1983 Freightliner COE Rig This gorgeous rig was on display at the Clifford Truck Show. And so it was that I got my one and only surviving picture of the trucks at hand. Cabover interiors are always black and have that kind of chrome finish that makes them look menacing and slightly menacing. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. I drove a COE for the first ten years or so of my driving career. Generals were actually a pretty good truck, at least competitive with the Transtar 4200/4300 and better than the various Loiusvilles from Ford. Id been itching to make a deal ever since I became aware of their presence in the back of the warehouse some years ago, but my offers to buy had always fallen on deaf ears. Parts Side Vent W/ Inside Cover, Needs Seal, Cab Over. These Astro cabs had (exterior) styling far ahead of their time, especially the ones with the smaller grille. 615. However, there was a downside that accompanied this accessibility. [1] In 1979, the 6-71 was replaced by the 6V92, making all available Detroit Diesel engines V-engines; the 6V71 was discontinued after 1980.[1]. This truck had plenty of power and I was able to easily beat a friend on mine driving the International cabover out of a toll plaza. As you say, its tough to be distinctive. Your commercial medium- or heavy-duty truck needs to be in perfect working condition to be able to make money. And when I came on in 2006, things werent looking pretty. And run they did. What a mess. Thanks for the history of the company. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_TK. This went on after the HD line was sold off. I love my truck and it will be around for a long time to come. Your email address will not be published. The Astro could be ordered with standard Detroit Diesel 6 or 8 If I recall correctly, there were a few of these made with GMC badges on them when White and GMC merged their heavy truck operations in the late 80s. Search our large inventory of New/Used GMC ASTRO Cab, Misc Parts for sale. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. 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. There was no coming back after that. 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. Id give anything to have one now. Theybring back good memories from the past from the days when theindustry paid truckers what they were worth and the professional driver was respected by the public. Wild dashboard, what a shame that there isnt really any use for these old beasts once they get on in years . [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. Because of the regulations for length, this style of rig was very popular in it's day. A popular model of truck, with COE fans, and with a following and some clubs across North America. I might have even worked on this one. the rest of the GMC heavy duty line in 1987. convenince and comfort, and safety for operators. Maintenance and Repair A cabover is repaired by tilting the entire cab forward. (Bedford being a GM division.). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Perhaps even these Jeeps were big trucks in a past life. [1], In a major change from precedent, when introduced in 1969, the Astro/Titan were marketed exclusively with diesel engines. USD $1,018 . The shortened wheelbase allows for this tight turning radius. of these honorable trucks on the road today. The International was brand new when I got it 1978, had a 290 Cummins and 10 speed Roadranger transmission. I still have a few anti-tamper ECM decals laying around somewhere. The large carriers who were the big buyers of cabovers, switched over to the conventional style rig, and the bottom rapidly fell out of the market for them in North America, thus the fall in popularity of these trucks. See that guy at the helm, in the pink shirt? Lots of stuff that rattled, fell off or quit working way too early. The wrap around dash and placement of the controls and instruments was perfect. They are also usually found on the back of a car, but they can be found in other areas as well. Chevy Turbo Titan III. The I know the mechanics at the garbage company in Truckee/N. 1985 Cabover Kenworth, K100 This Aerodyne model of COE, was one of the best looking of the cabovers. Even though today GMC mostly offers pickup trucks, SUVs, and medium-duty commercial vehicles with such well-recognized nameplates as Sierra, Acadia, Canyon, Yukon, and Savanna, there were times when the company was focusing on producing urban and transit buses, fire trucks, ambulances, and heavy-duty semi trucks. This style of old semi trucks are incredibly maneuverable. Somewhere on the back roads near Pine City, MN, as I recall cant give more detail than that without actually retracing my steps. As I recall they were much easier to deal with than most boat companies who prefer to use their dealers for all customer support. Given the paint scheme, it seems fairly likely this tractor and trailer spent at least part of their lives together. Despite everyones best efforts, the business finally went under in 2013. Related > The Clifford Truck Show Best Cabover Collection EVER. It featured an all-aluminum cab with a 108-inch or 116-inch hood. Under the joint venture, GMC trucks were phased out in favor of White-designed Volvo GM products. 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. It was a nice truck but harder to get into tight spots and I was partial to the cabovers. It It was hell. 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 Sleeper Bunk. Back in the 70s when I started selling parts I had a few customers that ran the BowTie versions called the Titan and Bruin. It could go maybe 65 mph tops. This interior is one of the highlights of my apartment. Old Dutch was a really good customer. They look like something out of the 90s rather than the 60s. Related > What It Was Like to Drive the Older Model Rigs. 