Hey there Driver. Thanks for dropping by to catch today's video. Well, are your pick of the 5 worst trucks the same as ours? Let me know what 'dog's you picked, or if you're on the same page as I am! Love to hear from you.
The only other truck I drove on your list was a GMC General. The turning radius really stunk. It literary needed forty acres to get this rig around. I also drove some GMC's from the mid-60's. Nothing worked well. From the heater to the air assist wipers. But from what I have been told and heard the others on your list are all good choices.
I had a GMC Brigadier with a 671 detroit silver series. It put out 300 HP wich was ok because it had an 18 foot flatbead on it. it was Ok for what i used it for but I'm not sure how that would have ever been a semi.
Lol im in a big cam powered astro at this very moment! Its been stretched with a cutoff from a pete. I paid $2200 for a runner, i have less than 10k in it and ive run it regionally for 3 years here in Michigan and Midwest. I love mine its paid for an NO ELD
Had a new 1980 Chevy Bison with a 400 Cummins. It was a very nice truck . Drove a couple different Astros and the Chevy Titan 90 cabover and I didn't mind them at all. No Pete or Kenworth but they got the job done
The White/gmc/ Volvo was actually a decent truck. I have one 32 years old still earning a living. White was way ahead of everyone else with their integral cab and sleeper.
Apparently you don't like GMC. Lol! I grew up with them with a family milk hauling business. They always did us good and they were serviced by 'truck only' GMC dealers so not sure where you're getting your info. The General was actually a pretty cool truck in it's day.
Back in the mid 90s I took over driving a 1983 GMC General log truck. The former driver was cleaning his stuff out but left a Phillips head screwdriver on the seat. I handed it to him and he said no. Your going to need that to keep the screws in the dash and headliner from raining down on your head. He said I recommend tightening the twice a day.
The Argosy was a success in Australia and New Zealand.... I own 3 of them with 600hp Cummins engines the newest is a 2018 model with a 600hp X15 engine in it
Funny you should mention GMC Astros and exhaust rain caps. I was driving a 1980 ASTRO and it had a rattling rain cap. I was parked a truckstop one night sleeping peacefully. Some driver started bang on my door cussing up a storm complaint about my rattling rain cap and shut that damn thing off as he couldn't sleep. I thought he was after me and came outta that bunk with a large ball peen hammer. Thank God we both cooled off in time and settled the situation!
My grandpa bought a brand new general drove it out of the show room first day working the dash fell right into his hands 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I do love the look of the gmcs though!
The Caterpillar truck partnership with Navistar was pretty bad. I’ve driven the GMC/Volvo/White day cabs . They were bad but they were very old at the time.
Your just a Peterbilt nut. I had a new Astro in 1978 and a 1982. Made a good living with them. Never could stand a Peterbilt. So everybody has there own opinions.
We called them cabover phone booths. Should have said that in the video. Worst wreck I ever saw was a team in an Astro. They went off a cliff near Golden B.C.
Back in the early 90s, as much as I hated the Ford Aeromax I drove for 3 years, I later got assigned a WhiteGMC WIA64 and it straight-up stunk. I hated everything about it. The Volvo VNL630 curbsniffer I drove before I got off the road for good was a nice ride.
Back in the 1960s Dodge also built a big truck I worked on one it was a car hauler it had two wings that opened up to work on the motor instead of opening the hood
My grandpa's got a 79 GMC cab over Astro. First big rig I ever drove. Had a 8:55 Cummins and an 18 speed😂 I thought it was the best truck on the road until I got into a Kenworth😂
My name Bill Thompson I used to work for Ryder trunk rentals in the body shop an have a lots of GMC Astros they a easy truck to work on I always like seeing cab over trucks on the road
The GMC Astro twins were really cool! Outward visibility was awesome and the cockpit style dash was easy to understand. The Volvo/GMC WIA was ugly but functional ( had an expeditor on this chassis ). The Pete 372 Winnebago.......folks slept on them.....full mechanical and getting great mpg. The Argosy.......misunderstood. Get a Series 60 Detroit and it's an everlast.
I drove a General for years. Couldn't kill it. My biggest complaint was the steering so easy but was like 6 turns lock to lock. You literally threw the wheel to straighten out after a corner.
