was loved by owners and operators alike. 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. To ensure long and trouble-free service life of your rig, use only high-quality GMC semi truck parts and accessories offered in our online store. 8 model, until 1959, when the all-new H model was introduced. Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. I am trying to see if by some chance this trailer is still in existence. Following the launch of the cabover product line in 1969, the GMC Astro quickly exceeded the Chevrolet Titan in sales and market share. Cabover trucks werent particularly comfortable, back in the early years. 94, with LT1 power, velour seating, and a trunk rack. One could update the grille and headlights and the Astro 2.0 wouldnt look out of place today in a lineup of new trucks on the dealer lot. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) Ive seen few to no Astros. 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. Most kids wanted to go to the beach, but my favourite thing was to head for a truck stop! Some of the time in a cabover International and the rest in an Astro 95 then a Chevy Titan 90. They were OK trucks in their day, not bad to work on generally. 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. Related > What It Was Like to Drive the Older Model Rigs. In addition to the regular cab, a sleeper cab was available as an option. The Sleeper Bunk. There was no coming back after that. Guess which one I was most interested in? [1] In 1983, the Aero Astro option package was released, largely as an effort to improve fuel economy. Starting in 1980, the company offered the GMC TopKick. Cab won't release to tilt. so has very low miles. Their heyday may have started in the mid 80s, but those boom years were fading away by the early 00s. MN. #3 was under the cowl and the piston/liner assembly would only just clear. They were quite safe if they were driven with respect. Id give anything to have one now. 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 owner has done a terrific job in restoring the unit to its original condition. Can anyone tell me where this picture was taken. It could go maybe 65 mph tops. No wonder they were called Freightshakers! [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. In 1909, GM purchased the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company founded by Max Grabowsky in 1901 that designed some of the first ever commercial vehicles. I can remember the day we got in a shipment of tools and manuals for the 91 Syclone. The driver would be the first guy at the scene of a head on accident. email me. 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. No other semi had that much glass, and the fact it went down so far gave the driver better vision of things real close, like someone in a crosswalk, but it freaked some drivers out at first because you do feel exposed compared to say a Kenworth or Peterbuilt Cab over of the time. In 1959, GMC introduced its Class 8 cabover trucks, replacing the previous "Cannonball" fixed-cab cabovers. 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. 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. Visit our site at any time to acquire GMC semi truck accessories and parts needed for your restoration or upgrade project. The Astro could be ordered with standard Detroit Diesel 6 or 8 The reason? They are also becoming wildly popular at truck shows. (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. It used a single hyd cylinder on the right hand side of the frame. From what I have seen, Broken lights and lenses throughout. 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. Cabover interiors use a different system from other car interiors in the same way that a car interior uses a different system. My Astro had an 8V71 Detroit and a 13 speed Roadranger. The sleeper seemed tight and on the same claustrophobic scale as the drivers side of the cab. A truly excellent truck! A cabover interior is a very useful tool in that it can make sure that the contents of the car is hidden to anyone who might be looking. In 1987, GM ended the production of the GMC General. Great guy I understand hes still working on peddle-boat designs somewhere. When it comes to clutter, some say its nothing more than postponed decisions. Instruction, clear advice, videos and photos for truck driver skills, maneuvers and information for all professional truck drivers. I knew a guy who worked in the service department at a Caterpillar dealer, and he said that some of his customers wouldnt hesitate to come right over his desk if they got the slightest inkling that he might be causing some delay in getting their equipment back into use. Get to know the CB lingo used by truckers, so you can get in on the conversation, cmon. 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. at the Hollywood Park Truck Show in Ingleside, CA in 1969. Maintenance and Repair A cabover is repaired by tilting the entire cab forward. The cabover truck is an icon. 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. The model was dubbed the GMC B-Series and stayed in production for three generations. They all share a few very obvious features that make them stand out, like a small seat in the middle that has a handle, a small door that is made of glass, and a small door that is made of plastic. Of the seven, five were sixteen feet long, and two were seventeen feet. Ford made a big cabover on air bag suspension that leaned in the corners and felt like it was going to tip over sideways when the driver climbed in or out. uplevel sound and CB systems. Additional information is available in this. They would haul trailer loads of potatoes in from Idaho with these rigs. . As of current production, GM has not marketed another Class 8 cabover truck (as the configuration has effectively ended production in North America). The only parts in stock were routine maintainence and some high wear items. NO Autocar will still sell you a new truck. The others weve seen feature yellow and blue interiors. And when I came on in 2006, things werent looking pretty. The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. Chevy Turbo Titan III. Its the only one of the three weve seen that has a black, red, and blue interior. But somewhere down the line (perhaps in the early eighties) they acquired another line of business: building pontoon boats. EnterpriseVander Haags Inc Sp Spencer IA. The Kenworths had dog houses big enough to sleep on. As far as I know this is a Bedford KM, the heavy-duty TK. 15,875 views May 7, 2017 158 Dislike Share Hunzolee 1.37K subscribers 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab at. An uncomplicated and clean design, thats what makes a design timeless. When I was bob tailing, and would hit a bump, Id have a new dent in the headliner. Interior. Clean, classy, and very GM. You can connect with him Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These two galsno idea who they aremade frequent appearances in company literature. None of this stuff is even broken in! Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. Still, it was a new truck and I was pretty happy with it. This is not one of them. I dont recall the politics of GMs medium and heavy duty truck sales but if you sold MD and HD you could order either Chevy or GMC or a mix of both. The first major update to the Astro was the Special Series trim As I recall they were much easier to deal with than most boat companies who prefer to use their dealers for all customer support. You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. But every end is merely a new beginning. Sleeper Type: CAB OVER: Part Info (877)238-5030 Request Info. Buyer's Premium . After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access to the site again. 