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The Astro could be ordered with standard Detroit Diesel 6 or 8 Learn the dangers of a truck driver encounters when driving an Australian road train in the barren Outback and how trucking in Australia is so different from North America. This went on after the HD line was sold off. wide panoramic glass provided excellent vision to the front and the Also seem to recall some connection with carnival equipment. Item:24627543 Spencer, IA $242.00. I actually had to call Ercoa once working a claim on a boat. They were once very common, particularly in fleet service. AS IS Sold Price: USD $1,120.00 Auction Ended: Wed, Feb 17, 2021 4:04 PM View Buyer's Premium Financial Calculator Stock Number: 520 VIN: 1GDT9L4C1GV541124 Drive Side: Left Hand Drive [2] Along with single or tandem axle configurations, the GMC Crackerbox was available with a sleeper cab. The other cabovers weve seen have white cabooses. Throughout the entire production run, the trucks were assembled in Pontiac, Michigan by the Pontiac Central Assembly facility. The GMC Astro 95 (1969-1987) For more information on the last new Astro model, go see the Other Astro Pictures -If you have any, please send them to me, and they will be posted! It takes only one quick glance at a side view, above, to see how the F-Model GMC tilt-cab trucks and tractors of 1959-68 deserved the name "Crackerbox.". Nothing on earth sounds as good to me as a screamin Jimmy Diesel. The trucks, however, were not so lucky. The owner has done a terrific job in restoring the unit to its original condition. Bid History for 1975 GMC Astro 95 Cabover Truck - AS-IS Auction Start Date: 06/03/21 5:11 PM ET Auction End Date: 06/17/21 9:03 PM ET Asset ID: 1453 . Still, it was a new truck and I was pretty happy with it. You wanted to be sure you had your pants on when you rolled out of the sleeper! The black caboose is one that is used for a single person and the red caboose is used for a couple of people. I also have a soft spot for the Astro along with the Brigadeir and General. Definitely a product of White Motor Company or one of its spin offs. In 1986, Volvo AB entered into a joint venture with General Motors in heavy-truck production, with Volvo taking an 85% stake. These old school cabover trucks, whetherKenworth,Peterbilt,Freightliner, White, GMC, Ford, Diamond Reo or old Crackerbox, meantfreedom, simplicity, open roads, good memories and yes, some back aches. I was assigned a 81 model with a 63 as a backup spare truck Maneuvering a big trailer was a real workout. uplevel sound and CB systems. Its grainy and basically useless, but unless I find the others, that may well be all that remains of these rigs. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) Ive seen few to no Astros. I drove many 10s of thousands of miles in the late 70s. Clifford, ON, comes alive on the Canada Day long weekend. 1950s. This particular 1977 GMC Astro 95 has an interesting backstory in the fact that it was order by NASA and used very sparingly at the Wallops Island facility in Virginia. If I remember I bought it for only $2000 and was used just as a yard truck. Of course, being a cabover it tilted forward for access to that huge Detroit Diesel mill. upgrade. Guess which one I was most interested in? Cabover interiors are usually found in the back of a car, and they are usually made of steel rather than plastic. Highly inconvenient. the cab was made of aluminum. The cabover truck design is outdated for the North American highway infrastructure. It was like driving a bus! It seems like there must be hundreds of RV, boat, etc manufacturers that have shuttered or consolidated in the past 2 decades. GMC's Astro story originally begins in the early 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. [1] In an option that became standard a year later, in 1979, GMC and Chevrolet offered the SS (Special Series) package. (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. me with questions and comments! So they let me keep the Titan 90 and I drove it till fall when I decided driving full time wasnt for me and I went back to being a mechanic. What can I do, I have diesel in my veins and Detroits in my heart. He told me he took out over $2500 in bronze copper and aluminum shavings. The largest cabover trucks ever produced by GM, the Astro was introduced for 1969, replacing the 1960-1968 GMC "Crackerbox" COEs. Along with the Dragfoiler roof spoiler, the option package included body extension panels between the cab and trailer, an air dam below an extended bumper and an optimized radiator grille. Luckily the shop we are in was originally a heavy equipment shop. I love the old KW100E. Drivers didnt worry about head on collisions. 