A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Call or email for more information. 1968 GMC ASTRO For Sale in Madison, Minnesota at TractorHouse.com. Their heyday may have started in the mid 80s, but those boom years were fading away by the early 00s. Out here, the farmers still run Brigadiers, Generals, and Ford Louisvilles. No operation of the . gmc astro cabover interior - Meta Tron Nw 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. Following the launch of the cabover product line in 1969, the GMC Astro quickly exceeded the Chevrolet Titan in sales and market share. They were once very common, particularly in fleet service. If every driver of EVERY vehicle on the road followed these safety tips, our roads would be SO much safer. You've disabled cookies in your web browser. You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. The one thing that cabover interiors are best known for is the way they can camouflage some of their interior panels. A veteran 40+ years truck driver shares 10 of the all time, tried and true truck driving safety tips ALL professional truckers should know AND follow! (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. Vehicle runs, drives, stops. Nothing else you could do there anyway. One of the other farms runs a fleet thats all GMC on the older stuff. 1975 GMC Astro 95 Cabover Truck - AS-IS - govdeals.com The funky hitch is called a stinger and its usually used on car haulers. In North America its the other way around. Highly inconvenient. Its great to know so many truckers still appreciate these trucks. I also lucked out on a few items from their shop, such as this toolbox. 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. Oh man, how I love those old cabovers and the other rigs, especially the Petes. The big windshields and door glass gave a full view of the road. This merger formed the basis of the General Motors Truck Company giving the GMC brand name for their trucks. You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser. The yard owner and I were talking at the time, and I congratulated him on his win. Ive had the pleasure to drive an LTL-9000, and the misfortune to drive a Brigadier. Lots of stuff that rattled, fell off or quit working way too early. In addition to the regular cab, a sleeper cab was available as an option. In 1916, GMC made headlines when a husband and wife drove the GMC pickup truck from Seattle to New York in 30 days. I drove many 10s of thousands of miles in the late 70s. I thought the International Cabover was somewhat claustrophobic. For some reason most of the few I saw were rag-tag owner-ops out of Quebec. Related > Classic TrucksFrom the Golden Years of Trucking. 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. They have that in common with a great many other big trucks. And so came the companys latest investment, circa 1987: a fleet of new-to-them tractors with brand-new trailers. 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. No wonder they were called Freightshakers! But given their neglected state, it also seems likely that their service lives have come to a close. Ever since those got retired (replaced by conventional White-GMC or Volvo-White rigs) I've seen few to no Astros. (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. Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. To this day I still drive a cabover, 48 years and never owned a hood. Interior. So an auction was scheduled, and the companys assets were bagged, tagged, and sold to the highest bidder. Not running. The cabover interior is unique because it is the only one that has a caboose. 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. Maneuverability. My Mom ran a truck leasing operation in the 70s-90s (NationalLease/LendLease) and back in the 70s when the 95 came out it was a VERY big deal. economy. Copyright 2018-2023 TRUCKiD.com. Diesel (unable to determine engine model, but based on serial number would have a Detroit 8v71). Recommended Company Sponsored Schools, Requirements, pros + cons, what to expect from company-sponsored cdl training programs. Another future COAL . Visibility was not very good and made life tough in some of the tight spots in the old cities and towns I delivered to. 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. so has very low miles. Drivers had to be careful of foot placement, or else theyd end up falling on the ground! They look like something out of the 90s rather than the 60s. But the pontoon-hauler wasnt quite as fancy as this one. 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. And 35 years ago no computerized support systems. Please email mewith questions and comments! Sleeper Type: CAB OVER: Part Info (877)238-5030 Request Info. What was always fun was tilting any of these cabovers to there full tilt range. Additional information is available in this. It seems like there must be hundreds of RV, boat, etc manufacturers that have shuttered or consolidated in the past 2 decades. All rights reserved. Downtime means lost income. . My son and I still drive this truck and trailer every week from San Diego California, to LA. Its interior became much more spacious due to an optional sleeper cab. Astro featured many things that made it popular and innovative at the Yes! What a mess. A few words about their personal connection and memories of cabovers. Chevy Turbo Titan III. 