I heard my Dad one time ask my uncle (his brother) who had a small logging operation in the big woods of coastal western Washington how many trucks he was running then. My uncle Buck (I really had one!!) replied, "I have 8 trucks and a Mack" and even though I was probably 12 years old I chuckled and saw the humor there!!
Ha Ha! My cousin Peter was at Porsche's design school, when PACAR came to ask about using a European wind tunnel for design work. PACAR eventually just gave Porsche the interior detentions of the cab, and wanted 8+ MPG by any way they could. Hello 372! Remember back then, Harley asked Porsche to design a leaning back posture, motorcycle, with a stronger V twin under 1,000cc, and got the Wet Head. I drove a 1975 Astro with a 2 stroke, V 16 Detroit, from Philly, to Miami, 3 times a week. I don't remember not pissing blood, or being deft at truck stops. Great views of all the seatcovers once we got where it was warm outside. The AC was the best in the Biz. She was a racehorse on I 95, and at night you could see the glow of the exhaust manifolds for miles. lol! She was a Beast!
Volvo built a manufacturing plant in Dublin VA. If you never drove a 372 Pete they were very good driving and rode great. Argosy was also a nice truck don’t know if I’d say 500 horse was a small engine? For most normal freight that’s plenty.
The GMC Astro has become popular with collectors now days. My work in the early 2000's had a Volvo (1989 I think) which by 2003 was retired from linehaul and was now a city shuttle truck. It was a weekly thing that something went wrong with it. 8 times out of 10 it was something electrical. When I was at J.B. Hunt I twice had an Argosy assigned to me (I slip seated to have more time off) One had no problems but the other had computer bugs and kept shutting me down.. In those three weeks out I didn't make a whole lot of money thanks to that piece of junk.
Volvo acquired the manufacturing facilities of White from Consolidated Freightways. In 1988, Volvo and General Motors merged their heavy truck divisions in North America, creating Volvo-GM Heavy Truck Corporation and a new brand of trucks, White-GMC. Thus the "GMC-Volvo" on your "five worst" list is essentially a White with a Volvo grille (and sold by GMC dealers!) Whether a person might agree with your "five worst" list, Dave, is probably an indication of their age. My list would include Dodge CNT950's and LNT1000's, 1960's era GMC "cracker box" COE's and Hendrickson conventional cab models with compound 4-speed manual transmissions.
I was moving a Freightliner of some sort (the big M2 if I recall) back to our shop from somewhere in Kentucky. DD15 and a five speed Allison (heck if I know why). Pulling onto the highway, hit a bump and thought I broke the axle. I go back, had like a foot of springs on the axle, dang thing didn’t budge. I go back the next morning to our shop, the foreman looks at me all chipper “how was your ride”. Gave him the death stare, “ran like an ungoverned yard mule”.
here in colombia those volvos were sold as “chevrolet super brigadier” they mounted a cummins ntc 350 or 400, then they used the cummins N14 plus,and an eaton fuller 14715. it has been may be the best truck ever here in colombia. here were ensabled by General Motors colmotores,the latest models were sold as volvos and mounted detroit 60 series engine. grettings from colombia🙂
One cab over truck I always thought was ugly was the international bus cabover. Now granted international built some good trucks but the bus cabover was ugly and it felt weird diving it.
Also my grandpa had a gmc 9500 which is hands down my favorite truck own one! But it wouldn't start he was fed up with it he had a fire going to heat the oil pan in the winter he left it going and drove off with my dad and my grandma to go for lunch in hopes of coming back to the fire depo putting out the fire to a burnt truck turns out my great grandpa had drivin by and put out the fire 😂 my grandpa was so mad!
You missed the GMC Brigadier, that's among the worst I've ever driven. Every bump in the road would send me crashing into the low ceiling. I'm surprised my neck didn't get broken, it hurts just thinking about it now.
volvo bought white trucks in the early 80s and built those trucks you speak of, that class 7 and 8 merger, the only model GMC built was the Brigadier and only till 89/90! white trucks designed that integral sleeper cab!
I personally think the Argosy was a pretty nice truck all told. Never seen or rode in one but I think they look great for their time, given what was capable and expected of COE designs. The exterior doesn't stray too far from American design language while trying to give you that Mercedes comfort better known in their own trucks overseas.
I drove one twice. The trucks themselves are nice looking but it was too reliant on computers which large trucks didnt have too much of yet. One Argosy shut me down three times because of computer bugs.
