Back in the day . . .

I am not old enough to have been driving in the 70's and 80's but my dad did, his first brand new truck he bought in 1976 didn't even come with a sleeper, after a year of sleeping on a board between the seats he had one custom made and it was about the size of a coffin, and of course A/C and power steering were not heard of back then. When my brother and I used to ride with him we would sleep in the bed and he would sleep across the seats, I was always amazed that he had no problem sleeping that way, he could sleep anywhere and it wouldn't bother him.

I havn't been driving as long as some people here but I have driven some old trucks, my first truck that I drove on the road was an old 1980's GMC Astro cabover, no air ride, no power steering, no A/C, if I didn't put a piece of cardboard on the front I would freeze, and you could get a workout just pulling yourself into it. These new drivers who only know new trucks don't know how easy they have it, these new trucks are so easy to drive and so comfortable anyone can drive them

 

Shoot, when I got into my first Astro I was Big Time Truckin' 318 Deeetroit and a 13 over... woo haaaa!!! Never could figure why they needed a windshield that big inna cabover tho. Made alot of miles in that thing tho.

 

Been There!

 

Hey! I remember seeing that truck around years ago!

 

I remember just waking up, crawling out of a White Freightliner COE and walking into a Union 76 to pay the rent on last night's coffee and get a fresh cup. Walk in front of a CF exactly at the same time the driver hits the air-start. What a way to wake up!

I remember that it was said that the windshield on a GMC Astro was the same as one on a Greyhound bus.

Speaking of buss lines, ever try to keep up with a Trailway's? It was like trying to catch a Monfort Packing Co truck.

 

Many thanks to Jack Smithton for starting this thread. Sure did bring back many fond and not so fond memories; stuff I haven't thought about in YEARS!!. When I put on my rose colored glasses, all the memories are great! LOL

Just hope these younger drivers out here will have some worthwhile memories one day also. Now for a couple more:

You and a buddy splitting 3 loads of tinplate between 2 trucks then hauling ##s for Chicago to get there before the Elk Grove Village gestapo got out of bed.

Doing the above in an Astro with a 270hp V6 Detroit and a 9 speed.

Watching someone with a cheater axle get on the Ohio or PA turnpikes....grossed out (or heavier) and a class 5.

Short wheelbase cabover, 36" sleeper, solid mounted cab and 44,000lb spring suspension...gotta love it!! LMAO

 

mine had a 12v92 with a 15 double over. would pass everything but a fuel stop or a pretty hitchhiker. only truck i drove where you could get sun burn on your knees or they could see you scratching your arzz going down the road.

 

The GMC Astro, right. That was my Dads first truck he bought. Back then he drove for North American Vanlines. The heater sucked and that windshield was huge. My Dad talks about that thing sometimes. I use to sleep on the doghouse when i went with him over summers.

 

You must've been about the size of a small poodle.....Not much room on the doghouse in one of those!

 

I was about 8-10 years old, i would curl up in a bal and sleep. Now i wonder why my back hurts...