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. The doors were a little wider on the Astro than the International and I thought the Astro was easier to get into and out of. But somewhere down the line (perhaps in the early eighties) they acquired another line of business: building pontoon boats. Ive seen a number of really nice ones, rebuilt and re-finished and restored back to new condition. Tahoe where I used to work had a tough time getting to stuff on our Pete 320 LCFs. Mine was a great truck, simple and reliable. Can anyone tell me where this picture was taken. The Kenworth cabover, better known as the bull nose, was built with comfort and driver safety in mind. Our mechanic seems to look at the Brigadiers the way you do. (c) 2000, Evan McCausland. At SMART TRUCKING, were also avid fans of the cabover truck. Oh man, how I love those old cabovers and the other rigs, especially the Petes. A larger cab provided more interior space and greater comfort for the driver, and larger windows allowed for better driver visibility. I drove one in 71 for two years, with a V12 Detroit engine. Another controversial feature of it was The one thing that cabover interiors are best known for is the way they can camouflage some of their interior panels. The Astro 95 is my first big truck of the week, and also the biggest truck in my files. You mean this one Bryce ? Not a bad days work. In a surprise win, I ended up with both the seventeen-footers and one of the two unfinished sixteens for just a few hundred dollars. 615. My first impression? These two galsno idea who they aremade frequent appearances in company literature. . On our channel we upload daily, our original, walkaround videos of Trucks, Busses and Commercial Vehicles. I drove a COE for the first ten years or so of my driving career. Must have been a big Chevy truck dealer out there. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE . Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) I've seen few to no Astros. $182.00 . Those old White Freightliners would just rattle all the time. A 60 Detroit and a 10 speed trannie under the hood. I am trying to see if by some chance this trailer is still in existence. trucks or the Turbo Titan III program, please [1] In 1983, the Aero Astro option package was released, largely as an effort to improve fuel economy. The new model has replaced the line of C/M 90/9500 trucks. The truck and trailer were plainly visible from the road. Body Parts Cab Interior Engine Components Transmission Components Suspension Components Electrical Components Vehicles . Sleeper Cab. !. grille, chromed accessories, deluxe interior levels fog lights, and Heck, it reminds me of the good old days when there were way less laws and regs. Mainly, they were The cabovers black interior is also the most unique. When the truck manufacturers decided to increase driver comfort in these trucks, their price increased as well. so has very low miles. Used. I might have even worked on this one. Gmc astro Sleeper on HeavyTruckParts.Net. The trucker literally must stand up on the seat of the truck and crawl over theengine, which is positioned between the seats! It used a single hyd cylinder on the right hand side of the frame. Somewhere on the back roads near Pine City, MN, as I recall cant give more detail than that without actually retracing my steps. Updated: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 1:32 PM Get Shipping Quotes - (Opens in a new tab) Apply for Financing - (Opens in a new tab) No image. In 1977, GM started producing the GMC General, its largest conventional-cab semi truck powered by a diesel engine. Some models had quite large sleeper berths. As far as I know this is a Bedford KM, the heavy-duty TK. We like the way they roll. Thanks for the pics of the Astro interior, forgot how nice the dash was. Instruction, clear advice, videos and photos for truck driver skills, maneuvers and information for all professional truck drivers. I got to test drive one with a 9L CNG motor and Heil Frontloading refuse body Dec of 2012 and was impressed with it. was a radical departure for GMC-it was completely cab-over engine, and Title applied for. Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. Starting in 1980, the company offered the GMC TopKick. The location makes sense. I can remember seeing many of the Astro tractors around until Kroger closed the Fort Wayne Indiana Distribution warehouse. your own Pins on Pinterest In 1976, another 9 of length was allowed, for a maximum 75 allowance. One of my most exciting or tense days involved a White Road Commander. When he used to be their mechanic, he claimed that they were always in the shop for something. Planning to exit the medium-duty truck market, General Motors canceled the production in 2009. Updated: Sat, April 10, 2021 5:09 PM Get Shipping Quotes - (Opens in a new tab) Apply for Financing - (Opens in a new tab) No image. The auction would be my first, last, and only opportunity to snag one for myself. It seemed certain that these once-proud rigs would be fed to the crusher soon. They were quite safe if they were driven with respect. The Kenworths had dog houses big enough to sleep on. You can connect with him Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. This is because they are usually made of steel, and they are also available in other materials, such as plastic. Its a FACTORY double bunk. Class 8 cabover highway trucks are still manufactured at a plant in North Carolina. This is not one of them. All orignal. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. The same bolts held the fuel tank mounts on. You see a LOT of dilapidated Fords smoking their way down the road, somehow still going. It is a medium-duty truck commonly used as a basis for dump trucks, cargo haulers, and other commercial or industrial purposes. Even though today GMC mostly offers pickup trucks, SUVs, and medium-duty commercial vehicles with such well-recognized nameplates as Sierra, Acadia, Canyon, Yukon, and Savanna, there were times when the company was focusing on producing urban and transit buses, fire trucks, ambulances, and heavy-duty semi trucks. Given the design and material information I hung onto from earlier, I expect to be able to finish their construction fairly easily. The Pete 362 cabover launched in 1981 featured cab suspension as well as a wraparound dash that I worked on, which may have been subliminally inspired by the GMC. And 35 years ago no computerized support systems. The cabover interiors are usually made with a black finish that makes them look like they have some kind of black paint on them. There are distinct niches in the trucking industry where trucker pay is above the average wages paid. (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. I vaguely recall it being at/near a T intersection. Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. As such, several other trucks will be standing in for it at various points. Still, he remained hopeful that the tons (literally) of aluminum pontoon parts hed also bought would make up for it. 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. Easily find what you need from 2,312,977 parts available. The wrap around dash was a natural because it sits on top of the engine. In 1916, GMC made headlines when a husband and wife drove the GMC pickup truck from Seattle to New York in 30 days. before, and some were cut as cost-savings. Search our large inventory of New/Used GMC ASTRO Cab, Misc Parts for sale. Generals were actually a pretty good truck, at least competitive with the Transtar 4200/4300 and better than the various Loiusvilles from Ford. He later ran an early 90s GMC Brig as his assigned tractor for Yellow Freight before retirement. The Astro died honorably with Visit our site at any time to acquire GMC semi truck accessories and parts needed for your restoration or upgrade project. 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. Cabovers werent necessary dangerously. The wrap around dash and placement of the controls and instruments was perfect. The truck was still in warranty, the service rep didnt want to replace all the parts we planned on replacing. 1985 Kenworth Cabover, K-100 Kenworth release the first of their cabovers, in 1955. Many memories are attached to the old cabover trucks models.Many truckers and retired truck drivers alike, lament about the classic cabover truck models, that once ruled the highways of North America. Buyer's premium included in price USD $458. The payments on bulldozers and other such equipment are pretty high, and they have to be working to keep the cash coming in. 15,875 views May 7, 2017 158 Dislike Share Hunzolee 1.37K subscribers 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab at. Despite everyones best efforts, the business finally went under in 2013. 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. As the trucks aged the cab had a tendency to shift to the right as it lifted, older ones would snag the safety hook. 1982 Marmon COE A 110P, with the rare option of a V-grill and V-bumper, which is known as the VIP package. We have large over head hoists and we can slip a second trolley hoist onto the beam from the next hoist over. I noticed and like the 92 Dark Cherry Metallic Chevy Caprice in the background of the third picture from the bottom. 4 head lights and double bumpers. The left front cab mount failed, the cab has swung around to the right some and landed on the motor. Company owners said should just have to put new batteries in and change the fluids and should start up. I liked the little window in the passenger door. Theres something very nostalgic about seeing these rigs on the road today. Cabover interior is the way that the caboose opens. the past 3 years. Dents and rust throughout, interior dirty and worn. (Powerliner). Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. 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. The top speed was right around 60 mph, the speed limit those days was 55 mph so many trucks were geared to keep the top speed down. The shortened wheelbase allows for this tight turning radius. As a result, I finally got a chance to get up close and personal with their fleet of trucks. From some of the old Overdrive magazines Ive seen, Ford was even worse for HD parts and service to the point they refused Fords advertising for years over it. Changing a clutch was always fun since the rear engine mounts were attached to the transmission instead of the engine. Turned out, he wasnt. Some of the time in a cabover International and the rest in an Astro 95 then a Chevy Titan 90. 