Yes Argosy's are considered pretty top-of-the-line in New Zealand where I spent 2022 and 2023 trucking for agriculture. Cabovers are the norm over there, and definitely not underpowered; You often see them with a Detroit Series 60 500hp, or a Cat C15 in them
Hey, thanks for making the video Dave! I recall on the early seasons of Highway thru Hell Colin was driving Jamie’s general and he hated the thing. I always was the weird kid who thought the 372 was kinda cool, but agreed wholeheartedly on the Argosy.
I pulled a set of doubles with a half shack Astro 95, 290 Cummins Fuel Squeezer, 10 speed RoadRanger. I never got fully comfortable with it. I got lucky, and was able to have it replaced with a 1968 White cabover. It had a 250 Cummins, 10 speed RoadRanger. I was happy with that one. RIP Driver. I am going to miss you.❤
Imo the Argosy is one of the most beautiful cab over trucks out there, someday I hope to have one myself (just not the one you showed a picture of as that truck is hideous imo at least).
I bought a 1986 GMC General for a combination plow truck . This was 2001. 400 Cummins with a 13 speed. It was a great plow truck because of the narrow hood. Great visability. They were known for having crap wiring but had no issues with it. Heater was weak but I added auxillary under the passenger seat. 4 years. Cool looking truck.
I drove a 84 GMC Astro back when I started driving for north American Van lines. Boy what a piece of junk it was. Cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Glad I was young back then. Because my kidneys would be shot today" definitely a truck that you stopped when ya had to pee"😮😮😮😮
I drove in 1978 aGMC 5 STAR GENERAL WILD SCREAMIN BIG V8 DETROIT 1371 SUPERCHARGER 21SPD DOUBLE OD TRANS, 2 MEN & A BOY STEERING LETS PUT THIS WAY 10 POTS OF COFFEE A 12 PACK OF RED BULL DIDN'T COME CLOSE ! YOU COULDN'T HEAR OR SEE STRAIGHT, SPITTIN OUT PIECES OF TEETH & THAT WAS THE COOL PART. IWANT TO BUY ONE JUST SO I CAN SET IT ON FIRE!!!
First truck I learned with was a General, then jumped into an Astro for a short bit before they decided it wasn’t worth fixing anymore. Newbies weren’t climbing into brand new automatics like many are now.
Interesting fact about the Freightliner Argosy it wasn't very popular because of how it looked in the United States but for what I remember it's heavily used in Australia
The argosy was huge here in Australia. We have overall length limits here in Australia, they were short enough but also had very large bunk space. They weren't the best especially here in Australia where every interior part would begin to shake itself loose on our terrible roads over here
Freightliners Argosy are kinda common trucks here in Chile, but only with one cab with a single bunk bed and none of the fancy stairs and stuff. They look badass
I'm a little confused. The GMC Volvo you showed. I drove one of these trucks, like the one pictured, in the early 90's. But the name tag where the VIN and specs where for the manufacturer wasn't GMC or Volvo. It was White- Autocar and had "WHITE" on the grill. I guess my question is where Volvo and White manufacturing the same truck at the same time or was one or the other just putting different manufacturer names on them? On a side note. There's a sign, I think it's Oklahoma or Texas, from a now out of business truck stop that is one of those GMC Astros up on a pole. That's all that is left of the business but it's a good place for the Astro!!
I drove a General. We called it the Thunder Chicken. 6V72 with a 10 speed. Going uphill, I could jam a 2x4 on the throttle, get out take a piss and still not have the truck pass me.
I still see a TON of the GMC/Volvo trucks. Usually as dumps and other things...and still a few hauling trailers. I drove a 95 for a while and it was not as nice or built as well as the LTL 9000 i got moved into...but not bad by any means
I owned 2 White Volvo WIA’s they were great trucks. Volvo bought White in the early 80’s and it was a White design not a GMC. These trucks were quite reliable and just good hard working trucks. They had more room inside than a Pete or KW due to the integral design.
You are right about the GMC trucks. I had the misfortune of spending a week in one of those GMC 5-star generals. What a load of junk! No steering radius, rode like a forklift, heater didn't work, and neither did the air conditioning. What a load!