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 They were also louder than long hood rigs, as the driver was sitting right above the engine! The first 1,000,000 miles of my driving was in trucks like these. They are also typically found on the rear of a car, but they can be found in other areas. As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. 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. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_TK. I can remember the day we got in a shipment of tools and manuals for the 91 Syclone. A collection of trucker tips from million milers and experienced drivers. 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! Drove these trucks for years. This is not one of them. Under the joint venture, GMC trucks were phased out in favor of White-designed Volvo GM products. And so it went. 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. Provo, UT - Cabover Truck - COE Trucks For Sale - Commercial Truck Trader made it able to slip through wind better than other COEs at the 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. The Astro died honorably with Bid History for 1975 GMC Astro 95 Cabover Truck - AS-IS Auction Start Date: 06/03/21 5:11 PM ET Auction End Date: 06/17/21 9:03 PM ET Asset ID: 1453 . Special Series. The Ercoa advertisement featuring the paddleboat and bikini-clad women was exactly what I was hoping to see! 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. Gauges for the trailer air supply and pressure were Equally memorable was a prop which sometimes sat near it: a Dixie cup which contained a spoon and was filled to overflowing with white glue, which had a bit of brown paint stirred in and was allowed to harden. In 1986, General Motors created the VolvoGM joint venture with Volvo Trucks, leading to the discontinuation of the Astro in 1987. In the shuffle, Ercoa managed to grab the pontoon business and run with it. We could only make about 59 mph but I was cool and comfortable as I cruised the highway. 94, with LT1 power, velour seating, and a trunk rack. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in it's day. 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 SMART TRUCKING, were also avid fans of the cabover truck. Find the 9 highest paying truck driver jobs in 2022. And so it was that I got my one and only surviving picture of the trucks at hand. I was really taken with the Astro cab. I was assigned a 81 model with a 63 as a backup spare truck !, and please SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT, hit the NOTIFICATION BELL, and have a look at our other channels:https://www.youtube.com/automototube - AutoMotoTube - Car and Motorcycle walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/motorcycletube - MotorCycleTube - Motorcycle walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/BoatTube - BoatTube - Motor and Sailing yachts walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/Bicycletube - BicycleTube - Bicycle walkaround videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/atvtube - ATVTube - All Terrain Vehicle walkaround videos Its too bad they dont make them like that any more. It had the red and white paint scheme but but was otherwise pretty plain, with cast spoke wheels and painted fuel tanks. 1 of 11 ever made by General Motors. 1978 GMC Astro 95 The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. before, and some were cut as cost-savings. 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. A 60 Detroit and a 10 speed trannie under the hood. 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. Along with the Dragfoiler roof spoiler, the option package included body extension panels between the cab and trailer, an air dam below an extended bumper and an optimized radiator grille. Owned by Ryan Wichtner, FL. He told me he took out over $2500 in bronze copper and aluminum shavings. Upgrades to the truck's suspension improved its handling and ride, as well. Learn how your comment data is processed. Restoration completed recently. See that guy at the helm, in the pink shirt? Big Truck Outtake: GMC Astro 95 - It Makes Me Want To Go Boating Cabover trucks, COE (cab over engine), are essentially a style of big rig truck without a hood. Never tripped across one that didnt rattle! This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. 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. I got a blue Chevy Titan 90 replacement while big red was in the shop. metatron-nw.com 2023. 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. It wasnt exactly a dignified end for such a long-lived piece of machinery. 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. Every time I see one of these old Astros, I think of Food Lion supermarkets fleet back in the 80s. convenince and comfort, and safety for operators. 1983 Freightliner COE Rig This gorgeous rig was on display at the Clifford Truck Show. You see a LOT of dilapidated Fords smoking their way down the road, somehow still going. 