who knew what they meant by thickwire.. time. It used a single hyd cylinder on the right hand side of the frame. Of the seven, five were sixteen feet long, and two were seventeen feet. The vehicles were mostly fitted with school bus bodies. Id been itching to make a deal ever since I became aware of their presence in the back of the warehouse some years ago, but my offers to buy had always fallen on deaf ears. At the time I was trying to obscure the trucks location to prevent unwelcome tourists (as I commonly did with any roadside pics). The USD $1,018 . time. Independent front suspension, air-suspension all-round, an ultra-light forward-set alloy cab only 48 long, power steering, a complex fabricated frame that was 50% lighter, and the lightest diesel engine: This was the recipe for the most technologically advanced semi truck tractor in the world in 1959. The new model featured better visibility and improved driver ergonomics. 4 head lights and double bumpers. Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Yugo When Was The Last Time You Saw One? It looked similar to the above shot when I last saw it, but I bet its cockpit was much more awe-inspiring in its younger days. Thanks for the pics of the Astro interior, forgot how nice the dash was. International Cabover A 1974 model, powered by Cummins 400, 13 speed transmission, owned by Mark Johnson. I read somewhere that Larry Shinoda had a hand in designing the Astro 95. Cab won't release to tilt. Never tripped across one that didnt rattle! I vaguely recall it being at/near a T intersection. The neighbor has one Brigadier- a 1979 thats on its last legs. I cant speak to what other people have done for or against the GMC Astro 95s but I still have mine and it is the only one that I have seen anywhere. convenince and comfort, and safety for operators. They were great for maneuvering in tight spots, but not so great to live in for long time periods for over the road trucking. If every driver of EVERY vehicle on the road followed these safety tips, our roads would be SO much safer. The simple fact that these big rigs didnt have a hood, created better visibility for the driver. They were indeed good-looking trucks. However, the conventional long hood vehicle still fairs better in an accident. Parts Side Vent W/ Inside Cover, Needs Seal, Cab Over. The trailers, each one brand-new and built to their specifications, were a sort of light-duty lowboy that attached to this odd hitch, upon which the boats could be stacked two high along their entire length of forty-some feet. I happened to be at the yard a few days later, and saw the big old GMC roll in on a lowboy trailer. 1984 GMC ASTRO 9500 Sleeper Trucks For Sale Price: USD $23,500 Get Financing* Horsepower: 350 HP VIN: 1GDT9L4C0EV542424 Fuel Type: Gasoline Drive Side: Left Hand Drive Contact Us (573) 544-6500 Sold By: Pierson & Son Trucks New Florence, Missouri 63363 They are also becoming wildly popular at truck shows. If these were being built in the late 70s, they werent that much before my time yet I cant remember ever seeing one. He believes that Content and Social Media Marketing are the strongest forms of marketing nowadays. Of the three trucks in the fleet, there were two Internationals and one GMC. [1] In 1983, the Aero Astro option package was released, largely as an effort to improve fuel economy. A wide range of engines, which could be easily modified for alternative fuels such as propane or compressed natural gas, made the model popular in the school bus and police bus industry. 1987 GMC Astro 95 As I recall they were much easier to deal with than most boat companies who prefer to use their dealers for all customer support. Ive got several more for later on in the week, but hey why not start with the biggest? The Freightliners could be as cold as the Arctic, even with the heaters on full! Comfort. This is not one of them. There still seems to be a factory GM radio still installed in that rig, I always thought these had an interesting dash, semi wraparound, isolating the driver in the business section of the cockpit. Im very familiar with TK Bedfords I drove them years ago. Placement of the truck cab over the motor saved some length. These two galsno idea who they aremade frequent appearances in company literature. Having already acquired White Motor Company in 1980, the joint venture would do business as Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corporation, selling trucks under the combined WhiteGMC product badge. The replacement for the F/D-series "Crackerbox" COEs, the Astro was marketed by Chevrolet as the Titan, serving as the largest cabover trucks ever produced by General Motors. Here we have a 1983 GMC Astro. But as you can imagine, by this time there wasnt much left of them. It was a family business dad, son, and grandson could all be found down the same hallway. One of my regrets is that I wasnt yet smart enough to try to figure out how to save my fathers old 1947 Autocar 10-wheeler dump truck from