It also lacked most of the personalized touches this one hasno fancy clearance lights or custom paint jobs here! On the sweeping floors it may be profitable. The truck was still in warranty, the service rep didnt want to replace all the parts we planned on replacing. The white cabooses weve seen are made of metal. The simple fact that these big rigs didnt have a hood, created better visibility for the driver. A major factor leading to the cancellation was lack of support for heavy-duty trucks by Chevrolet dealers. Depending on when it was made its Road Expeditor II, an Autocar or a Western Star. Some models had quite large sleeper berths. time. Given the design and material information I hung onto from earlier, I expect to be able to finish their construction fairly easily. IHC dealers usually at least understood that an out-of-service truck meant someone wasnt making their wages. As the trucks aged the cab had a tendency to shift to the right as it lifted, older ones would snag the safety hook. As such, several other trucks will be standing in for it at various points. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. The best trucks ever. wide panoramic glass provided excellent vision to the front and the Related > Classic TrucksFrom the Golden Years of Trucking. Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. It seemed certain that these once-proud rigs would be fed to the crusher soon. They were quite popular, particularly with fleets. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In past years, it had been E.R.C.O.A., as in the Electric Reel Company Of America, maker of battery-powered fishing reels. Its a FACTORY double bunk. This truck was tight, the Cummins was purrfectly quiet and smooth and I was liking that. . We could only make about 59 mph but I was cool and comfortable as I cruised the highway. The white cabooses have interiors that are usually made of glass. Yes! Definitely a product of White Motor Company or one of its spin offs. My good friend and photography mentor loves them. Its design was cleaner and slicker than the Transtar. The GMC Astro and Chevrolet Titan are Class 8 cabover-engine (COE) trucks, sold in both single and tandem rear axle configurations. The extensive use or hauling heavy cargo takes its toll on the state of your vehicle, which means that sooner or later you will need some GMC semi truck accessories and parts. To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. During WWII, GM supplied the US Army with more than 600,000 GMC trucks. We have large over head hoists and we can slip a second trolley hoist onto the beam from the next hoist over. Of course, being a cabover it tilted forward for access to that huge Detroit Diesel mill. 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. Nine89-2five4-eight20eight Report Last Updated on: February 28, 2023 with 1979 GMC Astro Cabover - $4000 -If you have any, please send them to me, was loved by owners and operators alike. The Titan was a very rare bird even when new. Also seem to recall some connection with carnival equipment. We can order those things? sides of the truck. The only other cabovers weve seen have a black, red, and blue interior. My client roster once included a manufacturing firm called Ercoa. The Astro 95 had superior driver visibility. These are gold nuggets for the new truck drivers! Special Series. What can I do, I have diesel in my veins and Detroits in my heart. In 1986, General Motors created the VolvoGM joint venture with Volvo Trucks, leading to the discontinuation of the Astro in 1987. I would bet my paycheck that the truck and trailer were originally owner by Old Dutch Potato Chip Company. The wrap around dash was a natural because it sits on top of the engine. For more information on the last new 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. 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. GMC's Astro story originally begins in the early Alongside a 702 cubic-inch GMC V12 gasoline engine, the truck was available with the Detroit Diesel 6V71 and 8V71 engines. USD $1,018 . In 1909, GM purchased the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company founded by Max Grabowsky in 1901 that designed some of the first ever commercial vehicles. The cabover interiors are usually made with a black finish that makes them look like they have some kind of black paint on them. It's flush glass and smooth exterior surfaces The location makes sense. (Powerliner). The new model featured better visibility and improved driver ergonomics. The cabover truck design is outdated for the North American highway infrastructure. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in its day. Astro model, go see the. 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. before, and some were cut as cost-savings. They have that in common with a great many other big trucks. Its grainy and basically useless, but unless I find the others, that may well be all that remains of these rigs. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. Manual transmission with Hi-Lo. Can anyone tell me where this picture was taken. (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 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. 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. I am trying to see if by some chance this trailer is still in existence. One of my regrets is that I wasnt yet smart enough to try to figure out how to save my fathers old 1947 Autocar 10-wheeler dump truck from the scrap yard. Postal Code: 7 LOT #: 10062 Save 1986 GMC ASTRO Sleeper Trucks Buyer's premium included in price USD $120.00 GMC COE single axle. If every driver of EVERY vehicle on the road followed these safety tips, our roads would be SO much safer. This 1974 model was one of the last trucks to travel down the assembly line before the company went bankrupt in late 1974. 