What is "GMC" ??

[azflycaster]

It's Grabowsky Motor Company, you remember Max?

[Airboss]

your close..very close..Last word is wrong is all!!!

[Anon]

Originally Posted by 4201KW8G

your close..very close..Last word is wrong is all!!!

The new acronym from all of those that took the early attrition is "Got Money Coming"!
Out of 1100 in my plant we are losing 447 to the early buy-out.
Once we are all gone it will stand for "Gonna Manufacture in China"!

[azflycaster]

Last guess for me. I drive a rice burner
Grabowsky Motor Vehicle Co.

[Airboss]

so close!!!!!

[Goin camping]

Grabowsky motor car?

[AZstreamin]

how about General Motor Coffin.......one of the big three will be owned by someone else before the end of next year

[j54mark]

You do know that GMC is the only truck maker designed by two sets of engineers. Chevrolet engineers design the truck, and GMC engineers work exclusively on the name plate.

Mark

[Airboss]

Goin Camping is the WINNER!! Good job...It Is GRABOWSKI MOTOR CAR...

[Goin camping]

Nuthin but luck. However you can mail that six figure prize money check to me.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by 4201KW8G

Goin Camping is the WINNER!! Good job...It Is GRABOWSKI MOTOR CAR...

em...
wasn't it...
motor coach, or
motor corporation....
after d' grabowski?
me thinks...
maybe
eh...

could we get an impartial offical historical linguistical judical ruling,
b 4 any cash changes hands?
not that goin camping isn't deserving and all...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by pattersontoo

Once we are all gone it will stand for "Gonna Manufacture in China"!

now see that's a funny post!
2air'

[Goin camping]

Dang it! Seems every time I win $500,000.00 it winds up in front of a Judge. Now the lawyers will get it all again. Oh well.

[scottanlily]

hello folks ,Im here to tell the tale ....

In 1902 Max and Morris Grabowski formed the Grabowski Motor vehical Co.
selling their first truck to the American Garment Cleaning Co. There were 3
other companys ,The company was reorganized as the Rapid Motor Vehical Co.after 1904 later say 1908 W.C. Durant basically bought up all the stock
of Rapid Motor Vehical and later Reliance Motor Truck Co. Durant himself actually formed the General Motors Truck Co. with Rapid ,Reliance and the
Randolph Motor Car Co. But the GMC logo was debuted in 1911 on the trucks.
GM basically bought up and aquired other small truck manafacturers.The
GMC logo was trademarked in 1911 .It stood for GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK CO
So even though Grobowski started it and it can be said they had the first
GMC initials ,though not trademarked or installed on their trucks ,the
mergers started out pretty quickly and the company GMC started in 1910
1911 under William C. Durant ,with the Grabowski brothers and the other
companys aquired on board .As time went on pontiac and oldsmobile engines
were used in GMC trucks ,ever heard of a pontiac v8 in a 56 GMC pickup?
very rare truck.Later chevrolet ,buick etc, all under the then and now
GENERAL MOTORS CO. So it seems all are really correct on the answer
for the most part according to history as we now know it.For a while Max
Grabowski started the Grabowski Power Wagon Co.in 1907 .I do not
believe in any way related to dodge trucks.Further ,GOOGLE the GMC
parade of progress buses from the forties into the fifties ,if you like airstreams
you will like these buses .Just so you all know ,the information as I have posted comes from the .....First 100 years of GMC by john gunnell . A great
coffee table type of book loaded with anything GMC you ever wanted or
needed to know ,just so you realize Im not that smart on knowing all these details ,but some of the early history I have studied .

Scott

[ALANSD]

I worked fro a GMC dealer in the 80's. We often got trucks that said Chevrolet on one side and GMC on the other. Great to confuse your freinds.

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by scottanlily

...For a while Max Grabowski started the Grabowski Power Wagon Co.in 1907 .I do not believe in any way related to dodge trucks. Scott

Hi Scott, Wkerfoot & others:

The 1907 company was not related to Dodge trucks, which were first built about 10 years later as conversions from Dodge cars. Max's company name is the earliest documented use of "Power Wagon" to identify a truck. Below is one of my treasures, but as you can read they spelled their name with a "y" back then, not an "i".

A less comprehensive but interesting book on early GMC's is Gini Rice's 1973 pictorial "Relics of the Road #1, GMC Gems 1900-1950", long out of print but available from used book dealers.

[scottanlily]

Now that is really cool , a rarity for sure.


Scott

[Tin Knocker]

Originally Posted by scottanlily

As time went on pontiac and oldsmobile engines
were used in GMC trucks ,ever heard of a pontiac v8 in a 56 GMC pickup?
very rare truck.

Sounds almost too rare with one caveat. At that time each division designed and built their own engines. Pontiac Motors plant was physically less than 5 miles from the GM Truck and Coach Plant (GMC Truck's name in 1956), Oldsmobile was further in Lansing, but their engines were miles apart in purpose and design. At that time GMC pickups (as were all makes) were 'work vehicles', mainly designed for light deliveries, tradesmen, farms, etc. Physically everything from coolant inlets and outlets, motor mounts, wiring, etc., etc. are different on the engines, installation as the truck was assembled on the line would be impossible.

Truck and Coach did have a special options operation in Building 29 at Plant 2. For the right price they would do anything, thus the caveat. If there is a GMC pickup with a Pontiac or Oldsmobile engine factory installed it was special ordered and converted and is going to be very, super, extremely rare. I really would want build sheets or order sheets to document the history or would tend to believe it was done as a 'hot rod' after the dealer sale. It would be very difficult to tell 35 years later on a good conversion if it had been done at the factory or by a very competent individual especially considering the state of technology and manufacturing in 1956.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by bhayden

You mean like Ford, Found On Roadside Dead?

Or Fix Or Repair Daily?

[jcanavera]

At one point in time I heard that GMC's were "work vehicles" and physically differed in some components and were considered more of a heavy duty vehicle vs. their Chevy brothers.

Obviously that's long gone. GM's only full sized van plant is located just west of St. Louis. I took the tour and the only differences now are the badging, grill, steering wheel, and wheel trim. As a matter of fact they have the same pricing. I'm sure its probably the same on most of the truck line.

I ended up ordering a GMC because that particular dealer was willing to give me a good deal.

Jack