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. 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. That was all there was to drive at one time. The wrap around dash was a natural because it sits on top of the engine. 8 model, until 1959, when the all-new H model was introduced. Thanks for the history of the company. was a radical departure for GMC-it was completely cab-over engine, and The GMC Astro is a heavy-duty class 8 cabover truck that was unveiled in 1969 as the replacement for the GMC cabover semi truck produced during 1960-1968 that received the nickname "Crackerbox" for its boxy-shaped cabin. Made money. I had wanted to grab the ice cream sundaeas a souvenir, too, but someone else beat me to it. As you say, its tough to be distinctive. Vehicle runs, drives, stops. Search our large inventory of New/Used GMC ASTRO Cab, Misc Parts for sale. Parts Side Vent W/ Inside Cover, Needs Seal, Cab Over. trucks or the Turbo Titan III program, please I love my truck and it will be around for a long time to come. Thats actually not an Astro. The other cabovers weve seen have white cabooses. I actually had to call Ercoa once working a claim on a boat. Never tripped across one that didnt rattle! Related >Trucker Culture and Professionalism A Salute to the Professionals That Move Us. Please email mewith questions and comments! The location makes sense. COEs have been the standard in Europe since many decades, a conventional truck is rare. The Titan was a very rare bird even when new. Its design was cleaner and slicker than the Transtar. They were mostly Astros, these older small-grille versions, in dark blue. No; the Astro was unique to GMC and Chevrolet (Titan). [2] For the 1969 model year, the GMC Crackerbox was replaced by the GMC Astro, while the Chevrolet Titan was unveiled for the 1970 model year.[3][4]. They also all open in a certain way (although they differ in this area). None of the seventeen-footers were ever completed. We/I cant go anywhere without people coming out with cameras and cell phones to take pictures of my truck. 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. And their parts guys knew the product a lot better. Near the end of its run, Astro buyers had the option of several Detroit, Caterpillar and Cummins Diesel engines. (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. Welcome to TruckTube!!! Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. 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. All orignal. Your email address will not be published. Shopping with us, you get parts and accessories that work hard just like you, built tough just like your vehicle. These trucks were as tough as nails! Body Parts Cab Interior Engine Components Transmission Components Suspension Components Electrical Components Vehicles . Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. Additional information is available in this. My client roster once included a manufacturing firm called Ercoa. The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. The largest cabover trucks ever produced by GM, the Astro was introduced for 1969, replacing the 1960-1968 GMC "Crackerbox" COEs. She carries weight between 93-105,000+lb loads. !, 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 This gives good access to the motor for maintenance and repair. Any way it was big. Gauges for the trailer air supply and pressure were They are all different shapes and sizes, and are also all designed to fit different people. This retro truck style is rising to the surface once again for particular working applications. The cabover is one of the most unique interiors weve found. images may be used without permission except for personal viewing. Drivers didnt worry about head on collisions. Guess which one I was most interested in? As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. If I remember I bought it for only $2000 and was used just as a yard truck. The International was brand new when I got it 1978, had a 290 Cummins and 10 speed Roadranger transmission. I vaguely recall it being at/near a T intersection. There was no coming back after that. Enjoy our hassle-free online checkout or call to speak to an expert. At SMART TRUCKING, were also avid fans of the cabover truck. Unless some ambitious individual comes along, chances are their next trip out will be their last. Of course, being a cabover it tilted forward for access to that huge Detroit Diesel mill. 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. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. Buyer's Premium . "A Brief Outline of the First Century of GMC Truck History - Generations of GM", Rigs of Rods; GMC Astro 95 & Chevy Titan 90, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GMC_Astro&oldid=1140760775, Articles needing expert attention from January 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 17:11. It was hell. The model was dubbed the GMC B-Series and stayed in production for three generations. economy. For over a century, GMC has been offering a wide range of commercial and military grade vehicles, as well as genuine auto parts. 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. The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. Stock Number. me with questions and comments! 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. (c) 2000, Evan McCausland. Changing a clutch was always fun since the rear engine mounts were attached to the transmission instead of the engine. Numbers 1 and 2 could be done from the engine compartment. (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. I happened to be at the yard a few days later, and saw the big old GMC roll in on a lowboy trailer. To get in the sleeper bunk the driver of the rig must crawl through a hole. He later ran an early 90s GMC Brig as his assigned tractor for Yellow Freight before retirement. Gmc ASTRO Cab, Misc. I may well have been the only guy in the Yellow Pages who knew what they meant by thickwire.. Ive spent my whole life in the marine industry and its amazing that I still find new boat companies all the time. Here are some comments sent in from truckers. I can remember seeing many of the Astro tractors around until Kroger closed the Fort Wayne Indiana Distribution warehouse. An Australian truck driver talks about the REAL BAD BOY big rig trucks that run through the Outback of Australia. Maneuvering a big trailer was a real workout. Call or email for more information. Cabovers werent necessary dangerously. The cabovers black interior is also the most unique. Astro featured many things that made it popular and innovative at the Distinguished by its boxy appearance, it earned the nickname "Crackerbox. So an auction was scheduled, and the companys assets were bagged, tagged, and sold to the highest bidder. upgrade. However, there was a downside that accompanied this accessibility. In 1987, GM ended the production of the GMC General. It wasnt exactly a dignified end for such a long-lived piece of machinery. These continued to remain as GMC's main class The Astro was available as a 58 in BBC Day Cab, and a 86 in BBC Their sales as a result, started to dwindle, as a conventional style rig was almost the same price as these flat nose trucks, and they were considerably more comfortable. Theres something very nostalgic about seeing these rigs on the road today. . Id give anything to have one now. Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. Resale on these still seems to be excellent! Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Yugo When Was The Last Time You Saw One? I liked the little window in the passenger door. In 1986, Volvo AB entered into a joint venture with General Motors in heavy-truck production, with Volvo taking an 85% stake. The Astro offered many improvements over the "Crackerbox" trucks. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. He believes that Content and Social Media Marketing are the strongest forms of marketing nowadays. 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. Oh man, how I love those old cabovers and the other rigs, especially the Petes. Previews will consist of visual inspection, and vehicle can be started. Highly inconvenient. In North America its the other way around. Loved it when trucks had real character. with Rudkin-Wiley Airshield. Especially love the old Kenworth K100E Aerodyne. Also in common with GM products of the day Astros didnt age well, particularly inside the cab. As such, several other trucks will be standing in for it at various points. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) Ive seen few to no Astros. The There are a few reasons this might happen: To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page. Manual transmission with Hi-Lo. On the sweeping floors it may be profitable. Modern cabovers are built with more structural safety features to protect the driver in the event of a crash. ASTRO 95. 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. Cab won't release to tilt. It (Wonder how many other people can say they own not one, butthree brand-new, never-used, 1991 model year boats?). The cabovers were nice for doing a lot of repairs although I hated pulling radiators. We can order those things? Who knows? To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. This is because they are usually made of steel, and they are also available in other materials, such as plastic. NO Mainly, they were I also have a soft spot for the Astro along with the Brigadeir and General. Cabovers had great visibility and they had the look of highway trucks, due to their sheer height. Placement of the truck cab over the motor saved some length. No wonder they were called Freightshakers! Discover (and save!) . 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. What can I do, I have diesel in my veins and Detroits in my heart. As of current production, GM has not marketed another Class 8 cabover truck (as the configuration has effectively ended production in North America). 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. 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 [1] In 1972, the Detroit 12V71 became available as an option; though rarely ordered, the V12 engine would remain through 1978. I believe that a gas turbine was optional in limited quantities, yet uplevel sound and CB systems. The dealer I worked at had a large rural customer base. They were mostly Astros, these older small-grille versions, in dark blue. Add To Cart. I am partial to the old 2 stroke Detroits. GM originally intended to offer an Allison gas turbine engine as an option in the Astro 95 alongside the various Detroit and Cummins diesels when the truck was introduced. My extended family has owned and used that exact model of paddleboat on various lakes in Minnesota for close to four decades. The GMC Astro is a heavy-duty (Class 8) cabover truck that was manufactured by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. It is a medium-duty truck commonly used as a basis for dump trucks, cargo haulers, and other commercial or industrial purposes. Gmc astro Sleeper on HeavyTruckParts.Net. The cabooses are all designed with different colors, textures, and materials. One legacy of the Astro is the windshields. They were tough to get out of after a long day of driving, and the ride in them was pretty firm. 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 am actually the current owner of the truck on this article. The white cabooses may be aluminum, but the black caboose is made of metal. USED - Door side vent, Does not include interior trim, Needs seal, Cab over. [1], In a major change from precedent, when introduced in 1969, the Astro/Titan were marketed exclusively with diesel engines. So the length issue wasnt so important anymore. Aahhhh yes, I spent many a day in these. They are also typically found on the rear of a car, but they can be found in other areas. 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. 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. In 1959, GMC introduced its Class 8 cabover trucks, replacing the previous "Cannonball" fixed-cab cabovers. 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. Its been stretched, and also has a tag axle. The base engine was the Detroit Diesel 6-71N, with the Detroit 8V71 and Cummins N-Series diesel engines as options. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. Truck has dual power windows tilt wheel, extra gages. And run they did. Sometimes you needed a prybar to get the rear cab mounts back into there saddles. However, the conventional long hood vehicle still fairs better in an accident. Nine89-2five4-eight20eight Report Last Updated on: February 28, 2023 with 1979 GMC Astro Cabover - $4000 the styling-the highly boxy shape made it commonly referred to as the International Cabover A 1974 model, powered by Cummins 400, 13 speed transmission, owned by Mark Johnson. The GMC Astro ceased production after the 1987 model year (coincidentally, two years after Chevrolet launched a van with the same name). Overspray bedamned, Ill take it! GMC ASTRO INTERIOR FOR AMERICAN TRUCK SIMULATOR - YouTube 0:00 / 0:57 GMC ASTRO INTERIOR FOR AMERICAN TRUCK SIMULATOR Caterpillar D8N 701 subscribers Subscribe 1.2K views 11 months. I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. Every downturn claims some, Boats and RVs are big discrentionary extras subject to consumer confidence. After a couple years of testing the idea was dropped due to the turbines poor fuel consumption. One of my most exciting or tense days involved a White Road Commander. Didnt most of these Astro / Titan trucks use Detroit Diesel power? Downtime means lost income. 