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. Easily find what you need from 2,312,977 parts available. The TM had 4 head lights and double bumpers to differentiate it and they had larger more powerfull engines than the TK range but the cab was shared. The overall length of truck and trailer, back then, could only be a maximum of 65, from 1956 to 1976. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. $20? No; the Astro was unique to GMC and Chevrolet (Titan). When I was bob tailing, and would hit a bump, Id have a new dent in the headliner. They were quite popular, particularly with fleets. GMC ASTRO Heavy Duty Trucks Auction Results Manual transmission with Hi-Lo. This included special paint, a larger chromed front 1985 Kenworth Cabover, K-100 Kenworth release the first of their cabovers, in 1955. Gmc ASTRO Cab, Misc. GM originally intended to offer an Allison gas turbine engine as an option in the Astro 95 alongside the various Detroit and Cummins diesels when the truck was introduced. Cabover interiors are usually found in the back of a car, and they are usually made of steel rather than plastic. Near the end of its run, Astro buyers had the option of several Detroit, Caterpillar and Cummins Diesel engines. Postal Code: 7 LOT #: 10062 Save 1986 GMC ASTRO Sleeper Trucks Buyer's premium included in price USD $120.00 GMC COE single axle. was loved by owners and operators alike. 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. Also in common with GM products of the day Astros didnt age well, particularly inside the cab. We had a fair number of Brigadiers with 6-71s in them, not nice to work on. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE Sold By: J.G. As the trucks aged the cab had a tendency to shift to the right as it lifted, older ones would snag the safety hook. There was a point when the cab would go over center, meaning gravity took over and the hyd system that was lifting the cab was now used to control cab movement by restricting the oil flow. I am trying to see if by some chance this trailer is still in existence. 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. Search our large inventory of New/Used GMC ASTRO Cab, Misc Parts for sale. 1995 Freightliner C.O.E. The white cabooses may be aluminum, but the black caboose is made of metal. . This is not one of them. 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. 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. They were mostly Astros, these older small-grille versions, in dark blue. Gmc astro Sleeper on HeavyTruckParts.Net. [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. Im very familiar with TK Bedfords I drove them years ago. White trailers with a big Food Lion graphic. After a couple years of testing the idea was dropped due to the turbines poor fuel consumption. ASTRO 95. Still, he remained hopeful that the tons (literally) of aluminum pontoon parts hed also bought would make up for it. 1900. 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. . Ive never run a General, but the Brigadiers dont seem to hold up nearly as well as the Fords. images may be used without permission except for personal viewing. 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. Broken lights and lenses throughout. To draw attention to the brand, GMC launched the promotional campaign using several country cross-overs. The next year I was put in a brand new leased 1979 GMC General. They were spun-off from Volvo during the Mack acquisition as the combined company would have had to big a share of the Low Cab Forward Truck market. 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. The cabover interiors caboose is a unique design concept that is made possible by the fact that it has black and red interiors. 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. Maneuvering a big trailer was a real workout. The total length of the cab was a mere 48 . 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. I believe that a gas turbine was optional in limited quantities, yet 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. [1] In 1977, the Cummins KT450 and Caterpillar 3406 became options; the larger engines required the addition of a larger radiator. Left Hand Drive. I noticed and like the 92 Dark Cherry Metallic Chevy Caprice in the background of the third picture from the bottom. 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. If anyone out there knows of others or information on this truck please contact us. GMC's Astro story originally begins in the early Im retired now but own a few Detroit powered 73 GMC 9500 10 wheelers to fool around with. The GMC Astro 95 was introduced Now for those of you who have seen dbl bunk Astro's yes there were some after market dbl bunk conversions. 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. 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. USD $1,018 . was a radical departure for GMC-it was completely cab-over engine, and Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Yugo When Was The Last Time You Saw One? Truckstop Classic: 1959-1961 GMC DLR/DFR 8000 - Curbside Classic Get to know the CB lingo used by truckers, so you can get in on the conversation, cmon. Its a FACTORY double bunk. They are also becoming wildly popular at truck shows. This was also used in the prototype The reason? This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. 