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. Another controversial feature of it was This is a highly detailed restoration of the exterior and the interior. GMC Astro had a windshield that seemed to come down to knee level! I read somewhere that Larry Shinoda had a hand in designing the Astro 95. Since 1966, General Motors has been manufacturing a line of buses based on a traditional cowled chassis. One summer day I lost one of the rear ends coming in off the highway. You've disabled cookies in your web browser. I noticed and like the 92 Dark Cherry Metallic Chevy Caprice in the background of the third picture from the bottom. 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. A walk-in version was added in 1985. 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. 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. The sleeper provided ample room and comfort, and air conditioning They are all different shapes and sizes, and are also all designed to fit different people. Did find the high-res original of that pic, but alas, no GPS information or other pictures for context. Ive spent my whole life in the marine industry and its amazing that I still find new boat companies all the time. 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 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. Please email mewith questions and comments! See that guy at the helm, in the pink shirt? Downtime means lost income. On the sweeping floors it may be profitable. Having already acquired White Motor Company in 1980, the joint venture would do business as Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corporation, selling trucks under the combined WhiteGMC product badge. 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. And their parts guys knew the product a lot better. images may be used without permission except for personal viewing. Ive never run a General, but the Brigadiers dont seem to hold up nearly as well as the Fords. Unless some ambitious individual comes along, chances are their next trip out will be their last. This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. custom built, and that GMC had been experiencing slightly slumping sales during Some truckers wore full length snowmobile suits in them, just to stay warm! American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, Big Truck Outtake: GMC Astro 95 It Makes Me Want To Go Boating. The blue cabooses have interiors that are usually made of plastic. Also, by the end of the 1970s, Astro's dashboard had been slightly When the truck manufacturers decided to increase driver comfort in these trucks, their price increased as well. To make matters worse this truck was built without power steering! Gauges for the trailer air supply and pressure were It seems like there must be hundreds of RV, boat, etc manufacturers that have shuttered or consolidated in the past 2 decades. It was like driving a bus! I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. Right on about the crappy service with GMC dealers. My extended family has owned and used that exact model of paddleboat on various lakes in Minnesota for close to four decades. If every driver of EVERY vehicle on the road followed these safety tips, our roads would be SO much safer. The total length of the cab was a mere 48 . convenince and comfort, and safety for operators. Heres a few pics of its predecessors. I love the old KW100E. Its too bad they dont make them like that any more. Upgrades to the truck's suspension improved its handling and ride, as well. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. Astro featured many things that made it popular and innovative at the Six Easy Ways To Keep Your Truck Cab Organized On The Road. Thanks for the history of the company. They were also louder than long hood rigs, as the driver was sitting right above the engine! Highly inconvenient. The first 1,000,000 miles of my driving was in trucks like these. They were indeed good-looking trucks. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in it's day. It also has a black, white, and red interior. the Astro was now dead. In North America its the other way around. The cabover interiors are usually made with a black finish that makes them look like they have some kind of black paint on them. You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser. The largest cabover trucks ever produced by GM, the Astro was introduced for 1969, replacing the 1960-1968 GMC "Crackerbox" COEs. Isuzu Bedford might be the name down under, the blue one is very clearly a (Euro) Bedford TM. The Internationals were good solid trucks. In 1986, Volvo AB entered into a joint venture with General Motors in heavy-truck production, with Volvo taking an 85% stake. A major factor leading to the cancellation was lack of support for heavy-duty trucks by Chevrolet dealers. You wanted to be sure you had your pants on when you rolled out of the sleeper! In fact, this picture was used to create a cut-out on foamcore, which sat atop their reception desk when it was unstaffed. The truck had plenty of power and did a good job on the New England highways that I drove on. Its powered by an NTC 400 Cummins, 15 speed, 433 ratio with dual air breathers. However, there was a downside that accompanied this accessibility. The white cabooses have interiors that are usually made of glass. 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. Just love the old school classics. The base engine was the Detroit Diesel 6-71N, with the Detroit 8V71 and Cummins N-Series diesel engines as options. $4,000.00 1979 GMC Astro cabover semi tractor Detroit 892v 13 speed 54,276 actual mileage 2,324 hours Starts and runs great. I had wanted to grab the ice cream sundaeas a souvenir, too, but someone else beat me to it. But no more please, too uncomfortable. Placement of the truck cab over the motor saved some length. Didnt most of these Astro / Titan trucks use Detroit Diesel power? Your email address will not be published. [1] Although Detroit Diesel had developed a gas-turbine version of the GMC Astro in the early 1970s, fuel-economy concerns would keep it out of production. (Ever the penny-pinchers, they opted to apply the same logo stickers to the trucks as they did to their boats.). Theirs was an Astro 95, of course; a 1978, if I recall. To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. Any way it was big. Loved it when trucks had real character. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. Its grainy and basically useless, but unless I find the others, that may well be all that remains of these rigs. Near the end of its run, Astro buyers had the option of several Detroit, Caterpillar and Cummins Diesel engines. For more information on the last new It is a full size cab with a single axel. To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. Complete details for 1900 GMC ASTRO 95 For Sale In Boonsboro, . A popular model of truck, with COE fans, and with a following and some clubs across North America. But, unfortunately, its also the one big truck for which Im most starved for pictures. 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.
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