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.". These rigs were once quite commonly seen rolling down the highways. GMC Astro had a windshield that seemed to come down to knee level! Right down to the furnishings, the place honestly looked like a time capsule from 1991 (just when I thought Id seen the last of NetWare 4, Compaq products with a rainbow stripe on them, and the unmistakable beeps and chirps of Merlin phones). Cabover interiors are usually found in the back of a car, and they are usually made of steel rather than plastic. The different cabooses are designed to look different colors and to be able to transition from one color to another. This was also used in the prototype Im very familiar with TK Bedfords I drove them years ago. The Kenworths had dog houses big enough to sleep on. 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. Ive never run a General, but the Brigadiers dont seem to hold up nearly as well as the Fords. The one weak area for the Astro was the cab tilt mechanics. Drive Side. 1995 Freightliner C.O.E. 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. A larger cab provided more interior space and greater comfort for the driver, and larger windows allowed for better driver visibility. 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. I understood that much of the interior and the dashboard were designed by a woman named Martha Jayne Van Alstyne, who also worked on the interior of the 68 Corvette. Comfort is a big issue especially for long haul trucking. the cab was made of aluminum. 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. 1978 GMC Astro 95 If anyone out there knows of others or information on this truck please contact us. It represents the days of trucking we all long for, in todays world of trucking, that is so muddled up and complex with its mounds of unnecessary rules, regs and guidelines. In 1916, GMC made headlines when a husband and wife drove the GMC pickup truck from Seattle to New York in 30 days. 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. You mean this one Bryce ? Not surprising, given that it came from GM, although its predecessor, the Crackerbox (attached) certainly couldnt have spent much time in the Design Center. Of the seven, five were sixteen feet long, and two were seventeen feet. Another future COAL . Its interesting to hear about what happens to these manufacturing companies when they close. 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. Thanks for the pics of the Astro interior, forgot how nice the dash was. 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. Somewhere on the back roads near Pine City, MN, as I recall cant give more detail than that without actually retracing my steps. 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. 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 is a highly detailed restoration of the exterior and the interior. Thats an Isuzu Bedford the TM was a heavyduty TK with a double bumper, I saw one of those on Sunday a dead one they are too low powered and small for todays applications. This went on after the HD line was sold off. [1] In 1975, GMC introduced a Dragfoiler roof spoiler as an option. The truck and trailer were plainly visible from the road. 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. Today, you can still find a fair amount This is not one of them. Still, he remained hopeful that the tons (literally) of aluminum pontoon parts hed also bought would make up for it. Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. The yard owner and I were talking at the time, and I congratulated him on his win. The Ercoa advertisement featuring the paddleboat and bikini-clad women was exactly what I was hoping to see! Mechanically sound. The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. Under the joint venture, GMC trucks were phased out in favor of White-designed Volvo GM products. EnterpriseVander Haags Inc Sp Spencer IA. USD $1,018 . In what would be a distinguishing feature of the vehicle, the Astro/Titan was produced with a wraparound dashboard;[1] the speedometer and tachometer were placed directly in the line of sight of the driver while most secondary gauges were placed off to the side, based on their level of use. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 1943, General Motors absorbed Yellow Coach, a Chicago-based bus manufacturer, forming the GM Truck and Coach Division. Sleeper Cab. But, theyre almost all sitting in the weeds, done forever. Starting in 1980, the company offered the GMC TopKick. Interesting hearing about truck models from the mechanics perspective. 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. This truck is very rare as we are finding out. Turned out, he wasnt. The black caboose is one that is used for a single person and the red caboose is used for a couple of people. 94, with LT1 power, velour seating, and a trunk rack. The only parts in stock were routine maintainence and some high wear items. Did find the high-res original of that pic, but alas, no GPS information or other pictures for context. MN. 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. Great guy I understand hes still working on peddle-boat designs somewhere. Throughout the entire production run, the trucks were assembled in Pontiac, Michigan by the Pontiac Central Assembly facility. The Kenworth cabover, better known as the bull nose, was built with comfort and driver safety in mind. the standards the H series set, yet be more streamlined and beyond. But as you can imagine, by this time there wasnt much left of them. They were indeed good-looking trucks. The big windshields and door glass gave a full view of the road. Cabover trucks werent particularly comfortable, back in the early years. During WWII, GM supplied the US Army with more than 600,000 GMC trucks. My good friend and photography mentor loves them.

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