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. These rigs were once quite commonly seen rolling down the highways. 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. Picture of my Titan 90 north of Portland Maine 1979. Restoration completed recently. [1] In 1972, the Detroit 12V71 became available as an option; though rarely ordered, the V12 engine would remain through 1978. 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. Description. It is neither inferred nor implied that any item sold by TRUCKiD.com is a product authorized by or in any way connected with any vehicle manufacturers displayed on this page. Six Easy Ways To Keep Your Truck Cab Organized On The Road. Under the joint venture, GMC trucks were phased out in favor of White-designed Volvo GM products. with Rudkin-Wiley Airshield. Cabover interiors are all essentially the same but they all have a few differences. In the period from 1978 to 1988, General Motors offered the GMC Brigadier, a heavy-duty class 7-8 short-hood truck available in straight-truck and semi-tractor configurations. An Australian truck driver talks about the REAL BAD BOY big rig trucks that run through the Outback of Australia. They were tough to get out of after a long day of driving, and the ride in them was pretty firm. Heres the (much older and smaller) Bedford TK: This included special paint, a larger chromed front 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. Near the end of its run, Astro buyers had the option of several Detroit, Caterpillar and Cummins Diesel engines. !, and please SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT, hit the NOTIFICATION BELL, and have a look at our other channels:https://www.youtube.com/automototube - AutoMotoTube - Car and Motorcycle walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/motorcycletube - MotorCycleTube - Motorcycle walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/BoatTube - BoatTube - Motor and Sailing yachts walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/Bicycletube - BicycleTube - Bicycle walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/atvtube - ATVTube - All Terrain Vehicle walkaround videos So they dumped their interests in such things as snowmobiles and recreational craft, going hard after that one market they felt was most lucrative. I was a little concerned about the pieces that were twisted on the right front, yea they looked fine but I couldnt see taking a chance on this happening again. Their heyday may have started in the mid 80s, but those boom years were fading away by the early 00s. 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. The model was discontinued in 1987. All rights reserved. White trailers with a big "Food Lion" graphic. The white cabooses have interiors that are usually made of glass. The cabover has a smaller seat in the middle, two doors on either side, a small handle in the middle, and a small door on each side. Also in common with GM products of the day Astros didnt age well, particularly inside the cab. I may well have been the only guy in the Yellow Pages who knew what they meant by thickwire.. The neighbor has one Brigadier- a 1979 thats on its last legs. The blue cabooses have interiors that are usually made of plastic. Ive had the pleasure to drive an LTL-9000, and the misfortune to drive a Brigadier. Numbers 1 and 2 could be done from the engine compartment. I spotted this rig several weeks ago while taking a shortcut I rarely use, coming back from picking up a load of equipment bound for the office. One summer day I lost one of the rear ends coming in off the highway. 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. The Astro was available as a 58 in BBC Day Cab, and a 86 in BBC My son and I still drive this truck and trailer every week from San Diego California, to LA. This truck was tight, the Cummins was purrfectly quiet and smooth and I was liking that. Id suspect a lot of their business came from a few good dealers, and especially from operators of a small fleet of big rigs but a varied fleet of everything who would appreciate a one-stop shop where they could get heavy haulers to get the product out, pickups and vans for *their* service techs and sedans for the sales reps through one dealership and one contract. For some reason most of the few I saw were rag-tag owner-ops out of Quebec. Dealer service was the biggest issue with the GMC, not unlike any GM product of the day. Theirs was an Astro 95, of course; a 1978, if I recall. They were great for maneuvering in tight spots, but not so great to live in for long time periods for over the road trucking. We had a fair number of Brigadiers with 6-71s in them, not nice to work on. Radhe also tries different gadgets every now and then to give their reviews online. As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. 