1986 GMC Astro rebuild...questions

Astro eh?

Oh boy. Memories. Not exactly good ones for me. One I had been issued had a screaming turbo and nothing worked on the gauges. When there is a icepick stabbing your ears (And Im deaf...) it's time to shift.

You are going to enjoy that rig. When you get it running, wear some ear plugs... and have something for the pain in your lower back, don't be crossing curbs at a angle. Take em straight on otherwise that whipsaw side to side will get your kidneys.

 

The Air bag on the Front Tandem Axle, is to Push DOWN on the Drive axle to improve traction if your in the Dirt or Mud or even an icy road..

 

I just figured the farmer had these nice 24.5's laying around and it's just a tag anyway. I agree with X1, a daycab with that suspension, tag up or down, is going to shake your fillings loose. I drove a IH 4070 Transtar, kind of similar, and I couldn't believe how that thing shook. Buster Brown used Astro's, and Yellow had a bunch. They were a hit with the "Mayflower" crowd for some reason.

 

Very cool unusual truck, with a very cool, unusual engine.

If you are handy, later model air ride tandems will make the truck more enjoyable to drive. You could even convert the cab to air ride.

If you have a good engine, it will run almost forever, and if you find the right muffler, you can quiet it down. The cab can also be sound deadened by using lizard skin or similar products. Some people will bash you over the detroit engine and say crazy things, but the detroit 2 strokes were some of the best and most dependable engines ever made.

I may be wrong, but I think the doors and door latches are the same as the gmc general/chevy bison and maybe the brigadier. I think other interior parts are shared, and some parts like the switch knobs and other things interchange with pickups of that era. Look for antique big truck shows and swap meets for parts.

No one will mistake you for anyone else in that truck! Very cool.

 

Any Chance of a pic (or 3) @Modrob ??
We never got those Down here.....

 

What is unusual about a 2 stroke detroit or gmc astro? Millions of them were made. Or do you mean because there just isn't very many of them left?

 

Ah...very interesting. Thanks for the info.

 

The 24.5s are on the front axle, and it's the powered one. The "tag" I guess would be the rear one, as it has no driveshaft to it, nor "chunk" and looks like a trailer axle...probably going to be some time before I actually get to try the ride--several things I'd like to accomplish first. Likely replace these 24.5s with 22.5s if feasible...

 

Sure thing...will get some on shortly...

 

Thanks much for the support. I'm terribly nostalgic over a lot of things, and cabover trucks are one of my favorites. Just can't stand the thought of so many gone--like a lot of other things I've grown to love and miss...