Left Hand Drive. Perhaps even these Jeeps were big trucks in a past life. 1 of 11 ever made by General Motors. It was like driving a bus! -If you have any, please send them to me, They were OK trucks in their day, not bad to work on generally. Interesting hearing about truck models from the mechanics perspective. 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. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. Can anyone tell me where this picture was taken. 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. 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. But, theyre almost all sitting in the weeds, done forever. In 1943, General Motors absorbed Yellow Coach, a Chicago-based bus manufacturer, forming the GM Truck and Coach Division. Hes the one that hired me. Im very familiar with both the Astro and the Transtar. In addition to the regular cab, a sleeper cab was available as an option. I read somewhere that Larry Shinoda had a hand in designing the Astro 95. Loved it when trucks had real character. USED - Door side vent, Does not include interior trim, Needs seal, Cab over. Every downturn claims some, Boats and RVs are big discrentionary extras subject to consumer confidence. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. However, Ive noticed a resurgence of interest in cabover trucks recently. The truck had plenty of power and did a good job on the New England highways that I drove on. Cabover interiors are always black and have that kind of chrome finish that makes them look menacing and slightly menacing. And their parts guys knew the product a lot better. model in the middle of 1949. They were great for maneuvering in tight spots, but not so great to live in for long time periods for over the road trucking. Its interesting to hear about what happens to these manufacturing companies when they close. Drivers had to be careful of foot placement, or else theyd end up falling on the ground! custom built, and that GMC had been experiencing slightly slumping sales during Please email mewith questions and comments! This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. This included special paint, a larger chromed front 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. 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. Gmc ASTRO Cab, Misc. Great guy I understand hes still working on peddle-boat designs somewhere. However, the conventional long hood vehicle still fairs better in an accident. They are very similar at a glance. Its the only one of the three weve seen that has a black, red, and blue interior. The base engine was the Detroit Diesel 6-71N, with the Detroit 8V71 and Cummins N-Series diesel engines as options. The ultimate custom truck show and big rig event schedule for U.S. and Canada. They have that in common with a great many other big trucks. Following the launch of the cabover product line in 1969, the GMC Astro quickly exceeded the Chevrolet Titan in sales and market share. 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. (c) 2000, Evan McCausland. Production ran from 1969 until late 1987, when GM merged their heavy truck operation with Volvo/White the Astro 95 was replaced by the Volvo version of the White Road Commander II, probably a step backward. What can I do, I have diesel in my veins and Detroits in my heart. Cabovers had great visibility and they had the look of highway trucks, due to their sheer height. I can remember seeing many of the Astro tractors around until Kroger closed the Fort Wayne Indiana Distribution warehouse. When I was bob tailing, and would hit a bump, Id have a new dent in the headliner. There are a few reasons this might happen: To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page. Generals were actually a pretty good truck, at least competitive with the Transtar 4200/4300 and better than the various Loiusvilles from Ford. 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. 15,875 views May 7, 2017 158 Dislike Share Hunzolee 1.37K subscribers 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab at. Complete details for 1900 GMC ASTRO 95 For Sale In Boonsboro, . My Grandpa and my Dad owned several of them. The new model featured better visibility and improved driver ergonomics. When the truck manufacturers decided to increase driver comfort in these trucks, their price increased as well. Cab is up in the air, a crack noise followed by some crunching sounds. Another controversial feature of it was Theirs was an Astro 95, of course; a 1978, if I recall. Buyer's premium included in price USD $458. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. Class 8 cabover highway trucks are still manufactured at a plant in North Carolina. Every once in awhile Ill see one sitting on a back lot. Resale on these still seems to be excellent! 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 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. They had great visibility though. Cab won't release to tilt. It did the job but no one ever confused it with a Peterbilt or a Kenworth. The truck only racked up 85,000 miles in that entire time and the engine only has 2,500 hours on it. The simple fact that these big rigs didnt have a hood, created better visibility for the driver. 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. The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. I believe that a gas turbine was optional in limited quantities, yet time. Tires are good. 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. He later ran an early 90s GMC Brig as his assigned tractor for Yellow Freight before retirement. What was always fun was tilting any of these cabovers to there full tilt range. Gmc Astro Cabover Trucks For Sale Become a Partner 1995 Oshkosh Refrigerated Van Price : CALL Has Airconditioning, Steel Wheels, 225/70R/19.5 Tires Carrier Ultima Reefer This is a Cream Of Weber milk Van Rear length 14' Width 6'6" Door Width 3' Swing door 190 HP Diesel Engine 3-speed Automatic 6-cyclinder Turbo Salt Lake Salt Lake City The engine dog house was shaped with a wide slot that allowed the driver to look down to the little window and see the blind spot on the right side. 