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. 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. (Wonder how many other people can say they own not one, butthree brand-new, never-used, 1991 model year boats?). I have a 1983 GMC Astro cabover I had for a few years and slowly fixing it up when I have time to. sides of the truck. On the sweeping floors it may be profitable. The truck and trailer were plainly visible from the road. GMC's Astro story originally begins in the early 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. 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. I got to test drive one with a 9L CNG motor and Heil Frontloading refuse body Dec of 2012 and was impressed with it. Could be theres more badges these wore. $4,000.00 1979 GMC Astro cabover semi tractor Detroit 892v 13 speed 54,276 actual mileage 2,324 hours Starts and runs great. In 1986, General Motors created the VolvoGM joint venture with Volvo Trucks, leading to the discontinuation of the Astro in 1987. It was truly a great truck. Truck has dual power windows tilt wheel, extra gages. Today, it is one of the most recognizable marques in the industry. Feed Body, model unknown cabover Werent the other two trucks Internationals? 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. If anyone out there knows of others or information on this truck please contact us. Who knows? All Rights Reserved. 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 was now dead. 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. It did the job but no one ever confused it with a Peterbilt or a Kenworth. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. $20? 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. These two galsno idea who they aremade frequent appearances in company literature. The dealer I worked at had a large rural customer base. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. Also in common with GM products of the day Astros didnt age well, particularly inside the cab. The driver would be the first guy at the scene of a head on accident. To get out, the trucker had to more or less, back out of the cab door, while hanging onto a railing on the door. On various occasions, I walked in to find the President working a welder and the VP forming sheets of aluminum ahead of him! 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. I would bet my paycheck that the truck and trailer were originally owner by Old Dutch Potato Chip Company. Please email mewith questions and comments! 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. The one thing that cabover interiors are best known for is the way they can camouflage some of their interior panels. So, in 1987, GMC sold the heavy duty operation to Volvo, and You could get Cummins and later the 3406 Cat, but the vast majority had 71 and 92 series Jimmys in them. The owner has done a terrific job in restoring the unit to its original condition. 1979 Peterbilt, 352 Cabover This Peterbilt has been beautifully restored by its owner! A walk-in version was added in 1985. One problem with the big windshield was visibility into the truck. 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. made it able to slip through wind better than other COEs at the But, unfortunately, its also the one big truck for which Im most starved for pictures. In 1916, GMC made headlines when a husband and wife drove the GMC pickup truck from Seattle to New York in 30 days. The ultimate custom truck show and big rig event schedule for U.S. and Canada. Our mechanic seems to look at the Brigadiers the way you do. Still, it was a new truck and I was pretty happy with it. Aahhhh yes, I spent many a day in these. The cabover is made of metal and the interior is black. Just like this big Bedford and the Astro. There are a few reasons this might happen: To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page. Of the three trucks in the fleet, there were two Internationals and one GMC. Im retired now but own a few Detroit powered 73 GMC 9500 10 wheelers to fool around with. Owned by Ryan Wichtner, FL. The only GM heavy truck that was built after the merger was the Brigadier, and it lasted until the Pontiac heavy truck plant closed in late 1989. Year. COEs have been the standard in Europe since many decades, a conventional truck is rare. Even the old freight shaker cabovers! 1995 Freightliner C.O.E. 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. Also seem to recall some connection with carnival equipment. After its discontinuation, GM exited the heavy-duty truck market. Overspray bedamned, Ill take it! A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Definitely a product of White Motor Company or one of its spin offs. 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. 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. 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. International Cabover A 1974 model, powered by Cummins 400, 13 speed transmission, owned by Mark Johnson. The overall length of truck and trailer, back then, could only be a maximum of 65, from 1956 to 1976. Noisy. Its a FACTORY double bunk. Safety. In addition to the regular cab, a sleeper cab was available as an option. Following the launch of the cabover product line in 1969, the GMC Astro quickly exceeded the Chevrolet Titan in sales and market share. To make matters worse this truck was built without power steering! The gmc astro cabover features a black interior with a white caboose. As I left the yard that day, I watched as the dilapidated Astrowas being hacked apart by a small herd of torch jockeys. GMC Astro had a windshield that seemed to come down to knee level! But somewhere down the line (perhaps in the early eighties) they acquired another line of business: building pontoon boats. 