For sure, back in 2000 I started my 12 years with a major grocery chain here in the northeast we had all Volvo/White trucks "green ones" anyway I can remember an all steel dash, large bench seat I could nap on. LOL 😂 also steel leaf springs all around. Most truckers had it on 19 for chit chat. Good times Dave. I'm still truckin but hauling gas now. 😊😊
Neighbor had a General, the service air tank was under the passenger seat inside the cab so all day long you listened to it moaning, groaning and squealing as the air went in and out of it, enough to drive you nuts! On the upside it was comfortable enough, had a 400 Cat and was a pretty rugged truck.
When my Pete engine crankshaft broke, I bought a JB Hunt International 9700 (cabover set back axle) to keep working. Cream color, spring suspension, about 150" WB. It was ugly and rode like the Astro.
The 1st truck I bought was a 93 GMC/WHITE Cabover. 1st trip less than 1000 miles the shifter came disconnected at the transmission. With the help of some bailing wire I was able to limp it in to a dealership!!!! Drove some Astros b4 that to
I’ve had 2 generals, most the time the wipers wouldn’t work. There big idea for an anti lock break system was a juke. Needed rubber bungee cords to hold the doors shut and hold the dash board hooked to the truck, otherwise it was a good truck. Heater and air conditioner didn’t work very well.
Argosy was a great tractor. ISX 400 super ten transmission. It was nice in tight places with a 53 footer. Also, how on earth did you not include the White Road Commander?
You mentioned first one at the scene of the accident all cabovers where that way! My dad and grandpa had GMC’s from the the 1930’s through the 1980’s. Made a lot of money with them and obviously you never drove a White Freightliner cabover,every 15 miles you have to put all your shit back in the sleeper that shook out!
I had a feeling that the Astro would've been on your list. In the Navy, we had a daycab in the motopool back yard. That sucker had a clutch pedal had a spring that Superman would've had a field day with. Cool looking truck though.
Hey there Driver. Thanks for dropping by to catch today's video. Well, are your pick of the 5 worst trucks the same as ours? Let me know what 'dog's you picked, or if you're on the same page as I am! Love to hear from you.
The only other truck I drove on your list was a GMC General. The turning radius really stunk. It literary needed forty acres to get this rig around. I also drove some GMC's from the mid-60's. Nothing worked well. From the heater to the air assist wipers. But from what I have been told and heard the others on your list are all good choices.
Mine is cyber truck
I had a GMC Brigadier with a 671 detroit silver series. It put out 300 HP wich was ok because it had an 18 foot flatbead on it. it was Ok for what i used it for but I'm not sure how that would have ever been a semi.
My dad bought a General brand new in 1990 with a big bunk and a 400 cummins and he loved it
I never knew GMCs had that reputation, I always thought the Generals looked cool. Kind of similar to a Mack Superliner.
A friend of mine has an old general that he fixed up with a 318 Detroit in it. The Detroit is loud enough that you can't hear the rattles😅😅
The same holds true for their Terex construction equipment with "Jimmy's" in them. They were just absolute screaming engines.
What?
These awful old trucks are still better than the new ones. No debate.
No way! Dad bought a 78 General in 1980 , 290 Cummins and we still own it to this day, been a great truck!
Lol im in a big cam powered astro at this very moment! Its been stretched with a cutoff from a pete. I paid $2200 for a runner, i have less than 10k in it and ive run it regionally for 3 years here in Michigan and Midwest. I love mine its paid for an NO ELD
Don't forget about the ugly ass Peterbilt 587 and the Kenworth T2000.
Yup, those are modern ugly!
Yup, they're both ugly
Had a new 1980 Chevy Bison with a 400 Cummins. It was a very nice truck .
Drove a couple different Astros and the Chevy Titan 90 cabover and I didn't mind them at all. No Pete or Kenworth but they got the job done
I had a new 1980 Bison when 19 yrs old with a 435 DD and hauled steel out of the Soo. Same story as you.
The White/gmc/ Volvo was actually a decent truck. I have one 32 years old still earning a living. White was way ahead of everyone else with their integral cab and sleeper.
I'm very surprised you didn't mention the International ProStar with the maxxforce engine
That's the engine, not the actual truck itself
You're right, it was a dog
Apparently you don't like GMC. Lol! I grew up with them with a family milk hauling business. They always did us good and they were serviced by 'truck only' GMC dealers so not sure where you're getting your info. The General was actually a pretty cool truck in it's day.
