Here are some comments sent in from truckers. 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. time. It seems like there must be hundreds of RV, boat, etc manufacturers that have shuttered or consolidated in the past 2 decades. Maneuverability. before, and some were cut as cost-savings. The International was brand new when I got it 1978, had a 290 Cummins and 10 speed Roadranger transmission. However, the conventional long hood vehicle still fairs better in an accident. 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. (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. The auction would be my first, last, and only opportunity to snag one for myself. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_TK. Maneuvering a big trailer was a real workout. Comfort. Of the seven, five were sixteen feet long, and two were seventeen feet. The white cabooses weve seen are made of metal. Under the joint venture, GMC trucks were phased out in favor of White-designed Volvo GM products. It wasnt exactly a dignified end for such a long-lived piece of machinery. 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. Jun 7, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by Lieutenant 107. The overall length of truck and trailer, back then, could only be a maximum of 65, from 1956 to 1976. I got a blue Chevy Titan 90 replacement while big red was in the shop. Additional information is available in this. Related > Classic TrucksFrom the Golden Years of Trucking. They also all open in a certain way (although they differ in this area). Aahhhh yes, I spent many a day in these. Sleeper Cab. When I worked at Peterbilt in the late 70s to early 80s, we definitely paid attention to some of the features of the Astro as well as Ford CL9000, especially the cab air suspension of the latter. If anyone out there knows of others or information on this truck please contact us. 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. It Another controversial feature of it was You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. I have a 1983 GMC Astro cabover I had for a few years and slowly fixing it up when I have time to. Much different then cars boats are still a little bit in the wild west of manufacturing. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. 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 1987, GM ended the production of the GMC General. That picture is pretty much a more modern version of what they were running. Near the end of its run, Astro buyers had the option of several Detroit, Caterpillar and Cummins Diesel engines. I also have a soft spot for the Astro along with the Brigadeir and General. 1950s. Just like this big Bedford and the Astro. of these honorable trucks on the road today. The cabover truck design is outdated for the North American highway infrastructure. 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. Just love the old school classics. #3 was under the cowl and the piston/liner assembly would only just clear. For this reason, they are still popular in Europe, where the roadways are generally narrower, with tight clearances, and even more congested than in North America. Cabover interiors are all essentially the same but they all have a few differences. But the pontoon-hauler wasnt quite as fancy as this one. $4,000.00 1979 GMC Astro cabover semi tractor Detroit 892v 13 speed 54,276 actual mileage 2,324 hours Starts and runs great. 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 had a friend who was renting shop space in a building next to a marine machine shop. sides of the truck. It also has a black, white, and red interior. 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. The Astro 95 had superior driver visibility. Thanks for the pics of the Astro interior, forgot how nice the dash was. Im very familiar with both the Astro and the Transtar. 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. 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. In 1977, GM started producing the GMC General, its largest conventional-cab semi truck powered by a diesel engine. The Great Lakes Truck Club hosts the Clifford Truck Show, featuring a hot line-up of cabovers, Macks and older model rigs. 800,000 miles, and a rebuild. All Rights Reserved. With that in mind, we have gathered high-quality GMC parts and accessories that work the first time, every time. He told me he took out over $2500 in bronze copper and aluminum shavings. The GMC Astro was offered in single or double rear axle configurations. 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. They are also becoming wildly popular at truck shows. The blue cabooses have interiors that are usually made of plastic. All were late 70s vintage cabovers with sleepers and rooftop air deflectors, painted white, with the obligatorylogo on the door. I liked the little window in the passenger door. 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. COEs have been the standard in Europe since many decades, a conventional truck is rare. 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. The driver would be the first guy at the scene of a head on accident. [1] In an option that became standard a year later, in 1979, GMC and Chevrolet offered the SS (Special Series) package. -If you have any, please send them to me, This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. . At SMART TRUCKING, were also avid fans of the cabover truck. Picture of my Titan 90 north of Portland Maine 1979. Luckily the shop we are in was originally a heavy equipment shop. Also in common with GM products of the day Astros didnt age well, particularly inside the cab. They were indeed good-looking trucks. 1 of 11 ever made by General Motors. i have being looking for a astro or titan would you be interested in selling one. Astro featured many things that made it popular and innovative at the 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. Every time I see one of these old Astros, I think of Food Lion supermarkets fleet back in the 80s. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE Sold By: J.G. "Crackerbox" by operators and fans. I am partial to the old 2 stroke Detroits. . My Dad drove so many of these, his knees still rattle and shake! Cabover interiors are always black and have that kind of chrome finish that makes them look menacing and slightly menacing. 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. Cabover interiors use a different system from other car interiors in the same way that a car interior uses a different system. Its grainy and basically useless, but unless I find the others, that may well be all that remains of these rigs. We had a fair number of Brigadiers with 6-71s in them, not nice to work on. The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. Add To Cart. Thanks for visiting my page! We have everything you need to maintain your GMC in top condition to avoid truck breakdowns and get it operating properly again. When backing in to loading docks and winding through heavy traffic, nothing can compare with a cabover truck! This went on after the HD line was sold off. The plastic type is often found in the back of a truck, but it can be found in a few other areas as well. This was also used in the prototype And so came the companys latest investment, circa 1987: a fleet of new-to-them tractors with brand-new trailers. Apparently, many was the visitor who attempted to dip their fingers into it! By the time you had everything jacked up and secured you could barely work the transmission out of the narrow frame rails. Here we have a 1983 GMC Astro. The Only Old School Cabover Truck Guide Youll Ever Need, Old School Cabover Truck Photo Collection, The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER, What It Was Like to Drive the Older Model Rigs, Trucker Culture and Professionalism A Salute to the Professionals That Move Us, 1980 International Transtar Eagle Model Review, The Peterbilt Cabover Truck Photo Collection, The 5 Best Semi Trucks of All Times A Trip Down Memory Lane. There was no coming back after that. Condition. 