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. Great guy I understand hes still working on peddle-boat designs somewhere. 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. [1] Featuring a (much) larger radiator grille, improvements to exterior and interior trim, the SS package was meant to market the Astro/Titan towards owner-operators. email me. This is not one of them. The old semi-cabover A series was replaced by the all-new H MN. Its too bad they dont make them like that any more. Truck manufacturers in these countries still make this body style as their lengths laws are still quite rigid, and the cabover style allows for trailer length to be maxed out. One problem with the big windshield was visibility into the truck. I was thinking WTF? relocated to next to the trailer air brake lever itself, as shown. GMC Astro had a windshield that seemed to come down to knee level! Some truckers wore full length snowmobile suits in them, just to stay warm! Manytruckers complained that the ride was pretty rough, mostly due to the shortened wheelbase. The only GM heavy truck that was built after the merger was the Brigadier, and it lasted until the Pontiac heavy truck plant closed in late 1989. Even upon close investigation, it looked just like an ice cream sundae that had been forgotten and was melting all over the desk! Gauges for the trailer air supply and pressure were We can order those things? 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. Year. The next year I was put in a brand new leased 1979 GMC General. The Astro was also GMs swan song in the big-truck sector, and it never sold in the numbers needed to keep GM truly viable. Unless some ambitious individual comes along, chances are their next trip out will be their last. You can read the full disclosure policy, which is pretty dull, but here it is. Werent the other two trucks Internationals? Visibility. Distinguished by its boxy appearance, it earned the nickname "Crackerbox. Could be theres more badges these wore. It had the red and white paint scheme but but was otherwise pretty plain, with cast spoke wheels and painted fuel tanks. In addition to light trucks, this meant a potential GMC franchise needed the ability to support medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty commercial trucks, the GMC motorhome, P-chassis, and school bus chassis. In stark contrast to the boxy Crackerbox, the exterior of the Astro/Titan featured rounded body corners and wraparound windshield glass. 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. 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. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. Theres a bit more thought put into them now but wrap around dashboards are still the norm, the fake wood is still with us though the 2011 International I was driving was covered in the stuff. My Dad drove so many of these, his knees still rattle and shake! rearranged. (c) 2000, Evan McCausland. The GMC Astro ceased production after the 1987 model year (coincidentally, two years after Chevrolet launched a van with the same name). Succeeding the F/D-series "Crackerbox" cabovers, the Astro was marketed by Chevrolet as the Titan, serving as the largest cabover trucks ever produced by General Motors. We/I cant go anywhere without people coming out with cameras and cell phones to take pictures of my truck. My Astro had an 8V71 Detroit and a 13 speed Roadranger. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. None were roadworthy, only one was able to be started, and perhaps worst of all, no titles could be produced for any of them. Feed Body, model unknown cabover Comfort. To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. And you see a lot of Brigadiers out here too. The cabover style of truck took full advantage of the trucking industry length laws, in effect at the time. 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. It was supposedly a big advance in truck design for its time. He told me that when he purchased one in the mid 70s he test drove a Pete 352 (COE) and got the impression that it had inferior build quality to the Astro. economy. They were indeed good-looking trucks. NO For a typical dealership, this meant dedicating profitable space that would have otherwise gone to selling passenger cars. Resale on these still seems to be excellent! So an auction was scheduled, and the companys assets were bagged, tagged, and sold to the highest bidder. It was the oldest design GMC had at the time, and still The cabover is one of the most unique interiors weve found. They also all open in a certain way (although they differ in this area). 1987 GMC Astro 95 For more information on the last new GMC Astro cabs were built almost entirely out of aluminum, with SMC fiberglass-reinforced plastic doors, and were offered in three lengths: the short 55-inch non-sleeper cab, a 75-inch sleeper cab and an 87-inch sleeper cab. for it was optional.