There are fans of old-school big rigs on both sides of the Barn Finds spectrum. We have several readers who are either fans or drivers of these trucks. There are also a few writers here, myself chief among them, who have a soft spot in our hearts for these reminders of a world that is sadly no longer around. This 1978 GMC Astro for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Clyde, Kansas is a survivor from an era when routes were starting to get longer, interstates were taking trucks off of what were becoming secondary roads, and the drivers were still colorful characters in their local communities. With an asking price of $8,500, this aged but still capable farm-bound truck is looking for a place to enjoy a working retirement. Would you like to experience trucking in the late seventies by adding a rig like this to your stable? Thanks to Howard A., a big rig connoisseur, Barn Finds commenter extraordinaire, and genuine character, for the find!
Before I begin to wax poetically about the glory days that were trucking in the South in the seventies and early eighties through my young eyes, let’s talk about this truck. The GMC Astro and the Chevrolet Titan were the entries in the heavy-duty truck segment for General Motors. Built as the successors of the famous “Crackerbox” cabovers of the sixties, these trucks followed the trend in trucking to make semis more powerful and larger in size and weight to match the ever-increasing size and weight of loads at the time. Produced from 1969 through 1987, the GMC Astro was phased out following the Volvo-GMC joint venture that signaled the end of GMC’s presence in the heavy truck market as far as cabover designs go.
The truck you see here is a 1978 model that was purchased by a farmer for anticipated cow and crop hauling duties. For whatever reason, this GMC never got that honor, so it is back on the market. The seller tells us that it has a Detroit 8V92 engine under the cab with an eight-speed transmission with an overdrive splitter. As for the engine itself, it is said to fire right up and run great. The farmer drove it home after the purchase and said that it was pretty fast and had plenty of power. It is the farmer’s opinion that the 172,895 miles on the odometer is the true mileage on the truck. Whoever purchases it will need to install a set of tires and fix the parking brake. It is the farmer’s opinion that the brake problem is probably just an air valve since the braking system works fine overall.
Still, looking at the pictures reveals that this is a seventies truck in all its glory. From the woodgrain on the plastic dash panels to the utilitarian layout, this truck is all business. The presence of the once ubiquitous dashboard fan is a clue that this truck was not equipped with air conditioning. There were few creature comforts available for drivers back then, so the sleeper behind the seats of this Jimmy represents the start of some major changes to heavy-duty trucks. This was the era where hauls were getting longer, trailers were increasing in size, and the availability of interstates in more areas of the country meant that runs would be pretty much uninterrupted compared to those on secondary roads. Being home every night would soon be a distant memory to most truckers. In the area I grew up in, Highways 441, 50, US1, and other formerly main roads were slowly giving way to I-75, I-95, I-4, and the Florida Turnpike in the sixties and seventies. Even as a kid, it was obvious that the world was changing. You could see that businesses along the old roads were slowly dying off and areas around interstate exits were getting built up in response to the changes in how trucking was done.
One of those businesses slowly passing into history was the truck stop. The average truck stop of the time was independently owned, and a place for truckers to rest, eat, fill up, and maybe get some minor service work done. These places were also common in the area I grew up in. At the time, my grandfather had a mobile auto-glass business. I got to go with him a lot as he drove his old walk-in to businesses that catered to everything from used cars to big trucks. He was known around town as someone good at cutting flat glass to fit in big trucks. This was a steady part of his work, as a lot of rock and sand gets hauled in Florida resulting in many broken or pitted windshields. When out on Highway 50, we often stopped at the Beacon Truck Stop for lunch. As a kid, it was a neat place. The partially dirt parking lot was filled with all sorts of trucks, trailers, and cars. Some truckers were resting, but most were inside at the long counter getting a hearty meal. My favorite was the BLT, and the ladies at the Beacon weren’t about to let a kid get a skimpy serving of bacon and tomatoes on his toast. The place was filled with truckers, some tired and hunched over their plate, while others were loud and boisterous, slapping the backs of their over-the-road pals or chatting with the waitresses. It was kind of like the sitcom “Cheers” but with truckers and without beer. That came after the truck was parked for most.
It was a time of trucker movies and CB radios. A lot of truckers were known by their handles and lived up to those characters like the best Hollywood actors. It was also a place where everyone who worked for a living was welcome no matter their age or color. I also remember that it seemed everyone could afford to go to lunch and the time needed to do so was accepted as just part of the day. Once we ate, it was back to work. My grandfather did a lot of work for a place called E.J. Sales and Service. It was owned by a hard-working fifty-something man named E.J. Utley who had built up his repair business into the 800 lb. gorilla of diesel repair shops in Central Florida. He also sold new and used trucks and raced in the Great American Truck Racing series throughout North America driving a custom Mack race truck.