I guess I'm kind of a weirdo because I like the way the Argosy looks. I want one.
Yeah, I didn't think they looked that bad but they just didn't sell
Back in the mid 90s I took over driving a 1983 GMC General log truck. The former driver was cleaning his stuff out but left a Phillips head screwdriver on the seat. I handed it to him and he said no. Your going to need that to keep the screws in the dash and headliner from raining down on your head. He said I recommend tightening the twice a day.
Dude was just roasting GMC😂
I had a 60 series Detroit set at 515 H.P.
Pulled very well, reliable, very few problems with it.
The Argosy was a success in Australia and New Zealand.... I own 3 of them with 600hp Cummins engines the newest is a 2018 model with a 600hp X15 engine in it
Funny you should mention GMC Astros and exhaust rain caps. I was driving a 1980 ASTRO and it had a rattling rain cap. I was parked a truckstop one night sleeping peacefully. Some driver started bang on my door cussing up a storm complaint about my rattling rain cap and shut that damn thing off as he couldn't sleep. I thought he was after me and came outta that bunk with a large ball peen hammer. Thank God we both cooled off in time and settled the situation!
Funny!
I had a brand new 1986 GMC Volvo White or VW as we called them. It rode quite well but had a small motor.
Your list is missing Maxxforce powered Internationals. 200000 miles max before major engine repairs.
Should have mentioned them!
My grandpa bought a brand new general drove it out of the show room first day working the dash fell right into his hands 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I do love the look of the gmcs though!
The Caterpillar truck partnership with Navistar was pretty bad. I’ve driven the GMC/Volvo/White day cabs . They were bad but they were very old at the time.
Your just a Peterbilt nut. I had a new Astro in 1978 and a 1982. Made a good living with them. Never could stand a Peterbilt. So everybody has there own opinions.
Don't like the 372 Pete
I drove a GMC Astro. We use to call them a " slap back " for the reasons given in the video.
We called them cabover phone booths. Should have said that in the video. Worst wreck I ever saw was a team in an Astro. They went off a cliff near Golden B.C.
Back in the early 90s, as much as I hated the Ford Aeromax I drove for 3 years, I later got assigned a WhiteGMC WIA64 and it straight-up stunk. I hated everything about it. The Volvo VNL630 curbsniffer I drove before I got off the road for good was a nice ride.
Back in the 1960s Dodge also built a big truck I worked on one it was a car hauler it had two wings that opened up to work on the motor instead of opening the hood
My grandpa's got a 79 GMC cab over Astro. First big rig I ever drove. Had a 8:55 Cummins and an 18 speed😂 I thought it was the best truck on the road until I got into a Kenworth😂
My name Bill Thompson I used to work for Ryder trunk rentals in the body shop an have a lots of GMC Astros they a easy truck to work on I always like seeing cab over trucks on the road
I still see GMC General / Chevy Bison trucks on the road today... Tandem dumps hauling stone
The GMC Astro twins were really cool! Outward visibility was awesome and the cockpit style dash was easy to understand. The Volvo/GMC WIA was ugly but functional ( had an expeditor on this chassis ).
The Pete 372 Winnebago.......folks slept on them.....full mechanical and getting great mpg.
The Argosy.......misunderstood. Get a Series 60 Detroit and it's an everlast.
I drove a General for years. Couldn't kill it. My biggest complaint was the steering so easy but was like 6 turns lock to lock. You literally threw the wheel to straighten out after a corner.
A guy who I worked with had a GM General dump truck, and unfortunately for Jack it was in the shop so often for repairs.
I heard my Dad one time ask my uncle (his brother) who had a small logging operation in the big woods of coastal western Washington how many trucks he was running then. My uncle Buck (I really had one!!) replied, "I have 8 trucks and a Mack" and even though I was probably 12 years old I chuckled and saw the humor there!!
Ha Ha! My cousin Peter was at Porsche's design school,
when PACAR came to ask about using a European wind tunnel
for design work. PACAR eventually just gave Porsche the interior
detentions of the cab, and wanted 8+ MPG by any way they could.
Hello 372!
Remember back then, Harley asked Porsche to design a leaning
back posture, motorcycle, with a stronger V twin under 1,000cc,
and got the Wet Head.