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. Cab won't release to tilt. When he used to be their mechanic, he claimed that they were always in the shop for something. Nine89-2five4-eight20eight Report Last Updated on: February 28, 2023 with 1979 GMC Astro Cabover - $4000 Another controversial feature of it was It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. The cabover is made of metal and the interior is black. 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. 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. In the late 1960s, as American truck manufacturers introduced updated designs for cabover trucks, design work began on an all-new Class 8 cabover. 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. wide panoramic glass provided excellent vision to the front and the As a result, I finally got a chance to get up close and personal with their fleet of trucks. 1983 GMC Astro cabover restore and semi work - TruckersReport In the seven years I worked for them, however, none of the trucks ever moved. A lot of the later Astro 95s were Cummins powered. There were approximately seven built, all told; they were prototypes for a new line that never got off the ground. 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 nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. Since 1966, General Motors has been manufacturing a line of buses based on a traditional cowled chassis. I thought the truck fit me perfectly and I became a part of it whenever we were on the road. The auction would be my first, last, and only opportunity to snag one for myself. He later ran an early 90s GMC Brig as his assigned tractor for Yellow Freight before retirement. Maintenance and Repair A cabover is repaired by tilting the entire cab forward. Our mechanic seems to look at the Brigadiers the way you do. It also has a black, white, 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. 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 other cabovers weve seen have white cabooses. awkward shapes, it did not receive good aerodynamic ratings, and cut fuel A major factor leading to the cancellation was lack of support for heavy-duty trucks by Chevrolet dealers. It did the job but no one ever confused it with a Peterbilt or a Kenworth. They also all open in a certain way (although they differ in this area). Turned out, he wasnt. This particular 1977 GMC Astro 95 has an interesting backstory in the fact that it was order by NASA and used very sparingly at the Wallops Island facility in Virginia. That picture is pretty much a more modern version of what they were running. You wanted to be sure you had your pants on when you rolled out of the sleeper! Despite everyones best efforts, the business finally went under in 2013. 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. If I remember I bought it for only $2000 and was used just as a yard truck. Thats actually not an Astro. -If you have any, please send them to me, Stock Number. #3 was under the cowl and the piston/liner assembly would only just clear. After its discontinuation, GM exited the heavy-duty truck market. I would sleep across the doghouse in my cabover. The early COE trucks were also very cold, as they werent well insulated. 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. Previews will consist of visual inspection, and vehicle can be started. Save $2,894 right now on a Chevrolet Astro on CarGurus. The trailers, each one brand-new and built to their specifications, were a sort of light-duty lowboy that attached to this odd hitch, upon which the boats could be stacked two high along their entire length of forty-some feet. 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. But, with surprising candor, he began to lament his purchase of the truck having now done the math, he was expecting to take a big hit on it, and several other things hed won at that auction. email me. The Old Dutch was a really good customer. trucks or the Turbo Titan III program, please Description. Comfort is a big issue especially for long haul trucking. time. Visibility. Radhe also tries different gadgets every now and then to give their reviews online. 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. Heck, it reminds me of the good old days when there were way less laws and regs. They were legal and they got the job done. 800,000 miles, and a rebuild. A box is a box! 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. This meant that there were less gauges on the wraparound part than the Astro was now dead. 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. Mainly, they were 1972 GMC Astro Cabover Truck - Walkaround Exterior Interior Tour - YouTube (Wonder how many other people can say they own not one, butthree brand-new, never-used, 1991 model year boats?). It could go maybe 65 mph tops. You always had to check the interior before flopping one of these things open, you never know what you may come across, but a coffee cup was enough to take out a windshield. at the Hollywood Park Truck Show in Ingleside, CA in 1969. Dents and rust throughout, interior dirty and worn.