E.J. and my grandfather were friends, so he not only got all of E.J.’s glass business but also got tickets to the races when the trucks came to town. I remember seeing them on the 1/2 mile track at New Smyrna and at the 3/8 mile oval at Orlando Speedworld. These races were a spectacle comparable to the Roman Colosseums in their heyday. They were loud, smokey, and wildly dangerous. You haven’t lived until you witness a dozen diesel-belching semis (ranging from race-prepped to pure stock) stampeding around your local bullring. At New Smyrna, we saw a photographer get his leg run over at the end of pit row. At Speedworld, we witnessed the driver of an old Dodge LCF series truck burn up his brakes to the point they were glowing orange. He shortly thereafter center-punched and knocked down the concrete retaining wall. This covered a blanket in hot oil that had a family with fast reflexes sitting on it just seconds before. Looking back at these races, I cannot see how they could be run today in our litigious society. It was pure, glorious mayhem that was probably too much for even those freewheeling times.
America was certainly a different place when trucks like this were running the roads. If I had to describe the world I grew up in to a kid today, it would probably be easier to describe growing up on another planet. The Central Florida I remember, filled with orange groves, blue-collar workers of all types, nuclear families, knowing your neighbors, helping each other, and the general live-and-let-live atmosphere has been replaced with theme parks, apartment complexes, and the cold, unfeeling existence of a major metropolitan area. I left the area ten years ago, but sometimes I yearn to go back and have a BLT at the Beacon Truck Stop, stop to see E.J., look at the race truck one more time, and maybe smell the orange blossoms along 441. Every once in a while I dream of riding in that big, white walk-in going to a job. Sometimes I am behind the wheel trying to stop it (it had notoriously bad brakes and was always overloaded). I’d give anything to be by my grandfather’s side in the walk-in, learning how to cut flat glass again. The problem is that my grandfather, E.J., the orange blossoms, the walk-in, and the Beacon Truck Stop are all gone now. It also seems that the best parts of over-the-road trucking, from the characters behind the wheel to the rough and tumble trucks they wrestled with, have left us as well. There is nothing to go back to, but sometimes seeing a truck like this Astro reminds me of good times.
I want to thank Howard A. for suggesting that we write up this truck, and hope that he and others will tell us a few old-time trucking stories in the comments.
Great write-up Jeff. Lots of fun, and bittersweet, remembrances.
I know nothing about big rigs like this, but as a kid I sure enjoyed seeing them on the occasional trip our family made which included those newfangled interstate highways.
I built this as a 1/25 scale model. Looks like the kit has been re-issued.
Howard, you have been set-up to carry the conversation from here…..looking forward to your comments…..
Bigtime write-up from Bennett.
I bet that little sleeper felt like a million bucks after a long drive thru the mountains in bad weather 🌨 ❄️
Whoa, careful what you wish,,just a sec,,
Howard, warming up for a trip down memory lane ☕️
for. That was a test, had this been a really emergency,,,1st, I realize a faded rusty, dirty cabover truck may have as much interest as the hat that was for sale for some, but I want to sincerely thank the staff, being my 1st ACCEPTED tip,, and if there is enough interest, I’d be more than privileged to give any advice, although Jeff pretty much nailed it. I knew any of the writers would do a great job. It’s their job to give as many facts as possible, regardless of how unusual the vehicle may be to them. I also have to be careful not to prattle on about my trucking career.looking back, it was a heck of a toboggan ride. Whether you cussed them out for smoking and being in front of you( like my old man), trucks and the folks that drove them, literally built this country, and a big tip of the hat to all.
Jeff pretty much said the important stuff, only a few additions. This is a Fuller 13 speed,even though it doesn’t say so, and the motor is the Silver 92 series, still a v8 2 stroke(you could get them up to 16 cylinders) and this is probably about 400-430 HP, if farmer Brown was smart. They were some of the last 2 strokes before the “new” Detroits. While a 4 “2 bits” Cat would still eat this for lunch on the hills, for a ring ding Detroit, they had a lot of power. This has the Reyco spring rear( ouch) and for heavy loads,they worked well,just rode awful. The Astro 95, and the Chevy Titan 90( can’t find why they were called that, anyone?) with only minor differences, were incredibly popular. Mayflower( see video separate comment) used them, Buster Brown(UPS) for many years and many local freight outfits used daycab Astros. They completed with the IH Transtar and Freightliner WFTs.
This is an okay find, pretty much old school and not sure newer drivers , who are used to their “rolling apartments” could handle it, for a great many reasons, which isn’t important here, it was just a different time. I’ve kinda made peace with that. This was a mans truck, sorry ladies, there were some, but things like the shifting, no P/S, kept many ladies away. Most trucks today are automatics, the rough ride, the cabover quirks in general, you could always tell someone not used to a cabover, their right wheels would be on the shoulder, but some drivers loved them, others would quit the job, but for a non-Pete or KW, the Astro was the nicest of all. The dash gauges were green, and the sleeper added a huge plus. I drove mostly daycabs, and a miracle I’m here at all. It wasn’t until I got my own with a sleeper, what a difference. The tube type “wagon wheels” surely indicated a farmer,(they usually fixed their own flats)and would have to go.
