There are folks who thought the Astro was a rip off of a Mack design from the early 60s. Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. the standards the H series set, yet be more streamlined and beyond. 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. I know the mechanics at the garbage company in Truckee/N. The Great Lakes Truck Club hosts the Clifford Truck Show, featuring a hot line-up of cabovers, Macks and older model rigs. Theybring back good memories from the past from the days when theindustry paid truckers what they were worth and the professional driver was respected by the public. The next year I was put in a brand new leased 1979 GMC General. Today, you can still find a fair amount
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 This truck was tight, the Cummins was purrfectly quiet and smooth and I was liking that. But as you can imagine, by this time there wasnt much left of them. Here we have a 1983 GMC Astro. Many RVs even up to today use the same glass. In addition to the regular cab, a sleeper cab was available as an option. (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. A walk-in version was added in 1985. Cabover interiors are always black and have that kind of chrome finish that makes them look menacing and slightly menacing. In fact they were as cold as hell! "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. All Rights Reserved. When he used to be their mechanic, he claimed that they were always in the shop for something. 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. These continued to remain as GMC's main class
convenince and comfort, and safety for operators. These Astro cabs had (exterior) styling far ahead of their time, especially the ones with the smaller grille. 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. Despite everyones best efforts, the business finally went under in 2013. My extended family has owned and used that exact model of paddleboat on various lakes in Minnesota for close to four decades. He told me he took out over $2500 in bronze copper and aluminum shavings. At the time I was trying to obscure the trucks location to prevent unwelcome tourists (as I commonly did with any roadside pics). Super-detailed engine, chassis and interior; CB radio and dual antennas; Astro . In 1987, GM ended the production of the GMC General. It seemed certain that these once-proud rigs would be fed to the crusher soon. 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. Visit our site at any time to acquire GMC semi truck accessories and parts needed for your restoration or upgrade project. The only parts in stock were routine maintainence and some high wear items. Safety. 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. I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. The cabooses are all designed with different colors, textures, and materials. [1] In 1977, the Cummins KT450 and Caterpillar 3406 became options; the larger engines required the addition of a larger radiator. Needless to say, everyone there knew their products VERY well. My Red and White Astro 95 being an older truck was pretty well broken in and she was hot (A/C permanently broke) and noisy to be in 10 to 12 or more hours a day. 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. MN. the Astro was now dead. I noticed and like the 92 Dark Cherry Metallic Chevy Caprice in the background of the third picture from the bottom. Its a FACTORY double bunk. This was also used in the prototype
Single rear axle. A practical guide to paid CDL training programs. But every end is merely a new beginning. Its great to know so many truckers still appreciate these trucks. The Titan had a 290 Cummins and 10 speed Roadranger and the A/C worked! It
Clifford, ON, comes alive on the Canada Day long weekend. I dont recall who won it, but I do remember that they paid $300 for the privilege. 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. These are gold nuggets for the new truck drivers! I may well have been the only guy in the Yellow Pages who knew what they meant by thickwire.. I thought the truck fit me perfectly and I became a part of it whenever we were on the road. I love the old KW100E. What can I do, I have diesel in my veins and Detroits in my heart. In stark contrast to the boxy Crackerbox, the exterior of the Astro/Titan featured rounded body corners and wraparound windshield glass. 1983 Freightliner COE Rig This gorgeous rig was on display at the Clifford Truck Show. so has very low miles. Truck had more than a few dents! i have being looking for a astro or titan would you be interested in selling one. with Rudkin-Wiley Airshield. And when I came on in 2006, things werent looking pretty. The cabover interior is unique because it is the only one that has a caboose. 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. All rights reserved. I would bet my paycheck that the truck and trailer were originally owner by Old Dutch Potato Chip Company. Postal Code: 7 LOT #: 10062 Save 1986 GMC ASTRO Sleeper Trucks Buyer's premium included in price USD $120.00 GMC COE single axle. Hes the one that hired me. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in it's day. there is no reaching into the sleeper to grab something, when sitting in the drivers seat! 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. Not a bad days work. In 1981, General Motors ended sales of heavy trucks by the Chevrolet Division, leading to the cancellation of the Chevrolet Bruin, Bison, and Titan. In 1976, another 9 of length was allowed, for a maximum 75 allowance. Plus, I turned out to be a convenient source of labor for creating the coming years catalog, since their marketing department was no more by that time. 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. 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. A major factor leading to the cancellation was lack of support for heavy-duty trucks by Chevrolet dealers. 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. 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. Call or email for more information. Comfort. 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. The base engine was the Detroit Diesel 6-71N, with the Detroit 8V71 and Cummins N-Series diesel engines as options. (USED) GMC ASTRO DOOR SIDE VENT, DOES NOT INCLUDE INTERIOR TRIM, NEEDS SEAL, CAB OVER $242 USD Located in Spencer, IA, US Email Seller (855) 370-___ Seller Information Vander Haag's Inc. 3809 4th Ave W Spencer, IA 51301-2082 United States Get Directions View all Inventory (154948) Get Shipping Quotes Save Price Alert Send to a Friend Print Listing 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. It was a family business dad, son, and grandson could all be found down the same hallway. 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. There was no coming back after that. 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. Thanks for the history of the company. Another future COAL . 1950s. Nothing else you could do there anyway. The GMC Astro 95 was introduced
Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. Luckily the shop we are in was originally a heavy equipment shop. To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. Learn how your comment data is processed. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. It is a full size cab with a single axel. 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? Any way it was big. when the cab was tipped, anything and everything in the truck and sleeper berth that wasnt glued down, would fall onto the windshield of the truck! In 1930, another GMC truck made a similar journey from New York to San Francisco in just 5 days. Its the only one of the three weve seen that has a black, red, and blue interior. trucks or the Turbo Titan III program, please
However, the conventional long hood vehicle still fairs better in an accident. But never when I have my camera with me. 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. Distinguished by its boxy appearance, it earned the nickname "Crackerbox. Its a working truck, too! Im very familiar with TK Bedfords I drove them years ago. Shopping with us, you get parts and accessories that work hard just like you, built tough just like your vehicle. However, Ive noticed a resurgence of interest in cabover trucks recently. Since the length laws have changed so much to allow longer units on the roads, there are no longer the same advantages to this style of truck. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. Werent the other two trucks Internationals? Three of the sixteen-footers were completed and used for testing and promotions; this catalog picture depicts the very same boat seen above, only twenty-two years earlier. It used a single hyd cylinder on the right hand side of the frame. Of the three trucks in the fleet, there were two Internationals and one GMC. You mean this one Bryce ? We like the way they roll. 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. A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. 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. Even the old freight shaker cabovers! (Bedford being a GM division.). Previews will consist of visual inspection, and vehicle can be started. Model. Ive spent my whole life in the marine industry and its amazing that I still find new boat companies all the time. I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. Somewhere on the back roads near Pine City, MN, as I recall cant give more detail than that without actually retracing my steps. Also, by the end of the 1970s, Astro's dashboard had been slightly
