Is this the sexiest truck on the old OHS fleet?
I collected this new from Antwerp with a new Dorsey skeletal flatbed trailer and brought it over to Rainham to Tilt Tek. Picked up a brand new completed tilt and this is a picture of the rig after servicing and washing by the Contex crew at Pinar Basi near Izmir after the first trip.
Very smart indeed- I always thought the Astro was amongst the least shed-like of the US cabs, at least to look at. What’s the story behind it? Someone on another thread said that the Iranian(?) government had done a deal with the US, explaining their abundance in the Middle East, but now we have one imported by a GB operator via Belgium. Was its engine…err… one of GM’s own manufacture, by any chance?
Orhan Sertel, the boss of OHS, bought his Macks direct from the States as he was over there a lot having an American wife (before they got divorced!)
Whilst there he found a frustrated export order of 50 GMC’s and bought 2 as a trial.
They had Detroit Diesel 320 bhp engines with Allison automatic gearboxes which were basically five speed in either high or low range. The only problem was the truck had to be stationary to select the range so in effect you only had five gears at your disposal.
They were much more expensive to run and maintain than the Macks so they did not buy any more of them.
I heard that the rest of the 48 were bought by P & O and ran in Saudi.
Allison 'boxes- wierd! I suppose the poor fuel consumption was not an issue in Saudi. What was it like to drive, compared to a Mack or a European lorry?
You dont say what year this was Jazzandy. I’m guessing about mid 70s, i bet you felt like king of the road in that?.
I’ll bet you only needed your own airfield to turn that around in Jazzandy 
I think it was 74 or 75. Yes I did feel like like a King of the road. the truck always attracted a lot of attention. There was only one other around and that was also OHS and was driven by George Fardell.
I have to say though that it was a sod to drive. You had to keep your foot right down on the accelerator which had quite a lot of sprung back pressure as it was an auto. That’s why I’ve got varicose veins in my right leg!
You can see from the photo that the wheels on the trailer were right at the back so with the six legged tractor you needed a wide swing on corners and of course as y rightly point out flysheet you needed several acres to turn her round in!
Do you have anymore photos of it?.
Yes. I’m look some out and post them as well as the Maxk F786’s and the famous Sedoon Atkins 400’s
Evening all, interesting thread, occasionally used to see the OHS Macks, and Seddons, and in the UK that ugly 4x2 Mack, “dustbin lorry”, but never saw the Astro`s. The only GMCs that I came up close with were the spectacular ones run by Rene Lefebre, and his family from Aix Noulette, (T.A.F. Transports Affretments Frigorifique, and Locartois Refrigeration). Possibly the fastest lorries in France, if not all of Europe! and all with Max Meynier “look alike” chauffers, (moustouchies, bomber jackets, and delicate footwear containing a “lead” right foot)!! Boy did those screaming Detroit powered red and white Astro pulled outfits go, however hard I tried , I just could not get them into V8 TR Berliets, not even look alike Le Centaure ones. The only other GMCs were the more sombre liveried, (as befited a northern France operator), ones of the Wauthier family, Daniel really loved his US iron, and some of his teams creations by re-engine with Detroit Vs of such as Scanias ,really were quite spectacular! In the late 90s, I imported quite a few US trucks into the UK, mainly Kenworth, but only ever one with an Allison box. Boy, oh boy what a mistake! Wonderful lorry, ex owner driver on for Bekins Van Lines, Aerodyne, 8bag air, all alloy Budds, Detroit V8. She stood with me, (no stood is the wrong word, because I used her many times just to hear that waillllling exhaust, (twin straight thru 6in pipes), for 12months, before finding a home in sunny southern Italy, with the Toggini family. Once bitten twice shy!! Now Macks, there is another story, Its amazing how these threads bring the memories flooding back, Cheerio for now.
I bet that K Whopper was a flying machine, those Allison autos have a final ratio of 0.62:1, any gears higher than 4:11s couple with a high revving engine like a two stroke DD would make that thing capable of well over the ton 
I bet it sounded sweet too as it would be on the boil all the time with a slush box 
They were very heavily governed and max speed was about 56 mph which seems to be what modern trucks are governd down to as well. On the flat we got passed left right and centre but going uphill that 320 hp. Proved its worth. One problem was that you couldn’t leave it unattended and running because it would wind itself up to full governed speed.