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. The old semi-cabover A series was replaced by the all-new H After a short stint as an OTR driver and still holding my Class A CDL Id like to find a worthy GMC truck just to drive to one of the big truck shows. It was easy for the younger drivers, but not quite so easy for the older truckers! The GMC Astro 95 (1969-1987) For more information on the last new Astro model, go see the Other Astro Pictures -If you have any, please send them to me, and they will be posted! I had a friend who was renting shop space in a building next to a marine machine shop. 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). (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. Just like this big Bedford and the Astro. You can read the full disclosure policy, which is pretty dull, but here it is. This merger formed the basis of the General Motors Truck Company giving the GMC brand name for their trucks. Since 1966, General Motors has been manufacturing a line of buses based on a traditional cowled chassis. They were also louder than long hood rigs, as the driver was sitting right above the engine! Chevy Turbo Titan III. The left front cab mount failed, the cab has swung around to the right some and landed on the motor. When the shop was sold and moved out of town his land lord offered him 300 bucks to clean out the space. The Astro 95 was the best-styled truck of its time, and one of the best ever. With that in mind, we have gathered high-quality GMC parts and accessories that work the first time, every time. The auction would be my first, last, and only opportunity to snag one for myself. Search our large inventory of New/Used GMC ASTRO Cab, Misc Parts for sale. Get to know the CB lingo used by truckers, so you can get in on the conversation, cmon. The Ercoa staff were good friendly folks. There were approximately seven built, all told; they were prototypes for a new line that never got off the ground. $4,000.00 1979 GMC Astro cabover semi tractor Detroit 892v 13 speed 54,276 actual mileage 2,324 hours Starts and runs great. Super trucks for local work, but not well suited for long haul trucking. It was the oldest design GMC had at the time, and still The next year I was put in a brand new leased 1979 GMC General. My Dad drove so many of these, his knees still rattle and shake! That was all there was to drive at one time. 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. 1982 Marmon COE A 110P, with the rare option of a V-grill and V-bumper, which is known as the VIP package. I still have a few anti-tamper ECM decals laying around somewhere. Gmc ASTRO Cab, Misc. There still seems to be a factory GM radio still installed in that rig, I always thought these had an interesting dash, semi wraparound, isolating the driver in the business section of the cockpit. 615. Radhe also tries different gadgets every now and then to give their reviews online. Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. Maneuvering a big trailer was a real workout. No operation of the . After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access to the site again. It was pretty tiring crawling in and out of it and having to lie down to get dressed! The sleeper provided ample room and comfort, and air conditioning awkward shapes, it did not receive good aerodynamic ratings, and cut fuel 800,000 miles, and a rebuild. rearranged. Owned by Ryan Wichtner, FL. As a mechanic, I spent a lot of time working on this style of truck. And so it was that I got my one and only surviving picture of the trucks at hand. There was no coming back after that. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. Browse the best December 2022 deals on Chevrolet Astro vehicles for sale in Provo, UT. The cabover truck is an icon. Maintenance and Repair A cabover is repaired by tilting the entire cab forward. To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. Lots of stuff that rattled, fell off or quit working way too early. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) I've seen few to no Astros. All Rights Reserved. The last GMC B-Series left the assembly line in 2003. Its Hall-Scott gas engine was still running well, but the truck just was too slow to be competitive in the late 1960s, and it was actually driven to its resting place in the woods at the local wrecking yard, where it sat for years before being scrapped. One summer day I lost one of the rear ends coming in off the highway. later dropped from the lineup. 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. They are all different shapes and sizes, and are also all designed to fit different people. All Rights Reserved. Drive Side. Theres something very nostalgic about seeing these rigs on the road today. They look like something out of the 90s rather than the 60s. 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. 1972 GMC Astro Cabover Truck - Walkaround Exterior Interior Tour - 2021 Clifford Truck Show TruckTube 3.9K views 8 months ago Cabover Peterbilt With Completely Full Trailer FSC Trucking. [2] Along with single or tandem axle configurations, the GMC Crackerbox was available with a sleeper cab. This model was designed to have a higher cab, bigger rad, and a larger engine, than its predecessor. time. Its a working truck, too! The one thing that cabover interiors are best known for is the way they can camouflage some of their interior panels. The GMC Astro and Chevrolet Titan are Class 8 cabover-engine (COE) trucks, sold in both single and tandem rear axle configurations. See that guy at the helm, in the pink shirt? 