I drove a 1975 Astro with a 2 stroke, V 16 Detroit, from Philly, to Miami,
3 times a week. I don't remember not pissing blood, or being deft at truck stops.
Great views of all the seatcovers once we got where it was warm outside.
The AC was the best in the Biz. She was a racehorse on I 95, and at night you could see the glow of the exhaust manifolds for miles. lol! She was a Beast!
Pete with paccar mx13 has to make that list.
He wasn't talking about the motors.
I agree!
Volvo built a manufacturing plant in Dublin VA. If you never drove a 372 Pete they were very good driving and rode great. Argosy was also a nice truck don’t know if I’d say 500 horse was a small engine? For most normal freight that’s plenty.
You can rag on the GMCs all you want. The ones I've been around and in were pretty tight trucks compared to a Binder.
Man, Snowman and Bandit spent 80,000 dollars on a bad truck! Looked cool on the big screen!
The GMC Astro has become popular with collectors now days.
My work in the early 2000's had a Volvo (1989 I think) which by 2003 was retired from linehaul and was now a city shuttle truck. It was a weekly thing that something went wrong with it. 8 times out of 10 it was something electrical.
When I was at J.B. Hunt I twice had an Argosy assigned to me (I slip seated to have more time off) One had no problems but the other had computer bugs and kept shutting me down.. In those three weeks out I didn't make a whole lot of money thanks to that piece of junk.
Maybe GMC used Body by Fisher for their cabs? Fisher bodies are renowned for slopoy quality and rust.
Always get into tight spots a lot easier back then with csbovers
1980's White road boss better known THE WHITE ROAD COMMODE
Volvo acquired the manufacturing facilities of White from Consolidated Freightways. In 1988, Volvo and General Motors merged their heavy truck divisions in North America, creating Volvo-GM Heavy Truck Corporation and a new brand of trucks, White-GMC. Thus the "GMC-Volvo" on your "five worst" list is essentially a White with a Volvo grille (and sold by GMC dealers!) Whether a person might agree with your "five worst" list, Dave, is probably an indication of their age. My list would include Dodge CNT950's and LNT1000's, 1960's era GMC "cracker box" COE's and Hendrickson conventional cab models with compound 4-speed manual transmissions.
I was moving a Freightliner of some sort (the big M2 if I recall) back to our shop from somewhere in Kentucky. DD15 and a five speed Allison (heck if I know why). Pulling onto the highway, hit a bump and thought I broke the axle. I go back, had like a foot of springs on the axle, dang thing didn’t budge.
I go back the next morning to our shop, the foreman looks at me all chipper “how was your ride”.
Gave him the death stare, “ran like an ungoverned yard mule”.
GMC Astro!! My first truck that was ever assigned to me as my own. Learned how to go trucking in it. 35 years later still at it, in a new 379 now tho
1: Tesla Curbsniffer
2: Fakerbuilt 589
3: Fakerbuilt 389
4: All Scamias
5: Mercedes engined Western Stars
here in colombia those volvos were sold as “chevrolet super brigadier” they mounted a cummins ntc 350 or 400, then they used the cummins N14 plus,and an eaton fuller 14715. it has been may be the best truck ever here in colombia. here were ensabled by General Motors colmotores,the latest models were sold as volvos and mounted detroit 60 series engine. grettings from colombia🙂
I almost forgot the Mack Cruiselunker with boatanchor 5 spd . You could shift 1st on monday into 5th on friday . Snoozeliner
My dad had an Astro with a 318 and a 13 speed and 4:11 diffs. He complained about the rattling all the time but it made him a living.
One cab over truck I always thought was ugly was the international bus cabover. Now granted international built some good trucks but the bus cabover was ugly and it felt weird diving it.
Also my grandpa had a gmc 9500 which is hands down my favorite truck own one! But it wouldn't start he was fed up with it he had a fire going to heat the oil pan in the winter he left it going and drove off with my dad and my grandma to go for lunch in hopes of coming back to the fire depo putting out the fire to a burnt truck turns out my great grandpa had drivin by and put out the fire 😂 my grandpa was so mad!
You missed the GMC Brigadier, that's among the worst I've ever driven. Every bump in the road would send me crashing into the low ceiling. I'm surprised my neck didn't get broken, it hurts just thinking about it now.
I own a white gmc volvo with a cat engine and it's a dependable truck. Looks ain't everything.
