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. The wrap around dash was a natural because it sits on top of the engine. The Astro 95 had superior driver visibility. the cab was made of aluminum. 1972 GMC Astro Cabover Truck - Walkaround Exterior Interior Tour - 2021 Clifford Truck Show 4,021 views Sep 9, 2021 109 Dislike Share Save TruckTube 186K subscribers Welcome to TruckTube!! So, in 1987, GMC sold the heavy duty operation to Volvo, and When he used to be their mechanic, he claimed that they were always in the shop for something. Distinguished by its boxy appearance, it earned the nickname "Crackerbox. Some articles may contain affiliate links. My client roster once included a manufacturing firm called Ercoa. It was a nice truck but harder to get into tight spots and I was partial to the cabovers. Get to know the CB lingo used by truckers, so you can get in on the conversation, cmon. Related > What It Was Like to Drive the Older Model Rigs. This is not one of them. 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. The model was dubbed the GMC B-Series and stayed in production for three generations. It was hell. I happened to be at the yard a few days later, and saw the big old GMC roll in on a lowboy trailer. . To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. [1] In 1983, the Aero Astro option package was released, largely as an effort to improve fuel economy. Tahoe where I used to work had a tough time getting to stuff on our Pete 320 LCFs. 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. But every end is merely a new beginning. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in its day. 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. I actually had to call Ercoa once working a claim on a boat. 1979 Peterbilt, 352 Cabover This Peterbilt has been beautifully restored by its owner! The driver would be the first guy at the scene of a head on accident. at the Hollywood Park Truck Show in Ingleside, CA in 1969. You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. I read somewhere that Larry Shinoda had a hand in designing the Astro 95. 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. Orders went through Ma Bell. (Bedford being a GM division.). 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. NO !. Autocar will still sell you a new truck. Isuzu Bedford might be the name down under, the blue one is very clearly a (Euro) Bedford TM. Cabover interiors are all essentially the same but they all have a few differences. Used. Although Volvo GM would continue sales of COE trucks under the White GMC and Western Star brands (the WhiteGMC WH and Western Star Cabover; both versions of the White Road Commander II), the GMC Astro was never directly replaced by Volvo GM, Volvo, or General Motors. So they dumped their interests in such things as snowmobiles and recreational craft, going hard after that one market they felt was most lucrative. Welcome to TruckTube!!! 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. Throughout the entire production run, the trucks were assembled in Pontiac, Michigan by the Pontiac Central Assembly facility. the styling-the highly boxy shape made it commonly referred to as the They would haul trailer loads of potatoes in from Idaho with these rigs. However, there was a downside that accompanied this accessibility. The vehicles were mostly fitted with school bus bodies. The cabover truck is an icon. They are also typically found on the rear of a car, but they can be found in other areas. In addition to the regular cab, a sleeper cab was available as an option. Manual transmission with Hi-Lo. Oddly enough they still use what cabovers are left for boat transport. Anytime the driver wants anything from the bunk, the process is the same. The auction would be my first, last, and only opportunity to snag one for myself. You wanted to be sure you had your pants on when you rolled out of the sleeper! The trucks, however, were not so lucky. (c) 2000, Evan McCausland. 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. Mine was a great truck, simple and reliable. But, with surprising candor, he began to lament his purchase of the truck having now done the math, he was expecting to take a big hit on it, and several other things hed won at that auction. Truck had more than a few dents! The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. The Ercoa advertisement featuring the paddleboat and bikini-clad women was exactly what I was hoping to see! (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. 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. the rest of the GMC heavy duty line in 1987. It was truly a great truck. My first impression? Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) Ive seen few to no Astros. The faster you repair your semi-truck, the faster it gets on the road and keeps on moving your business forward. I also have a soft spot for the Astro along with the Brigadeir and General. Aahhhh yes, I spent many a day in these. As a mechanic, I spent a lot of time working on this style of truck. This included special paint, a larger chromed front There was also the memorable wrap-around dashboard, all decked out in woodgrain. The funky hitch is called a stinger and its usually used on car haulers. Comfort is a big issue especially for long haul trucking. Today, you can still find a fair amount 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. 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. If every driver of EVERY vehicle on the road followed these safety tips, our roads would be SO much safer. The blue cabooses have interiors that are usually made of plastic. Starting in 1980, the company offered the GMC TopKick. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. They were legal and they got the job done. As such, several other trucks will be standing in for it at various points. Broken lights and lenses throughout. There was no coming back after that. As I recall they were much easier to deal with than most boat companies who prefer to use their dealers for all customer support. These two galsno idea who they aremade frequent appearances in company literature. 1985 Kenworth Cabover, K-100 Kenworth release the first of their cabovers, in 1955. Theres something very nostalgic about seeing these rigs on the road today. All Rights Reserved. They were mostly Astros, these older small-grille versions, in dark blue. That picture is pretty much a more modern version of what they were running. None of the seventeen-footers were ever completed. 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. To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. An uncomplicated and clean design, thats what makes a design timeless. All orignal. They were indeed good-looking trucks. 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. The cabovers were nice for doing a lot of repairs although I hated pulling radiators. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Many RVs even up to today use the same glass. As you say, its tough to be distinctive. awkward shapes, it did not receive good aerodynamic ratings, and cut fuel COEs in general seem to be on the way out, though there is a big black Kenworth COE that hauls container trailers to and from the local port on the James River. The one weak area for the Astro was the cab tilt mechanics. The best trucks ever. The red caboose is made of metal too. You can read the full disclosure policy, which is pretty dull, but here it is. 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. The GMC Astro and Chevrolet Titan are Class 8 cabover-engine (COE) trucks, sold in both single and tandem rear axle configurations. Model. 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. 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. Please email You can connect with him Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Equally memorable was a prop which sometimes sat near it: a Dixie cup which contained a spoon and was filled to overflowing with white glue, which had a bit of brown paint stirred in and was allowed to harden. My extended family has owned and used that exact model of paddleboat on various lakes in Minnesota for close to four decades. Ive spent my whole life in the marine industry and its amazing that I still find new boat companies all the time. They were indeed good-looking trucks. 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. with Rudkin-Wiley Airshield. In 1986, General Motors created the VolvoGM joint venture with Volvo Trucks, leading to the discontinuation of the Astro in 1987. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE . 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. Previews will consist of visual inspection, and vehicle can be started. Easily find what you need from 2,312,977 parts available. - YouTube 0:00 / 0:53 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. You mean this one Bryce ? 1995 Freightliner C.O.E. The old semi-cabover A series was replaced by the all-new H later dropped from the lineup. sides of the truck. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Diesel (unable to determine engine model, but based on serial number would have a Detroit 8v71). The same bolts held the fuel tank mounts on. In 1987, GM ended the production of the GMC General. Some truckers wore full length snowmobile suits in them, just to stay warm! I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. Cabover Truck - COE Trucks For Sale in Provo, UT: 0 Cabover Truck - COE Trucks Near You - Find Cabover Truck - COE Trucks on Commercial Truck Trader. 118" WB, 104" cab to rear, 184" overall. Mechanically sound. Old Dutch plant located in Minneapolis. 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. And so it went. My Dad drove so many of these, his knees still rattle and shake! Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. 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. Numbers 1 and 2 could be done from the engine compartment. When backing in to loading docks and winding through heavy traffic, nothing can compare with a cabover truck! The truck and trailer were plainly visible from the road. The Astro could be ordered with standard Detroit Diesel 6 or 8 The model was discontinued in 1987. 1900. In 1981, General Motors ended sales of heavy trucks by the Chevrolet Division, leading to the cancellation of the Chevrolet Bruin, Bison, and Titan. 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. I was astounded when he paid $3500 for the title-less derelict Astro; upon looking it over again (just to see if Id missed something), I couldnt understand how he was making money on it at that price. In stark contrast to the boxy Crackerbox, the exterior of the Astro/Titan featured rounded body corners and wraparound windshield glass. They look like something out of the 90s rather than the 60s. A cabover rig isnt as safe as a long hood rig, in the event of an accident, as there just isnt any protection for the driver. 1968 GMC ASTRO For Sale in Madison, Minnesota at TractorHouse.com. This is because they are usually made of steel, and they are also available in other materials, such as plastic. The overall length of truck and trailer, back then, could only be a maximum of 65, from 1956 to 1976. -If you have any, please send them to me, Modern cabovers are built with more structural safety features to protect the driver in the event of a crash. 1972 GMC Astro Cabover Truck - Walkaround Exterior Interior Tour - 2021 Clifford Truck Show TruckTube 3.9K views 8 months ago Cabover Peterbilt With Completely Full Trailer FSC Trucking. She carries weight between 93-105,000+lb loads. They were OK trucks in their day, not bad to work on generally. The extensive use or hauling heavy cargo takes its toll on the state of your vehicle, which means that sooner or later you will need some GMC semi truck accessories and parts. No; the Astro was unique to GMC and Chevrolet (Titan). Definitely a product of White Motor Company or one of its spin offs. 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. Restoration completed recently. At the time I was trying to obscure the trucks location to prevent unwelcome tourists (as I commonly did with any roadside pics). 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 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. 1982 Marmon COE A 110P, with the rare option of a V-grill and V-bumper, which is known as the VIP package. 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. and they will be posted! 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. One of my old neighbors was one of the mechanics that worked there until retiring shortly before the warehouse closed.. (I think the warehouse closed during the early 1990s) If I remember right, he told me most of the ones at Fort Wayne were Detroit powered, although there was some Cummins powered as well, with 7 speeds. I have a 1983 GMC Astro cabover I had for a few years and slowly fixing it up when I have time to. Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. Thats actually not an Astro. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. Upgrades to the truck's suspension improved its handling and ride, as well. Guess I did a better job than necessary, in this case! The cabover is made of metal and the interior is black. On our channel we upload daily, our original, walkaround videos of Trucks, Busses and Commercial Vehicles. 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. (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. Some of the time in a cabover International and the rest in an Astro 95 then a Chevy Titan 90. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. Here we have a 1983 GMC Astro. USD $3,300 . An Australian truck driver talks about the REAL BAD BOY big rig trucks that run through the Outback of Australia. 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. I had a Grand National at the time and it was very tempting for me to consider trading it off for one but I didnt want another car payment so that was that.
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