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. I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. 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. As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. Anyway, I drove one when I was 12 years old around the lot, and I will never forget that dashboard of that windshield, or how sharp of a turn it could make. Out here, the farmers still run Brigadiers, Generals, and Ford Louisvilles. We cooperate with some of the industry-leading names that use only premium materials and cutting-edge technologies in the manufacturing of their products. 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. They are truly special trucks, and I think were going to see many more of them on the road, as truckers restore them to drive, to relive some of the past. 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. 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 funky hitch is called a stinger and its usually used on car haulers. $182.00 . These rigs were once quite commonly seen rolling down the highways. Drivers didnt worry about head on collisions. 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. Old Dutch plant located in Minneapolis. The truck was still in warranty, the service rep didnt want to replace all the parts we planned on replacing. The cabover is made of metal and the interior is black. 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. The trucks, however, were not so lucky. To make matters worse this truck was built without power steering! They had great visibility though. 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. Tires are good. Enjoy our hassle-free online checkout or call to speak to an expert. You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser. 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 When the truck manufacturers decided to increase driver comfort in these trucks, their price increased as well. 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. William C. Durant established General Motors (GM) as the holding company for Buick on September 16, 1908. was a radical departure for GMC-it was completely cab-over engine, and [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]. Dents and rust throughout, interior dirty and worn. Generals were actually a pretty good truck, at least competitive with the Transtar 4200/4300 and better than the various Loiusvilles from Ford. Your email address will not be published. The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. He believes that Content and Social Media Marketing are the strongest forms of marketing nowadays. We had to do allot of work to use it in the state of California. The truck had plenty of power and did a good job on the New England highways that I drove on. I cant say I have a soft spot for Brigadiers. But given their neglected state, it also seems likely that their service lives have come to a close. 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. Thanks for the history of the company. With their squared-off styling and strange proportions, GMC's aluminum cabover trucks of 1959-68 quickly earned the nickname "Crackerbox.". They were OK trucks in their day, not bad to work on generally. And so it went. (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. Perhaps even these Jeeps were big trucks in a past life. They are also typically found on the rear of a car, but they can be found in other areas. Id give anything to have one now. GMC. These continued to remain as GMC's main class Heres a few pics of its predecessors. 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. 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!! That was all there was to drive at one time. Throughout the entire production run, the trucks were assembled in Pontiac, Michigan by the Pontiac Central Assembly facility. The ultimate custom truck show and big rig event schedule for U.S. and Canada. The shortened wheelbase allows for this tight turning radius. But every end is merely a new beginning. Drove them back in 88 when I started driving with Schneider National. Lots of stuff that rattled, fell off or quit working way too early. And their parts guys knew the product a lot better. Numbers 1 and 2 could be done from the engine compartment. I would bet my paycheck that the truck and trailer were originally owner by Old Dutch Potato Chip Company. They were once very common, particularly in fleet service. Want to learn the language of the truck driver? 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. Body Parts Cab Interior Engine Components Transmission Components Suspension Components Electrical Components Vehicles . 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. Special Series. One legacy of the Astro is the windshields. Werent the other two trucks Internationals? The sleeper provided ample room and comfort, and air conditioning 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. 1985 Kenworth Cabover, K-100 Kenworth release the first of their cabovers, in 1955. Ive got several more for later on in the week, but hey why not start with the biggest? Box Truck - Straight Truck,Cabover Truck - COE Trucks For Sale in Provo, UT: 38 Box Truck - Straight Truck,Cabover Truck - COE Trucks Near You - Find Box Truck - Straight Truck,Cabover Truck - COE Trucks on Commercial Truck Trader. Hes the one that hired me. But, theyre almost all sitting in the weeds, done forever. None were roadworthy, only one was able to be started, and perhaps worst of all, no titles could be produced for any of them. After its discontinuation, GM exited the heavy-duty truck market. Drivers had to be careful of foot placement, or else theyd end up falling on the ground! You wanted to be sure you had your pants on when you rolled out of the sleeper! My extended family has owned and used that exact model of paddleboat on various lakes in Minnesota for close to four decades. Wild dashboard, what a shame that there isnt really any use for these old beasts once they get on in years . It doesnt have the sunshade, but otherwise it is a dead ringer. You mean this one Bryce ? Even the old freight shaker cabovers! I read somewhere that Larry Shinoda had a hand in designing the Astro 95. The Freightliners could be as cold as the Arctic, even with the heaters on full! 4 head lights and double bumpers. But now a sighting of a working cabover truck on the road is more rare. Some truckers wore full length snowmobile suits in them, just to stay warm! model in the middle of 1949. The cabover is one of the most unique interiors weve found. They look like something out of the 90s rather than the 60s. The total length of the cab was a mere 48 . 8 model, until 1959, when the all-new H model was introduced. Chevy Turbo Titan III. Mine was a great truck, simple and reliable. Its a working truck, too! One of my most exciting or tense days involved a White Road Commander. Heck, it reminds me of the good old days when there were way less laws and regs. Class 8 cabover highway trucks are still manufactured at a plant in North Carolina. Gmc astro Sleeper on HeavyTruckParts.Net. Yes! Today, you can still find a fair amount This 1974 model was one of the last trucks to travel down the assembly line before the company went bankrupt in late 1974.