It happened to me at Ludwigsburg Guterbahnhof while I was in the queue at the ticket office for the Kombiverkehr in the depths of winter. When I returned to the truck she was racing away at full bore and the police were jumping up and down with rage. Other drives were trying to shut the unit down by closing the flaps on the upright exhausts. Very funny scene but I got fined 100 dm before they would let me on the train!
newmercman:
I bet that K Whopper was a flying machine, those Allison autos have a final ratio of 0.62:1, any gears higher than 4:11s couple with a high revving engine like a two stroke DD would make that thing capable of well over the tonI bet it sounded sweet too as it would be on the boil all the time with a slush box
Fast was not really the word, she had a terminal velocity that far exceeded the capability of the chassis!! (and also that of 15in trailer tyres), now that was an expensive experience! Yes sir, she sounded, well , magnificent, and that “oxblood red” VIT naugahyde button interior, it only needed a chrystal chandalier to rival the best bordelo interior in Paris!! Off to mend my roads today, tons, and tons of planings, and a big bucket on the Merlo! Have a good day, (night) y`all. Cheerio for now.
Here’s a picture of the two main truck types on the OHS fleet at the time. The Mack is an F786 with a 280 hp. Thermodyne straight six with turbocooler.
Apart from the stiff accelerators, they were lovely trucks to drive, very smooth and lovely airconditioning which was quite rare at the time.
The twin wheels however on the Hendrickson bogie were a sod to change especially if you had a puncture on an inside one.
A. They were bloody heavy being pressed steel
B the outers had ten nuts and the inners had their own ten nuts. Also they were counter rotating so they tended to tighten as you drove.
Don’ t forget we had no mobile tyre services rushing out to change our flats! We used to strip them down, repair the punctures with our John Bull outfits and build the wheels back up on the side of the road. Bloody dangerous when you came to re-inflate them. If the retaining ring came adrift you were as good as dead!
Jazzandy:
Apart from the stiff accelerators, they were lovely trucks to drive, very smooth and lovely airconditioning which was quite rare at the time.The twin wheels however on the Hendrickson bogie were a sod to change especially if you had a puncture on an inside one.
A. They were bloody heavy being pressed steel
B the outers had ten nuts and the inners had their own ten nuts. Also they were counter rotating so they tended to tighten as you drove.Don’ t forget we had no mobile tyre services rushing out to change our flats! We used to strip them down, repair the punctures with our John Bull outfits and build the wheels back up on the side of the road. Bloody dangerous when you came to re-inflate them. If the retaining ring came adrift you were as good as dead!
Hello all, ah the joys of three piece wheels!! But that Budd nut system has to be one of the better security fixings ever. You do not loose Budd wheels, and if all else fails you can get home on one wheel!! But untill you fathom out how it works it can be a b…! Which can also be said if those Trilex wheels on the F786, I know on “my girl” RIJ334, (AUE267S), I was always checking the clamping rim nut security! Great thread this Jazandy, what about your 400 series? Cheerio for now.
I’ll be posting some pics of the 400’s. I was transport manager of OHS when they were bought so remember them well. They were purchased direct from Sedoon Atkinson rather than through a dealer which was quite unusual.
I’m pretty sure they had ■■■■■■■ 335 bhp motors and Eaton gearboxes and rear axles.
Jazzandy:
I’ll be posting some pics of the 400’s. I was transport manager of OHS when they were bought so remember them well. They were purchased direct from Sedoon Atkinson rather than through a dealer which was quite unusual.I’m pretty sure they had ■■■■■■■ 335 bhp motors and Eaton gearboxes and rear axles.
The fact that you say you think they had Eaton axles confirms that they did, if they had the ‘group’ rear axle, you’d remember 
They were a major disaster 
newmercman:
Jazzandy:
I’ll be posting some pics of the 400’s. I was transport manager of OHS when they were bought so remember them well. They were purchased direct from Sedoon Atkinson rather than through a dealer which was quite unusual.I’m pretty sure they had ■■■■■■■ 335 bhp motors and Eaton gearboxes and rear axles.
The fact that you say you think they had Eaton axles confirms that they did, if they had the ‘group’ rear axle, you’d remember
Hello Mark, you know your history well, disaster, that is not really an apt enough term! Lack of oil retention, even when new , was a major design feature!! When they first appeared on the Borderer, well, we all new it was the beginning of the end!! Cheerio for now.