On July 22, 110 years ago, the General Motors Truck Co. was formed and has become one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers in the United States.
As early as in 1908, the General Motors company, which produced cars, included small firms, which produced trucks: Rapid, Reliance and Randolph. They have served as a basis for creation of General Motors Truck Co. in 1911.
It is necessary to say, that for some time after that truck models, though produced under the control of GMC, had the same old names. It was produced at the Rapid plant in Owosso, Michigan.
And in 1912, at the International Auto Show in New York, they first appeared under the GMC brand. Interestingly, there were several models of Rapid trucks with electric engines in the lineup. By 1913, they accounted for 39.8% of total production. Totally 509 electric trucks were produced from 1911 to 1916.
In the first half of 20s GMC produced a typical medium truck and produced a simple 1 – 5 tons models. And in 1927 began producing of the “T” series, which included trucks from 0,5 to 6 tons. They already had pneumatic tires, electric lights and brakes on all wheels.
In the 30s the company’s production program included 6×4 trucks, dropped-flow carburetors and pneumatic brakes. Since 1935 the trucks received streamlined cabins, hood and fenders. And the light trucks were equipped with hydraulic brakes with vacuum booster. The first diesel-powered versions also appeared.
In addition, GMC was one of the first companies, where synchronized gearbox was used on trucks. The result was a production growth. If in 1938 about 20 640 trucks were made, in 1941, GMC produced 111,382 units.
During the Second World War, over 600 thousand GMC trucks for the army were made, including 562,750 of the famous standard 2.5-ton model CCW 352/353 (6×6).
In the first postwar years the main production program were medium and light models. And in the early 50’s much attention was paid to the heavy duty class machines, including long haul tractors. Already then they were equipped with power steering and automatic transmissions.
At the World Expo in New York in 1964/65 GMC showed an experimental truck Bizon with two gas turbine engines and fantastic shape cabin. In 1969, GMC produced 150,180 trucks. And one more thing: from this year they were fully unified with Chevrolet products, differing in fact only by emblems and equipment.
The first joint model became a pickup truck Jimmy, aka Chevrolet Blazer. The heaviest truck Astro 95 was a twin brother of Chevrolet Titan.
In the 80s, the turbocharger with intercooler became a novelty on the Astro 95. In 1984, air suspension for cabs was introduced. In the mid-’80s GMC truck division was in a critical situation, and as a result, it merged with Volvo-White. The new Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corp. began operations on January 1, 1988. For General Motors the history of heavy trucks of its own design was over.
Back in 1928, GMC had acquired a controlling interest in the Yellow Coach company from Chicago, which was engaged in bus production. After getting their remaining part in 1943, the commercial vehicles division got a new name – GM Truck & Coach Division. Bus production continued there until May 1987. After that, GMC Truck became the official brand of the Commercial Vehicle Division, and since 1998 it was reduced to just GMC.
In different years of its history, the company has also produced various special vehicles: fire trucks and ambulances, military models, etc. And at present, GMC produces off-road vehicles, pickup trucks, light delivery vans, light-duty and medium-duty trucks.
