Originally founded in 1911, GMC has been a trusted brand in the way of larger sized vehicles for over 100 years. The company is formally known as a subdivision of the General Motors of North America Brand that primarily produces SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, and light-duty trucks. Although these are their primary industry, the brand has also catered to more niche needs such as firetrucks, motorhomes, military vehicles, transit busses, and more. GMC holds an extensive and decorated history among other automotive giants in North America, and today continues to excel at serving a very specific market.
During the 1930s, GMC made everything from 1/2-ton pickups to 10-ton trucks to trailer chassis. One important new model was the Suburban Carryall, which combined car-like convenience with the utility of a truck. Two-toned trucks with Art Deco “stream-style and dual-tone color design” were a big hit in 1937, especially new cab-over-engine models.
Once the United States joined World War II, GMC once again shifted their focus back to military vehicles. In fact, they produced nearly 600,000 trucks for the U.S. Armed Forces. Once the war ended, GMC got right back to work for consumers, improving their truck design with a wider and lower grille and integrated headlights.
In the 1950s, GMC continued to draw influence from the car market and increased the comfort, safety, and performance of their pickups. By 1960, they had transitioned from producing commercial use trucks to personal use, with the introduction of the GMC Sierra, which was the GMC brand’s first full-size personal-use pickup truck.
Below are some wonderful vintage ads for GMC trucks from the 1950s:
I wish we could go back to that America!
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