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. It Their heyday may have started in the mid 80s, but those boom years were fading away by the early 00s. Dealer service was the biggest issue with the GMC, not unlike any GM product of the day. Id suspect a lot of their business came from a few good dealers, and especially from operators of a small fleet of big rigs but a varied fleet of everything who would appreciate a one-stop shop where they could get heavy haulers to get the product out, pickups and vans for *their* service techs and sedans for the sales reps through one dealership and one contract. Too bad they were unable to weather the recession. 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 always wondered if the design of the original small grille on the Astro 95 was supposed to suggest an air intake rather than a radiator grille. They were once very common, particularly in fleet service. 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. 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. My son and I still drive this truck and trailer every week from San Diego California, to LA. That thing is so deliciously 80s. The owner has done a terrific job in restoring the unit to its original condition. I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. model in the middle of 1949. Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. 1976 GMC Astro day cab over semi, Big Cam 350 Cummins eng., 13 spd., 11R24.5, spring ride, sliding hitch, 711,344 miles, VIN TDC926V578511 - new batteries Carlisle, Iowa. Many RVs even up to today use the same glass. A collection of trucker tips from million milers and experienced drivers. 1974 Diamond Reo Cabover An early model of COE style rig American made. Not surprising, given that it came from GM, although its predecessor, the Crackerbox (attached) certainly couldnt have spent much time in the Design Center. Heres a few pics of its predecessors. These gems were a challenge to drive without power steering. I dont think Id ever consider trying to restore one. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. Updated: Sat, April 10, 2021 5:09 PM Get Shipping Quotes - (Opens in a new tab) Apply for Financing - (Opens in a new tab) No image. And 35 years ago no computerized support systems. The GMC Astro 95 was introduced And when I came on in 2006, things werent looking pretty. It is a medium-duty truck commonly used as a basis for dump trucks, cargo haulers, and other commercial or industrial purposes. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Vehicle runs, drives, stops. Easily find what you need from 2,312,977 parts available. grille, chromed accessories, deluxe interior levels fog lights, and The Astro/Titan design is so timeless I think they could be parked next to the newest trucks built today and not look out of place. NO Could be theres more badges these wore. Is this the same model International Transtar? A truly excellent truck! Here we have a 1983 GMC Astro. [1], In a major change from precedent, when introduced in 1969, the Astro/Titan were marketed exclusively with diesel engines. 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. When he used to be their mechanic, he claimed that they were always in the shop for something. Among their factory leftovers was a small group of V-bottom boats. The funky hitch is called a stinger and its usually used on car haulers. Single rear axle. 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. 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. Buyer's premium included in price USD $458. This is because they are usually made of steel, and they are also available in other materials, such as plastic. Instruction, clear advice, videos and photos for truck driver skills, maneuvers and information for all professional truck drivers. These continued to remain as GMC's main class 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 These trucks were as tough as nails! Please email White trailers with a big Food Lion graphic. We cooperate with some of the industry-leading names that use only premium materials and cutting-edge technologies in the manufacturing of their products. This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. But as you can imagine, by this time there wasnt much left of them. The total length of the cab was a mere 48 . All were late 70s vintage cabovers with sleepers and rooftop air deflectors, painted white, with the obligatorylogo on the door. The truck has a 3406 A model cat 13 spd GM air ride. "Crackerbox" by operators and fans. The neighbor has one Brigadier- a 1979 thats on its last legs. Cab Manufacturer: gmc Model: astro $2,000.00 1986 GMC ASTRO Cab Create Estimate Tag #: 25276546 VIN #: 1GDT9L4C5GV505534 *Brakes: AIR Engine: CUMMINS BCIII Type: SHELL Style: CABOVER SHELL CAB, COMPONENTS SOLD SEPARATE, ALLISON HT754CR Part Info (877)238-5030 Request Info Enterprise Vander Haags Inc Cb Council Bluffs IA $786.00 1983 GMC ASTRO Cab Clean, classy, and very GM. Truck had more than a few dents! 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. time were adopting. As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. An uncomplicated and clean design, thats what makes a design timeless.