The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Big bolt range

I came across a GMC Astro close to my home a while back and it got me to wondering. Would the range of years for big bolts be the same as the smaller stovebolts, pre '73? Or is it a different span of years? I ask because GM starting making the Astro and Chevy Titan in 1969 and I really liked those trucks.

I guess I was thinking of the wrong van. This is all I could find on your truck, this is a \'74.

Thanks for the picture Tony. That's the truck I'm talking about. Would it be alright for the stovebolt big bolt section if it's pre '73?

kwf,

By all means! It's a pre-'73 Stovebolt so it's good to go according to our guidelines.

At some point we may get more detailed in our guidelines but I really don't want to go there...

The only guideline on the books is that it has to be a pre-1973 model year truck (includes vans, both regular vans and Corvair vans) and made by a manufacturer that has been affiliated with the General Motors Corporation (such as Chevrolet, GMC, Samson, Republic, etc).

Hope that clears it up!

John

Wow, that is cool, and about as big as they get! Now we need to start a pool, to see how long it takes for someone to start asking questions about how hard it would be to swap the cab to a S-10 frame so they can get an improved ride and better fuel mileage.
OK just joking.
But just out of curiousity, does anyone have any information on what was the largest (Chevrolet or GMC) model and year it would have been manufactured?
The truck in the photo, would have been considered a Cab Over Tractor, correct? Which, also would be an entirely different class than a COE? I would also think that all of that size or model, would require a CDL (special license).
Do we have any members, that may be able to enlighten us on the really big ones, just for curiousity sake?

I know this is streching the 1973 rule a little, but this Chevrolet Bison is a REALLY BIG BOLT. The Chevrolet Bison was made from about 1976 to 1980 and were rated up to 64,000 pounds (CDL required). This one has a whopping 28,000 miles on it and is owned by a fellow ATHS club member.

http://www.dotphoto.com/SAN1/7E/D1/C1/i7ED1C1D1-4F7D-4163-93C1-362F2BE26222.jpg

The Astro/Titan [COE] and General/Bison [Conventional] could all be configured as tractors or straight trucks, just depends on what the buyer wanted

Mike B

That is a nice truck. The silver and black truck to the right in the picture is one of my all time favorites. In fact there are a couple of those on truckpaper.com right now.

One of the wreckers I drove while working at a heavy-haul towing service was a GMC Astro with a 430 HP Detroit Diesel 8V-92 engine and a 13 speed Fuller Roadranger transmission. I've hooked up to fully-loaded 18 wheelers (80,000 lbs.) and rolled away without a problem. The Astro or the Bison could be ordered with just about any type of engine, Cat, Cummins, Detroit, etc., and virtually any transmission/rear axle combination. Under the skin, heavy-duty trucks are pretty much clones. Some of the older conventionals even used the same cab assemblies, and just changed a little trim to make them look different! The 1961 Diamond Reo I drove prior to the Astro shared a lot of cab parts with Kenworth and Peterbilt!
Jerry

LOL...now this is pushin it...hehehe GMC (corporation) also makes off road heavy equipment trucks. Terex. Mining trucks...hehehe The old Terex's I worked on for awhile hauled if i remember right 75 Tons in the dump bed. They were powered by Detroit 16v92's (two 8v92's bolted together)You could stand up, walk under the truck to change oil.... the bed on the truck was 16ft wide. Now thats a big bolt...hehehehe

I've always wanted somethin' with ten forward gears and a Georgia overdrive.

drove an astro 95 several years ago. most uncomfortable thing i think i've ever been in. couldn't get the seat back far enough to stretch out because of the bunk. plenty short on creature comforts. it was a work truck only and not much else. gmc 9500 short nose conventionals were more easy on the back. an option on the 9500 long nose conventional was the 12 v 71. 3 to 4 mpg, but would pull a house off the foundation. 6-71 jimmies had a sound of their own. i miss that, along with the smell of the old diesels. my favorites? old "bubble nose" or "cannonball" jimmies and the old crackerbox jimmies.

if you like big old trucks, be sure to check out spanky hardy's stable while you are here.

i only have 1

[img]http://thumb0.webshots.com/s/thumb3/7/59/40/22675940qIPWkSnFPF_th.jpg[/img]

i almost forgot

Love that Detroit Diesel sound! Make mine an 8V92 please. Big trucks have been my thing since I was a small child. I'm 44 now. Are there any sites dedicated to Detroit Diesels? I would like more information. I know very little about them. The truck near my home has an 8V71 or 8V92. I don't know the difference between them. It also has what appears to be a supercharger.

Most likely and 6-71 or an 8V71 for that year unless it was upgraded later in life. Just gave away an 8V71 out of a 73 Astro hopefully it will do someone some good. 92series had some head problems if I recall. Detroit lost a lot of market share sticking with the 2 cycles when the market was changing. The 60 series made up for the delay though. My personal favorite was a 60 series at 470 hp in a 1998 KW conventional tenspeed with 370 rears . and fumblin are you sure you want georgia overdrive?

"Detroit Diesel .... has what appears to be a supercharger."

They all did, the 2 cycles design requiered it. they could not run with our it. it's the same unit used by any hot rods & drag racers.

2 cycles Detroit Diesels were great engines if used as intended, like in transit buses & fire trucks. They don't make them anymore because they could not meet the EPA standards, so now we have the 40, 50 & 60 series.

The only head problems I know of on the 92 series has been when some one that didn't know what they were doing worked on them. I have seen a lot of broken rocked and pusk rods due to bad tune ups, and they show up on first firing before the engine leaves the shop.

Seems like most folks were experienceing problems after rebiulds so Jolly may have a good point.