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. Owned by Ryan Wichtner, FL. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. It took a while for me to warm up to that oneI thought it was tacky when I first saw it, but apparently the secretaries got a kick out of watching peoples reactions. Could be theres more badges these wore. Never tripped across one that didnt rattle! The GMC Astro was offered in single or double rear axle configurations. There are distinct niches in the trucking industry where trucker pay is above the average wages paid. I love the old KW100E. 8 model, until 1959, when the all-new H model was introduced. Upgrades to the truck's suspension improved its handling and ride, as well. Mine was a great truck, simple and reliable. Dents and rust throughout, interior dirty and worn. Learn how your comment data is processed. Please email This meant that there were less gauges on the wraparound part than It used a single hyd cylinder on the right hand side of the frame. 1985 Cabover Kenworth, K100 This Aerodyne model of COE, was one of the best looking of the cabovers. No; the Astro was unique to GMC and Chevrolet (Titan). You mean this one Bryce ? In 1986, Volvo AB entered into a joint venture with General Motors in heavy-truck production, with Volvo taking an 85% stake. 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. - YouTube 0:00 / 0:53 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. Not running. Vehicle runs, drives, stops. Guess which one I was most interested in? For a typical dealership, this meant dedicating profitable space that would have otherwise gone to selling passenger cars. Given the design and material information I hung onto from earlier, I expect to be able to finish their construction fairly easily. Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. Model. Downtime means lost income. Didnt most of these Astro / Titan trucks use Detroit Diesel power? 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. [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. Description. 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. I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. 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. All were late 70s vintage cabovers with sleepers and rooftop air deflectors, painted white, with the obligatorylogo on the door. But somewhere down the line (perhaps in the early eighties) they acquired another line of business: building pontoon boats. So the length issue wasnt so important anymore. Expanding the product line to the Chevrolet brand, the replacement for the GMC Crackerbox sought to expand interior space, visibility, and driver ergonomics. We have large over head hoists and we can slip a second trolley hoist onto the beam from the next hoist over. with Rudkin-Wiley Airshield. TGH928V900010. Werent the other two trucks Internationals? The cabovers black interior is also the most unique. Mainly, they were These are gold nuggets for the new truck drivers! As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. 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. International Cabover A 1974 model, powered by Cummins 400, 13 speed transmission, owned by Mark Johnson. Just like this big Bedford and the Astro. I was only supposed to keep the Titan until the Astro was fixed but I couldnt go back to that noisy sweat box now. The Astro 95 had superior driver visibility. Want to learn the language of the truck driver? 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. 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. But, unfortunately, its also the one big truck for which Im most starved for pictures. 1983 Freightliner COE Rig This gorgeous rig was on display at the Clifford Truck Show. The old semi-cabover A series was replaced by the all-new H $20? 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. Heres the (much older and smaller) Bedford TK: The cabover interiors are usually made with a black finish that makes them look like they have some kind of black paint on them. Cochran Auctioneers & Associates LTD Boonsboro, Maryland 21713 Phone: (301) 739-0538 Email Seller Video Chat 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. We/I cant go anywhere without people coming out with cameras and cell phones to take pictures of my truck. I could have sworn I took several of the truck Ill be attempting to feature below, but for some reason I am unable to find them. Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Yugo When Was The Last Time You Saw One? The neighbor has one Brigadier- a 1979 thats on its last legs. What a mess. trucks or the Turbo Titan III program, please 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. Jun 7, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by Lieutenant 107. 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. Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. "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. 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. The driver would be the first guy at the scene of a head on accident. By the time you had everything jacked up and secured you could barely work the transmission out of the narrow frame rails. After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access to the site again. #3 was under the cowl and the piston/liner assembly would only just clear. I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. COEs have been the standard in Europe since many decades, a conventional truck is rare. 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).

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