the scrap yard. The largest cabover trucks ever produced by GM, the Astro was introduced for 1969, replacing the 1960-1968 GMC "Crackerbox" COEs. An acquaintance of mine whod recently gone from avid recycler to junkyard owner was also present at the auction, and seemed determined to buy everything in sight. What a mess. I still have a few anti-tamper ECM decals laying around somewhere. At SMART TRUCKING, were also avid fans of the cabover truck. No other semi had that much glass, and the fact it went down so far gave the driver better vision of things real close, like someone in a crosswalk, but it freaked some drivers out at first because you do feel exposed compared to say a Kenworth or Peterbuilt Cab over of the time. Gmc ASTRO Cab, Misc. Its interesting to hear about what happens to these manufacturing companies when they close. In the shuffle, Ercoa managed to grab the pontoon business and run with it. Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. Useful articles fast to read and guides easy to understand written by mechanics and car enthusiasts to turn your shopping experience with TRUCKiD into a pleasure. You always had to check the interior before flopping one of these things open, you never know what you may come across, but a coffee cup was enough to take out a windshield. Oh man, how I love those old cabovers and the other rigs, especially the Petes. The Great Lakes Truck Club hosts the Clifford Truck Show, featuring a hot line-up of cabovers, Macks and older model rigs. Much different then cars boats are still a little bit in the wild west of manufacturing. Most kids wanted to go to the beach, but my favourite thing was to head for a truck stop! The funky hitch is called a stinger and its usually used on car haulers. My boss arranged to swap out the General with an older model 1975 Astro 95. As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. Chevy Turbo Titan III. Radhe also tries different gadgets every now and then to give their reviews online. Van Alstyne was one of the female designers mentioned in the book, Damsels in Design, by Constance Smith which came out a couple of years ago and which was mentioned on this site and on others. There was a point when the cab would go over center, meaning gravity took over and the hyd system that was lifting the cab was now used to control cab movement by restricting the oil flow. This 1974 model was one of the last trucks to travel down the assembly line before the company went bankrupt in late 1974. The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. I had lots of scares over the years but that one was probably the most tense because it took a quite of bit of time to pull this off and get that cab sitting back down on its mounts. The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. My good friend and photography mentor loves them. The white cabooses have interiors that are usually made of glass. There are fewer blind spots too. The GMC truck in the fourth photo immediately reminded me of the cigarette truck barelling down the streets of Detroit in Beverly Hills Cop to the Neutron Dance soundtrack by the Pointer Sisters. From what I have seen, at the Hollywood Park Truck Show in Ingleside, CA in 1969. was loved by owners and operators alike. Vehicle runs, drives, stops. I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. for it was optional. Our goal is to support you and your business. They were mostly Astros, these older small-grille versions, in dark blue. It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. They were spun-off from Volvo during the Mack acquisition as the combined company would have had to big a share of the Low Cab Forward Truck market. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in it's day. 1900 GMC ASTRO 95 Day Cab Trucks Sold Price: USD $990.00 Auction Ended: April 10, 2021 Financial Calculator Machine Location: Boonsboro, Maryland 21713 Stock Number: 615 VIN: TGH928V900010 Drive Side: Left Hand Drive Compare J.G. In 1930, another GMC truck made a similar journey from New York to San Francisco in just 5 days. They are also typically found on the rear of a car, but they can be found in other areas. 1950s. Just love the old school classics. The shortened wheelbase allows for this tight turning radius. I actually had to call Ercoa once working a claim on a boat. I wouldnt be so quick to write the Road Commander off as an Astro copy, Larry Shinoda of Mustang and Corvette fame was the man behind the design. the styling-the highly boxy shape made it commonly referred to as the [1] Although Detroit Diesel had developed a gas-turbine version of the GMC Astro in the early 1970s, fuel-economy concerns would keep it out of production. Buyer's premium included in price USD $458. In 1977, GM started producing the GMC General, its largest conventional-cab semi truck powered by a diesel engine. Body Parts Cab Interior Engine Components Transmission Components Suspension Components Electrical Components Vehicles . At that