I like the sound of rain flaps sitting there tapping away at an idle, but I can see where some wouldn’t.
I was a diesel mechanic in a GMC dealership, One good thing about working on Astros was that there were plenty of things to work on.
volvo bought white trucks in the early 80s and built those trucks you speak of, that class 7 and 8 merger, the only model GMC built was the Brigadier and only till 89/90! white trucks designed that integral sleeper cab!
I personally think the Argosy was a pretty nice truck all told. Never seen or rode in one but I think they look great for their time, given what was capable and expected of COE designs. The exterior doesn't stray too far from American design language while trying to give you that Mercedes comfort better known in their own trucks overseas.
I drove one twice. The trucks themselves are nice looking but it was too reliant on computers which large trucks didnt have too much of yet. One Argosy shut me down three times because of computer bugs.
Yes Argosy's are considered pretty top-of-the-line in New Zealand where I spent 2022 and 2023 trucking for agriculture. Cabovers are the norm over there, and definitely not underpowered; You often see them with a Detroit Series 60 500hp, or a Cat C15 in them
Hey, thanks for making the video Dave! I recall on the early seasons of Highway thru Hell Colin was driving Jamie’s general and he hated the thing.
I always was the weird kid who thought the 372 was kinda cool, but agreed wholeheartedly on the Argosy.
I had a 1982 GMC General, it was a great truck.
I pulled a set of doubles with a half shack Astro 95, 290 Cummins Fuel Squeezer, 10 speed RoadRanger. I never got fully comfortable with it. I got lucky, and was able to have it replaced with a 1968 White cabover. It had a 250 Cummins, 10 speed RoadRanger. I was happy with that one. RIP Driver. I am going to miss you.❤
I think the Freightliner Argosy is one of the most beautiful US made cabovers. I have seen a few on the road since I've started trucking.
Give me a general any day LOL thanks for the video keep on truckin 👍💪🇺🇸
Sterlings should be on the list
That’s not true about the Argosy. You could get a C15 or N14.
I been in the trucking business now foe 43 years, the changes that been made is amazing from back in the 70s to today's models.
Now, GM is making their cars and SUV's with the same quality engineering as these forgotten cab-overs.
A driver who hauls seacans who is known well around town has a 2000 Argosy. Has a 550 3406 cat in it. The things a beast
Imo the Argosy is one of the most beautiful cab over trucks out there, someday I hope to have one myself (just not the one you showed a picture of as that truck is hideous imo at least).
I bought a 1986 GMC General for a combination plow truck . This was 2001. 400 Cummins with a 13 speed. It was a great plow truck because of the narrow hood. Great visability. They were known for having crap wiring but had no issues with it. Heater was weak but I added auxillary under the passenger seat. 4 years. Cool looking truck.
I drove a 84 GMC Astro back when I started driving for north American Van lines. Boy what a piece of junk it was. Cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Glad I was young back then. Because my kidneys would be shot today" definitely a truck that you stopped when ya had to pee"😮😮😮😮
I drove in 1978 aGMC 5 STAR GENERAL WILD SCREAMIN BIG V8 DETROIT 1371 SUPERCHARGER 21SPD DOUBLE OD TRANS, 2 MEN & A BOY STEERING LETS PUT THIS WAY 10 POTS OF COFFEE A 12 PACK OF RED BULL DIDN'T COME CLOSE ! YOU COULDN'T HEAR OR SEE STRAIGHT, SPITTIN OUT PIECES OF TEETH & THAT WAS THE COOL PART. IWANT TO BUY ONE JUST SO I CAN SET IT ON FIRE!!!
First truck I learned with was a General, then jumped into an Astro for a short bit before they decided it wasn’t worth fixing anymore. Newbies weren’t climbing into brand new automatics like many are now.
I forgot to mention in my comment below. My Astro was painted in the same scheme as the one in your heading. Bill
3:31 that truck looks cooler today than most trucks on the road these days
Interesting fact about the Freightliner Argosy it wasn't very popular because of how it looked in the United States but for what I remember it's heavily used in Australia
We had some in Canada too. Some are still being used to pull heavy loads
The argosy was huge here in Australia. We have overall length limits here in Australia, they were short enough but also had very large bunk space. They weren't the best especially here in Australia where every interior part would begin to shake itself loose on our terrible roads over here
Freightliners Argosy are kinda common trucks here in Chile, but only with one cab with a single bunk bed and none of the fancy stairs and stuff. They look badass
I'm a little confused.