If I remember I bought it for only $2000 and was used just as a yard truck. I happened to be at the yard a few days later, and saw the big old GMC roll in on a lowboy trailer. [2] Along with single or tandem axle configurations, the GMC Crackerbox was available with a sleeper cab. They were mostly Astros, these older small-grille versions, in dark blue. Visibility was not very good and made life tough in some of the tight spots in the old cities and towns I delivered to. Its powered by an NTC 400 Cummins, 15 speed, 433 ratio with dual air breathers. It was like driving a bus! . There was also the memorable wrap-around dashboard, all decked out in woodgrain. before, and some were cut as cost-savings. This truck is very rare as we are finding out. The truck was still in warranty, the service rep didnt want to replace all the parts we planned on replacing. In the late 1960s, as American truck manufacturers introduced updated designs for cabover trucks, design work began on an all-new Class 8 cabover. I vaguely recall it being at/near a T intersection. Since 1966, General Motors has been manufacturing a line of buses based on a traditional cowled chassis. Perhaps even these Jeeps were big trucks in a past life. Related > Classic TrucksFrom the Golden Years of Trucking. He ran one as an O/O for a few years in the mid 1970s and then again as a company driver for Thrifty-Payless Drug stores in the early-mid 80s. At SMART TRUCKING, were also avid fans of the cabover truck. 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. Is this the same model International Transtar? All were late 70s vintage cabovers with sleepers and rooftop air deflectors, painted white, with the obligatorylogo on the door. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. The cabover interiors caboose is a unique design concept that is made possible by the fact that it has black and red interiors. The early COE trucks were also very cold, as they werent well insulated. Radhe also tries different gadgets every now and then to give their reviews online. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. For a typical dealership, this meant dedicating profitable space that would have otherwise gone to selling passenger cars. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE . Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. 1982 Marmon COE A 110P, with the rare option of a V-grill and V-bumper, which is known as the VIP package. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. The ultimate custom truck show and big rig event schedule for U.S. and Canada. We have large over head hoists and we can slip a second trolley hoist onto the beam from the next hoist over. Here are some comments sent in from truckers. economy. Please email
- YouTube 0:00 / 0:53 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. USD $3,300 . Nothing on earth sounds as good to me as a screamin Jimmy Diesel. In 1943, General Motors absorbed Yellow Coach, a Chicago-based bus manufacturer, forming the GM Truck and Coach Division. 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. The shortened wheelbase allows for this tight turning radius. Orders went through Ma Bell. The Astro offered many improvements over the "Crackerbox" trucks. 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. Manytruckers complained that the ride was pretty rough, mostly due to the shortened wheelbase. ASTRO 95. IHC dealers usually at least understood that an out-of-service truck meant someone wasnt making their wages. It was easy for the younger drivers, but not quite so easy for the older truckers! Your commercial medium- or heavy-duty truck needs to be in perfect working condition to be able to make money. I might have even worked on this one. Sometimes you needed a prybar to get the rear cab mounts back into there saddles. Vehicle runs, drives, stops. To make matters worse this truck was built without power steering! Cabovers had great visibility and they had the look of highway trucks, due to their sheer height. 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. I still think about those days and whenever I see a picture of an Astro 95/ Chevy Titan 90 I know first hand they were one of the best designed and nicest looking trucks on the road. Buyer's premium included in price USD $458. When backing in to loading docks and winding through heavy traffic, nothing can compare with a cabover truck! 1978 GMC Astro 95
On various occasions, I walked in to find the President working a welder and the VP forming sheets of aluminum ahead of him! And so it went. A few words about their personal connection and memories of cabovers. $20? 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.". As of current production, GM has not marketed another Class 8 cabover truck (as the configuration has effectively ended production in North America). Chevy Turbo Titan III. The one weak area for the Astro was the cab tilt mechanics. was a radical departure for GMC-it was completely cab-over engine, and
I love my truck and it will be around for a long time to come. We have everything you need to maintain your GMC in top condition to avoid truck breakdowns and get it operating properly again. And 35 years ago no computerized support systems. 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. For more information on the last new
There are fewer blind spots too. Manufacturer. Ive got several more for later on in the week, but hey why not start with the biggest? Every once in awhile Ill see one sitting on a back lot. 8 model, until 1959, when the all-new H model was introduced. The truck had plenty of power and did a good job on the New England highways that I drove on. But, theyre almost all sitting in the weeds, done forever. I drove one in 71 for two years, with a V12 Detroit engine. Loved it when trucks had real character. Who knows? [1], In a major change from precedent, when introduced in 1969, the Astro/Titan were marketed exclusively with diesel engines.