Didn’t see too many Astros on the road, they were mostly for what is right here, the farmer that hauled their own grain, and this truck saw very little use, although, the use it saw was pretty rough. I bet this truck hauled some pretty heavy loads, 90-100K routinely, and GMCs could do it. Their General conventionals were nice trucks too.
So, again, wha’ happent’? Minor correction, it became White/VOLVO/GMC. It was the 1st time we saw Volvo name and figured, pfft, like Asian cars, merely a passing fad,,,well, we know what happened there. After selling Freightliner, White was pretty much done, GMC concentrated on the passenger market( just the opposite of IH) and Volvo went on to become the #1 selling truck in the world. A sad end to a once great HD trucks.
To illustrate how popular the cabover was, the clip below( getting hard to find) shows how popular it was. A special thanks to BFs for helping me relive my past. Camaraderie, great friends, CB radio, mom and pop restaurants, no cell phones, get there when I get there, yes sir, while one tends to forget the bad, and there was plenty, but it was a great job and have no regrets, but I’d never do it by todays standards. Thanks again for listening,,,
I’m making this a separate post, as the staff usually reviews them, but this was right about the time I started. Look artall the cabovers. Jeff didn’t mention why cabovers fell out of favor. Years ago, there were overall length laws, and a cabover was the only way to pull a bigger trailer. Once those laws were abolished, the conventional became the stand choice. I don’t think you can even buy a new cabover today. Enjoy the late CW McCall, I had to recite the 1st few lines for my chauffeurs license. Not really, but wasn’t much more than that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVifNkBrn7E
Oh, another thing, we never had A/C and that fan on the dash was a God send, and I never remember the National Guard. Back then, the cops were our friends, kind of. Years ago, there were a lot more scales, and Wisconsin would put the old officers a fixin’ to retire, in the scale houses. I “dodged” more scales than I went over, and the scales I went over, they knew the truck. You could “bargain” with them on minor offenses, but women officers,,,now that was a different story.
Okay, your turn, I’m 10-10, on the side,,,
Sorry, well what did you expect? In the video, there is a glaring mistake. It’s a cabover Freightliner with a reefer on,,,not a Pete. That’s Hollywood for ya’. Hollywood distorted the dignity of the truck driver, we weren’t pilled up womanizers, we were just regular folks doing our job. Once a trooper asked me, “is it true you guys get all the women”? I replied, “how many donuts do you guys eat”? He felt validated by that.
A write up that reads like a novel. Well written! I suspect there is a 1 missing in front of the mileage, it would be really hard to find a worked semi with only 6 figure mileage. Like a ’70’s muscle car, the trip down memory lane in these older trucks might not be all that pleasant. I drive a 1968 Kenworth W900 with the high door handle, and can share my experience. Howard talks about most of the discomforts and they are even more glaring today!
The 8V92 in this truck is LOUD, even through muffs, and after 20 minutes it is a punishing day of fatigue from the noise. Even with earplugs, the Detroit scream will assault you. They are HOT inside, and that little fan blows the hot air around but does nothing to cool you. They take A LOT of shifting, and a mis-timed gear change can leave you swearing and grinding. Shifting a Detroit with a lot of changes is a true skill. The cabs are quite small and cramped inside, the seating position in relation to the pedals is awkward. For such a big truck, they didn’t put many creature comforts in the cab. They are rough riding, it is a wonder they don’t shake apart, especially on the logging roads mine is used on. Tough doesn’t even begin to describe the experience. By wife rode with me for about an hour once, has never stepped into the cab since.
Even with all that said, an older truck like this or mine is a time machine for when young men accepted challenges like those a normal for a job. Driving one all day took skill and character, forming a generation of hard working men. Riding in the 18 wheel couches today, it is easy to overlook how hard that job was. I don’t know how they did it for 10 hours 7 days a week. A truck like this will put you in the way back machine pretty quickly. For the asking price it would be “fun” for the right person.
This is one of my favorite Barn Finds yet!!! I saw the fast find by Howard A and wondered if that was my favorite Howard from on here. Thank you for finding this and the great comments Howard, and a huge thank you to Jeff for all the research and excellent write up. The only change I’d make Howard already mentioned with the 13 Speed. What Howard said about centering a cabover is spot on. Once you get used to it youre fine. I drove a cabover Freighliner on a route through Manhattan in the 90s, it was not the easiest place to get around trust me. When I was a kid in the 70s and 80s these Astros were everywhere. I remember many day cabs and sleepers.
Once again Jeff and Howard, I usually dont drink an entire cup of coffe on only one Barnfind, but this morning I did.
Please keep them coming.