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. Every downturn claims some, Boats and RVs are big discrentionary extras subject to consumer confidence. Theirs was an Astro 95, of course; a 1978, if I recall. The wrap around dash was a natural because it sits on top of the engine. ASTRO 95. Dan is hoping to use this truck in the summer to haul hay. You had to jack the front of the cab up to get the valve cover off. 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. In 1976, another 9 of length was allowed, for a maximum 75 allowance. at the Hollywood Park Truck Show in Ingleside, CA in 1969. A lot of the later Astro 95s were Cummins powered. In the late 1960s, as American truck manufacturers introduced updated designs for cabover trucks, design work began on an all-new Class 8 cabover. Air brakes. Resale on these still seems to be excellent! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. You see a LOT of dilapidated Fords smoking their way down the road, somehow still going. 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. After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access to the site again. (Powerliner). email me. Want to learn the language of the truck driver? Tires are good. GMC. The simple fact that these big rigs didnt have a hood, created better visibility for the driver. Nothing on earth sounds as good to me as a screamin Jimmy Diesel. The driver would grab the outer rail and swing out and down! Model. A 60 Detroit and a 10 speed trannie under the hood. I drove one in 71 for two years, with a V12 Detroit engine. 1985 Kenworth Cabover, K-100 Kenworth release the first of their cabovers, in 1955. Company owners said should just have to put new batteries in and change the fluids and should start up. The neighbor has one Brigadier- a 1979 thats on its last legs. In 1959, GMC introduced its Class 8 cabover trucks, replacing the previous "Cannonball" fixed-cab cabovers. Old Dutch plant located in Minneapolis. Some models had quite large sleeper berths. The nose of the semi is flat and the truck cab sits on top of the diesel engine and steering axle. there is no reaching into the sleeper to grab something, when sitting in the drivers seat! Cabovers had great visibility and they had the look of highway trucks, due to their sheer height. I can remember the day we got in a shipment of tools and manuals for the 91 Syclone. The base engine was the Detroit Diesel 6-71N, with the Detroit 8V71 and Cummins N-Series diesel engines as options. The GMC Astro is a heavy-duty (Class 8) cabover truck that was manufactured by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. There are fewer blind spots too. Restoration completed recently. 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 interiors are usually made with a black finish that makes them look like they have some kind of black paint on them. 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. The cabover is one of the most unique interiors weve found. All Rights Reserved. Modern cabovers are built with more structural safety features to protect the driver in the event of a crash. The Kenworth cabover, better known as the bull nose, was built with comfort and driver safety in mind. Nothing else you could do there anyway. Its grainy and basically useless, but unless I find the others, that may well be all that remains of these rigs. If anyone knows about these powerplants in Additional information is available in this. Its interior became much more spacious due to an optional sleeper cab. I was only supposed to keep the Titan until the Astro was fixed but I couldnt go back to that noisy sweat box now. Its interesting to hear about what happens to these manufacturing companies when they close. Yes! so has very low miles. The model was discontinued in 1987. Every once in awhile Ill see one sitting on a back lot. 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. 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. Orders went through Ma Bell. It also has a black, white, "A Brief Outline of the First Century of GMC Truck History - Generations of GM", Rigs of Rods; GMC Astro 95 & Chevy Titan 90, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GMC_Astro&oldid=1140760775, Articles needing expert attention from January 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 17:11. Here we have a 1983 GMC Astro. 1950s. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE Sold By: J.G. White trailers with a big Food Lion graphic. The Ercoa staff were good friendly folks. The cabover style of truck took full advantage of the trucking industry length laws, in effect at the time. GMC Astro 95 Cabover T/A Road Tractor, ; Vin# TGH928V900010, Special Plate- AC122503, Manual Trans.