Feed Body, model unknown cabover I sold off the shop manuals years ago on the internet. This retro truck style is rising to the surface once again for particular working applications. (c) 2000, Evan McCausland. 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. $20? These rigs are true classics for sure. And when I came on in 2006, things werent looking pretty. You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. Upgrades to the truck's suspension improved its handling and ride, as well. My Grandpa and my Dad owned several of them. My Dad drove so many of these, his knees still rattle and shake! "[1][2] Available in a 48-inch BBC (bumper to back of cab) length, the truck was produced with an all-aluminum fully tilting cab. They are also usually found on the back of a car, but they can be found in other areas as well. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE Sold By: J.G. The funky hitch is called a stinger and its usually used on car haulers. The first 1,000,000 miles of my driving was in trucks like these. The only other cabovers weve seen have a black, red, and blue interior. the styling-the highly boxy shape made it commonly referred to as the You could get Cummins and later the 3406 Cat, but the vast majority had 71 and 92 series Jimmys in them. Cab won't release to tilt. Its interior became much more spacious due to an optional sleeper cab. During WWII, GM supplied the US Army with more than 600,000 GMC trucks. Any way it was big. You see a LOT of dilapidated Fords smoking their way down the road, somehow still going. 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. It could go maybe 65 mph tops. For the paddleboat, of course. The Astro was also GMs swan song in the big-truck sector, and it never sold in the numbers needed to keep GM truly viable. There are folks who thought the Astro was a rip off of a Mack design from the early 60s. So they dumped their interests in such things as snowmobiles and recreational craft, going hard after that one market they felt was most lucrative. When backing in to loading docks and winding through heavy traffic, nothing can compare with a cabover truck! 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. 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. The sleeper was scaled like the cab and was roomy and comfortable. The largest cabover trucks ever produced by GM, the Astro was introduced for 1969, replacing the 1960-1968 GMC "Crackerbox" COEs. #3 was under the cowl and the piston/liner assembly would only just clear. Another future COAL . The Astro 95 is my first big truck of the week, and also the biggest truck in my files. The ultimate custom truck show and big rig event schedule for U.S. and Canada. trucks or the Turbo Titan III program, please They have a special look. This is a highly detailed restoration of the exterior and the interior. Nothing on earth sounds as good to me as a screamin Jimmy Diesel. 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. The GMC Astro was offered in single or double rear axle configurations. And their parts guys knew the product a lot better. 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. Its been stretched, and also has a tag axle. Apparently, many was the visitor who attempted to dip their fingers into it! I would bet my paycheck that the truck and trailer were originally owner by Old Dutch Potato Chip Company. As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. Just like this big Bedford and the Astro. 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. IHC dealers usually at least understood that an out-of-service truck meant someone wasnt making their wages. It was a family business dad, son, and grandson could all be found down the same hallway. Add To Cart. I had wanted to grab the ice cream sundaeas a souvenir, too, but someone else beat me to it. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in its day. My extended family has owned and used that exact model of paddleboat on various lakes in Minnesota for close to four decades. The interior is ruff, Dan is rebuilding the engine so as to keep it orignal. Planning to exit the medium-duty truck market, General Motors canceled the production in 2009. For over a century, GMC has been offering a wide range of commercial and military grade vehicles, as well as genuine auto parts. This is because they are usually made of steel, and they are also available in other materials, such as plastic. And so it went. (Powerliner). To make matters worse this truck was built without power steering! 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. 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. The cabover is one of the most unique interiors weve found. It's flush glass and smooth exterior surfaces The International was brand new when I got it 1978, had a 290 Cummins and 10 speed Roadranger transmission. Related > What It Was Like to Drive the Older Model Rigs. With that in mind, we have gathered high-quality GMC parts and accessories that work the first time, every time. You wanted to be sure you had your pants on when you rolled out of the sleeper! However, there was a downside that accompanied this accessibility. Heck, it reminds me of the good old days when there were way less laws and regs. 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 sleeper seemed tight and on the same claustrophobic scale as the drivers side of the cab. My first impression? They have that in common with a great many other big trucks. Gmc astro Sleeper on HeavyTruckParts.Net. In the late 1960s, as American truck manufacturers introduced updated designs for cabover trucks, design work began on an all-new Class 8 cabover. 1968 GMC ASTRO For Sale in Madison, Minnesota at TractorHouse.com. The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. the cab was made of aluminum. the past 3 years. The left front cab mount failed, the cab has swung around to the right some and landed on the motor. The early ones, like the red one at top, are better looking than the later ones. 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. No wonder they were called Freightshakers! Diesel (unable to determine engine model, but based on serial number would have a Detroit 8v71). 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. 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. The cabover style of truck took full advantage of the trucking industry length laws, in effect at the time. He believes that Content and Social Media Marketing are the strongest forms of marketing nowadays. Numbers 1 and 2 could be done from the engine compartment. And 35 years ago no computerized support systems. 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 early COE trucks were also very cold, as they werent well insulated. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) Ive seen few to no Astros. 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. Our goal is to support you and your business. However, Ive noticed a resurgence of interest in cabover trucks recently. A larger cab provided more interior space and greater comfort for the driver, and larger windows allowed for better driver visibility. with Rudkin-Wiley Airshield. In 1959, GMC introduced its Class 8 cabover trucks, replacing the previous "Cannonball" fixed-cab cabovers. 1995 Freightliner C.O.E. We have large over head hoists and we can slip a second trolley hoist onto the beam from the next hoist over. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. A wide range of engines, which could be easily modified for alternative fuels such as propane or compressed natural gas, made the model popular in the school bus and police bus industry. Buyer's Premium . Did find the high-res original of that pic, but alas, no GPS information or other pictures for context. It also lacked most of the personalized touches this one hasno fancy clearance lights or custom paint jobs here! Or perhaps some do-gooder finally threw it away. - YouTube 0:00 / 0:53 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. And run they did. Great truck and photo. Too bad they were unable to weather the recession. Wild dashboard, what a shame that there isnt really any use for these old beasts once they get on in years . I drove many 10s of thousands of miles in the late 70s. 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 truck has a 3406 A model cat 13 spd GM air ride. 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. Most kids wanted to go to the beach, but my favourite thing was to head for a truck stop! By the way nice buy on the boats. Manytruckers complained that the ride was pretty rough, mostly due to the shortened wheelbase. These rigs were once quite commonly seen rolling down the highways. USED - Door side vent, Does not include interior trim, Needs seal, Cab over. A few words about their personal connection and memories of cabovers. As far as I know this is a Bedford KM, the heavy-duty TK. It doesnt have the sunshade, but otherwise it is a dead ringer. One problem with the big windshield was visibility into the truck. Starting in 1980, the company offered the GMC TopKick. $182.00 . It had the red and white paint scheme but but was otherwise pretty plain, with cast spoke wheels and painted fuel tanks. GMC Astro had a windshield that seemed to come down to knee level! The simple fact that these big rigs didnt have a hood, created better visibility for the driver. When he used to be their mechanic, he claimed that they were always in the shop for something. 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. The truck and trailer were plainly visible from the road. Cab is up in the air, a crack noise followed by some crunching sounds. Didnt most of these Astro / Titan trucks use Detroit Diesel power? I liked the little window in the passenger door. The cabover truck is an icon. It was easy for the younger drivers, but not quite so easy for the older truckers! (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. metatron-nw.com 2023. The Titan was a very rare bird even when new. Of the three trucks in the fleet, there were two Internationals and one GMC. Drove these trucks for years. They were quite popular, particularly with fleets. In 1930, another GMC truck made a similar journey from New York to San Francisco in just 5 days. 1983 Freightliner COE Rig This gorgeous rig was on display at the Clifford Truck Show. What was always fun was tilting any of these cabovers to there full tilt range. The model was discontinued in 1987. Welcome to TruckTube!!! The dealer I worked at had a large rural customer base. Its great to know so many truckers still appreciate these trucks. upgrade. Truck had more than a few dents! Sleeper Type: CAB OVER: Part Info (877)238-5030 Request Info. He told me he took out over $2500 in bronze copper and aluminum shavings. 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. at the Hollywood Park Truck Show in Ingleside, CA in 1969. 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. Safety. Super-detailed engine, chassis and interior; CB radio and dual antennas; Astro . Thats actually not an Astro. 4 head lights and double bumpers. Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. (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 In 1943, General Motors absorbed Yellow Coach, a Chicago-based bus manufacturer, forming the GM Truck and Coach Division. Its grainy and basically useless, but unless I find the others, that may well be all that remains of these rigs. I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. They were indeed good-looking trucks. MN. Ive got several more for later on in the week, but hey why not start with the biggest? 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. Anytime the driver wants anything from the bunk, the process is the same. 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. custom built, and that GMC had been experiencing slightly slumping sales during i have being looking for a astro or titan would you be interested in selling one. So the length issue wasnt so important anymore. Related > Classic TrucksFrom the Golden Years of Trucking. I read somewhere that Larry Shinoda had a hand in designing the Astro 95. We/I cant go anywhere without people coming out with cameras and cell phones to take pictures of my truck. From what I have seen, If anyone knows about these powerplants in 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. They are very similar at a glance. I was only supposed to keep the Titan until the Astro was fixed but I couldnt go back to that noisy sweat box now. 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. I am actually the current owner of the truck on this article. The cabovers black interior is also the most unique. They were indeed good-looking trucks. time. If anyone out there knows of others or information on this truck please contact us. I got to test drive one with a 9L CNG motor and Heil Frontloading refuse body Dec of 2012 and was impressed with it. 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. [1] In an option that became standard a year later, in 1979, GMC and Chevrolet offered the SS (Special Series) package. (Wonder how many other people can say they own not one, butthree brand-new, never-used, 1991 model year boats?). The red caboose is made of metal too. So an auction was scheduled, and the companys assets were bagged, tagged, and sold to the highest bidder. rearranged. Among their factory leftovers was a small group of V-bottom boats. These gems were a challenge to drive without power steering. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. $4,000.00 1979 GMC Astro cabover semi tractor Detroit 892v 13 speed 54,276 actual mileage 2,324 hours Starts and runs great. Oddly enough they still use what cabovers are left for boat transport. Orders went through Ma Bell. The cabover has black, red, and white interiors. Drive Side. Thats probably half the reason I was brought in: I worked cheap, I was willing to horse around with their archaic equipment, and I could manage to keep a sense of humor about it. 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. 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. Cabover interiors are always black and have that kind of chrome finish that makes them look menacing and slightly menacing. The white cabooses weve seen are made of metal. before, and some were cut as cost-savings. Out here, the farmers still run Brigadiers, Generals, and Ford Louisvilles. There were approximately seven built, all told; they were prototypes for a new line that never got off the ground. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. In North America its the other way around. Required fields are marked *. The interior was designed for optimal [2] Along with single or tandem axle configurations, the GMC Crackerbox was available with a sleeper cab. But, unfortunately, its also the one big truck for which Im most starved for pictures. model in the middle of 1949. The neighbor has one Brigadier- a 1979 thats on its last legs. These Astro cabs had (exterior) styling far ahead of their time, especially the ones with the smaller grille. The white cabooses have interiors that are usually made of glass. One of my most exciting or tense days involved a White Road Commander. Autocar will still sell you a new truck. There are fewer blind spots too. Noisy. Call or email for more information. ), But they couldnt just let the boats pile upthey had to get them out to the dealers somehow. 1900. It had chrome bumpers, a chrome grille, and a single chrome exhaust stack, but the gas tank was steel, as were the wheels. Overspray bedamned, Ill take it! Description. On the sweeping floors it may be profitable. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Comfort is a big issue especially for long haul trucking. the rest of the GMC heavy duty line in 1987. Turned out, he wasnt. The GMC Astro is a heavy-duty (Class 8) cabover truck that was manufactured by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. Cochran Auctioneers & Associates LTD Boonsboro, Maryland 21713 Phone: (301) 739-0538 Email Seller Video Chat cylinder engines, and Cummins power was available. The same bolts held the fuel tank mounts on. Drivers didnt worry about head on collisions. They were great for maneuvering in tight spots, but not so great to live in for long time periods for over the road trucking. 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? Radhe Gupta is an Indian business blogger. 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. Modern cabovers are built with more structural safety features to protect the driver in the event of a crash. Much different then cars boats are still a little bit in the wild west of manufacturing. Every downturn claims some, Boats and RVs are big discrentionary extras subject to consumer confidence. Single rear axle. Im very familiar with both the Astro and the Transtar. The cabover is made of metal and the interior is black. In the shuffle, Ercoa managed to grab the pontoon business and run with it. CC Outtake: 1975 Austin 1300 MK3 Please Do Not Adjust Your Set, Curbside Classic: 1978 Oldsmobile Omega Grandmas BMW, Streetside Classic: 1974 El Cherito GMs BTV Dreams Project, In-Motion Classic: 1970 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible Hot Mustard. USD $1,018 . 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. When it comes to clutter, some say its nothing more than postponed decisions. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. It did the job but no one ever confused it with a Peterbilt or a Kenworth. This is not one of them. It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. An Australian truck driver talks about the REAL BAD BOY big rig trucks that run through the Outback of Australia. 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. They had great visibility though. On our channel we upload daily, our original, walkaround videos of Trucks, Busses and Commercial Vehicles. The shortened wheelbase allows for this tight turning radius. 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. Who knows? Heres the (much older and smaller) Bedford TK: 1985 Cabover Kenworth, K100 This Aerodyne model of COE, was one of the best looking of the cabovers. He told me that when he purchased one in the mid 70s he test drove a Pete 352 (COE) and got the impression that it had inferior build quality to the Astro. [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. The cabover interior is unique because it is the only one that has a caboose. Cabovers werent necessary dangerously. Right on about the crappy service with GMC dealers. Some articles may contain affiliate links. It Thanks for the pics of the Astro interior, forgot how nice the dash was. The new model has replaced the line of C/M 90/9500 trucks. All were late 70s vintage cabovers with sleepers and rooftop air deflectors, painted white, with the obligatorylogo on the door. Please email mewith questions and comments! The model was dubbed the GMC B-Series and stayed in production for three generations. TGH928V900010. We had to do allot of work to use it in the state of California. Theres something very nostalgic about seeing these rigs on the road today. Isuzu Bedford might be the name down under, the blue one is very clearly a (Euro) Bedford TM. This meant that there were less gauges on the wraparound part than 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. Cabover interiors are all essentially the same but they all have a few differences. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) I've seen few to no Astros. Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. Year. Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. 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. To get in the sleeper bunk the driver of the rig must crawl through a hole. I drove one in 71 for two years, with a V12 Detroit engine. 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. One of the other farms runs a fleet thats all GMC on the older stuff. later dropped from the lineup. Cabovers had great visibility and they had the look of highway trucks, due to their sheer height. 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.