The GMC Volvo you showed. I drove one of these trucks, like the one pictured, in the early 90's. But the name tag where the VIN and specs where for the manufacturer wasn't GMC or Volvo. It was White- Autocar and had "WHITE" on the grill.
I guess my question is where Volvo and White manufacturing the same truck at the same time or was one or the other just putting different manufacturer names on them?
On a side note. There's a sign, I think it's Oklahoma or Texas, from a now out of business truck stop that is one of those GMC Astros up on a pole. That's all that is left of the business but it's a good place for the Astro!!
I drove a General. We called it the Thunder Chicken. 6V72 with a 10 speed. Going uphill, I could jam a 2x4 on the throttle, get out take a piss and still not have the truck pass me.
I still see a TON of the GMC/Volvo trucks. Usually as dumps and other things...and still a few hauling trailers. I drove a 95 for a while and it was not as nice or built as well as the LTL 9000 i got moved into...but not bad by any means
I owned 2 White Volvo WIA’s they were great trucks. Volvo bought White in the early 80’s and it was a White design not a GMC. These trucks were quite reliable and just good hard working trucks. They had more room inside than a Pete or KW due to the integral design.
I wonder how that 372 would fair today; 10mpg is great. Maybe Scania could break into the U.S. market with something similar.
You are right about the GMC trucks. I had the misfortune of spending a week in one of those GMC 5-star generals. What a load of junk! No steering radius, rode like a forklift, heater didn't work, and neither did the air conditioning. What a load!
For sure, back in 2000 I started my 12 years with a major grocery chain here in the northeast we had all Volvo/White trucks "green ones" anyway I can remember an all steel dash, large bench seat I could nap on. LOL 😂 also steel leaf springs all around. Most truckers had it on 19 for chit chat. Good times Dave. I'm still truckin but hauling gas now. 😊😊
Actually really love the look of those 372s, kind of has a cabover KW T600 vibe to it
The Volvo plant is in Virginia, not North Carolina. There also was one in Provo, Utah for awhile. I hauled parts to the one in Utah.
Neighbor had a General, the service air tank was under the passenger seat inside the cab so all day long you listened to it moaning, groaning and squealing as the air went in and out of it, enough to drive you nuts! On the upside it was comfortable enough, had a 400 Cat and was a pretty rugged truck.
You have eaten a subscriber in me! Much love from Saskatchewan Canada!
Argosys are quite popular in New Zealand, they're usually 600HP, often in 8x4 twin steer ridged
When my Pete engine crankshaft broke, I bought a JB Hunt International 9700 (cabover set back axle) to keep working. Cream color, spring suspension, about 150" WB. It was ugly and rode like the Astro.
The 1st truck I bought was a 93 GMC/WHITE Cabover. 1st trip less than 1000 miles the shifter came disconnected at the transmission. With the help of some bailing wire I was able to limp it in to a dealership!!!! Drove some Astros b4 that to
I’ve had 2 generals, most the time the wipers wouldn’t work. There big idea for an anti lock break system was a juke. Needed rubber bungee cords to hold the doors shut and hold the dash board hooked to the truck, otherwise it was a good truck. Heater and air conditioner didn’t work very well.
I drove an Argosy. The steps didn't swing out. Had a big CAT. It performed very well. Rode great.
I drove an Astro 95 for about 2 years. Now I personally never had the ride issue. But did hate the windshield
Discontinue in NA but every else the Argosy sells.
Argosy was a great tractor. ISX 400 super ten transmission. It was nice in tight places with a 53 footer. Also, how on earth did you not include the White Road Commander?
You mentioned first one at the scene of the accident all cabovers where that way! My dad and grandpa had GMC’s from the the 1930’s through the 1980’s. Made a lot of money with them and obviously you never drove a White Freightliner cabover,every 15 miles you have to put all your shit back in the sleeper that shook out!
Any International with the Maxforce engine should have made the list.
I had a feeling that the Astro would've been on your list. In the Navy, we had a daycab in the motopool back yard. That sucker had a clutch pedal had a spring that Superman would've had a field day with. Cool looking truck though.
The general was my first new truck it didn't make it very long 7 months thanks for bringing back the memories