- NO TITLE . I had a friend who was renting shop space in a building next to a marine machine shop. Highly inconvenient. Planning to exit the medium-duty truck market, General Motors canceled the production in 2009. Another controversial feature of it was Cabover Truck - COE Trucks For Sale in Provo, UT: 0 Cabover Truck - COE Trucks Near You - Find Cabover Truck - COE Trucks on Commercial Truck Trader. Every time I see one of these old Astros, I think of Food Lion supermarkets fleet back in the 80s. In 1930, another GMC truck made a similar journey from New York to San Francisco in just 5 days. My Red and White Astro 95 being an older truck was pretty well broken in and she was hot (A/C permanently broke) and noisy to be in 10 to 12 or more hours a day. The total length of the cab was a mere 48 . As much as I enjoyed finally getting to climb around on the trucks, I was actually there for another reason. For the paddleboat, of course. It was easy for the younger drivers, but not quite so easy for the older truckers! Six Easy Ways To Keep Your Truck Cab Organized On The Road. They also all open in a certain way (although they differ in this area). Mainly, they were When the shop was sold and moved out of town his land lord offered him 300 bucks to clean out the space. Not a bad days work. This gives good access to the motor for maintenance and repair. That was all there was to drive at one time. My good friend and photography mentor loves them. Expanding the product line to the Chevrolet brand, the replacement for the GMC Crackerbox sought to expand interior space, visibility, and driver ergonomics. These rigs are true classics for sure. Browse the best December 2022 deals on Chevrolet Astro vehicles for sale in Provo, UT. However, Ive noticed a resurgence of interest in cabover trucks recently. (The folks in their marketing department had a thing for using staff, friends, and family in their promotional photos. This included special paint, a larger chromed front The sleeper seemed tight and on the same claustrophobic scale as the drivers side of the cab. 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. 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. I was thinking WTF? Can anyone tell me where this picture was taken. Heck, it reminds me of the good old days when there were way less laws and regs. For over a century, GMC has been offering a wide range of commercial and military grade vehicles, as well as genuine auto parts. We like the way they roll. It had chrome bumpers, a chrome grille, and a single chrome exhaust stack, but the gas tank was steel, as were the wheels. Complete details for 1900 GMC ASTRO 95 For Sale In Boonsboro, . Out here, the farmers still run Brigadiers, Generals, and Ford Louisvilles. The cabovers black interior is also the most unique. Its a working truck, too! There was also the memorable wrap-around dashboard, all decked out in woodgrain. We cooperate with some of the industry-leading names that use only premium materials and cutting-edge technologies in the manufacturing of their products. Radhe also tries different gadgets every now and then to give their reviews online. In stark contrast to the boxy Crackerbox, the exterior of the Astro/Titan featured rounded body corners and wraparound windshield glass. Body Parts Cab Interior Engine Components Transmission Components Suspension Components Electrical Components Vehicles . 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!! These are gold nuggets for the new truck drivers! 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. Its too bad they dont make them like that any more. 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. 1978 GMC Astro 95 Its the only one of the three weve seen that has a black, red, and blue interior. Didnt most of these Astro / Titan trucks use Detroit Diesel power? The GMC Astro 95 was introduced Buyer's premium included in price USD $458. 1986 GMC Astro cabover day cab. Its been stretched, and also has a tag axle. With their squared-off styling and strange proportions, GMC's aluminum cabover trucks of 1959-68 quickly earned the nickname "Crackerbox.". Mine was a great truck, simple and reliable. Even upon close investigation, it looked just like an ice cream sundae that had been forgotten and was melting all over the desk! I was really taken with the Astro cab. Heres a few pics of its predecessors. He believes that Content and Social Media Marketing are the strongest forms of marketing nowadays. Truck had more than a few dents! When backing in to loading docks and winding through heavy traffic, nothing can compare with a cabover truck! Instruction, clear advice, videos and photos for truck driver skills, maneuvers and information for all professional truck drivers. We had a fair number of Brigadiers with 6-71s in them, not nice to work on. Thanks for visiting my page! We could only make about 59 mph but I was cool and comfortable as I cruised the highway. You are visitor number to this page! And so it went. Just love the old school classics. It is a full size cab with a single axel. So they dumped their interests in such things as snowmobiles and recreational craft, going hard after that one market they felt was most lucrative. None were roadworthy, only one was able to be started, and perhaps worst of all, no titles could be produced for any of them. The big windshields and door glass gave a full view of the road. Thats an Isuzu Bedford the TM was a heavyduty TK with a double bumper, I saw one of those on Sunday a dead one they are too low powered and small for todays applications. That thing is so deliciously 80s. My Dad drove so many of these, his knees still rattle and shake! This is a highly detailed restoration of the exterior and the interior. Cabovers werent necessary dangerously. The Internationals were good solid trucks. Maneuverability. GM engineers began working on a new truck that would meet A few words about their personal connection and memories of cabovers. The first 1,000,000 miles of my driving was in trucks like these. None of the seventeen-footers were ever completed. Cab is up in the air, a crack noise followed by some crunching sounds. Downtime means lost income. We take a look at the exterior and interior of the vehicle, so you can receive a general idea and appreciation of a certain brand or model.Our coverage is from Truck, Auto and Commercial Vehicle Shows in USA, Europe and Canada.Thanks for watching!!