time, another local company, Boatel, was looking to divest itself of several product lines so it could focus on its core business, manufacturing yachts. I was thinking WTF? Had a fairly new one in for service, it had the largest sleeper size available, I think it was a queen size mattress, maybe king? Despite everyones best efforts, the business finally went under in 2013. In fact they were as cold as hell! The California Air Recourses Board made me put a 2002 N-14 engine in it and a super large catalytic converter/particulate filter, but it dynoed super clean and the Astro 95 can be used until 2027. You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. Following the launch of the cabover product line in 1969, the GMC Astro quickly exceeded the Chevrolet Titan in sales and market share. In 1959, GMC introduced its Class 8 cabover trucks, replacing the previous "Cannonball" fixed-cab cabovers. To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. My Astro had an 8V71 Detroit and a 13 speed Roadranger. This truck had plenty of power and I was able to easily beat a friend on mine driving the International cabover out of a toll plaza. None were roadworthy, only one was able to be started, and perhaps worst of all, no titles could be produced for any of them. When it comes to clutter, some say its nothing more than postponed decisions. Want to learn the language of the truck driver? Dents and rust throughout, interior dirty and worn. Each truck had a slightly longer than normal wheelbase, with tandem axles, a steel flatbed with wood decking, and an interesting low-mounted fifth wheel hitch setup. Orders went through Ma Bell. The GMC Astro (also known as the Chevrolet Titan) is a heavy-duty cabover truck that was manufactured by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors from the 1969 to 1987 model years. wide panoramic glass provided excellent vision to the front and the Others say for every minute spent organizing and reducing clutter, an hour is earned All manufacturer names, symbols, and descriptions, used in our images and text are used solely for identification purposes only. One of my most exciting or tense days involved a White Road Commander. Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. Diesel (unable to determine engine model, but based on serial number would have a Detroit 8v71). To get out, the trucker had to more or less, back out of the cab door, while hanging onto a railing on the door. Please email mewith questions and comments! The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_TK. Clifford, ON, comes alive on the Canada Day long weekend. Great truck and photo. For over a century, GMC has been offering a wide range of commercial and military grade vehicles, as well as genuine auto parts. A practical guide to paid CDL training programs. When backing in to loading docks and winding through heavy traffic, nothing can compare with a cabover truck! None of the seventeen-footers were ever completed. Somewhere on the back roads near Pine City, MN, as I recall cant give more detail than that without actually retracing my steps. Not running. Overspray bedamned, Ill take it! Speaking of aluminum, perhaps the strangest item offered for bids was the right to sweep the floorswhich the auctioneer claimed would yield barrels worth of aluminum shavings if done correctly. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. Sleeper Cab. Or perhaps some do-gooder finally threw it away. However, due to it's Still, it was a new truck and I was pretty happy with it. She carries weight between 93-105,000+lb loads. The others weve seen feature yellow and blue interiors. Isuzu Bedford might be the name down under, the blue one is very clearly a (Euro) Bedford TM. Noisy. From the second picture on, I knew it would be enjoyable! Manytruckers complained that the ride was pretty rough, mostly due to the shortened wheelbase. Back in the 70s when I started selling parts I had a few customers that ran the BowTie versions called the Titan and Bruin. The cabovers were nice for doing a lot of repairs although I hated pulling radiators. In stark contrast to the boxy Crackerbox, the exterior of the Astro/Titan featured rounded body corners and wraparound windshield glass. Some of the time in a cabover International and the rest in an Astro 95 then a Chevy Titan 90. (first posted 2/3/2014) As one of the people whod been rallying for a Big Truck Week, I suppose its only fitting that I step up and post some. For example, if you were going to hide your wallet in the back seat of your car and dont want anyone to see it, you can create an interior that has a large panel that covers it up. the cab was made of aluminum. On the sweeping floors it may be profitable. . Your email address will not be published. White trailers with a big Food Lion graphic. It seems like there must be hundreds of RV, boat, etc manufacturers that have shuttered or consolidated in the past 2 decades.
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