What Did the Letters GMC Originally Stand For?

[Twisted Shifter]

You may already know that GMC stands for General Motor Company. But did you know that it once stood for Grabowsky Motor Company? When General Motors bought the Grabowsky brothers’ truck business in 1909, it kept the acronym GMC. Though the acronym has stayed the same for over a century, it has had several different meanings through the decades.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/what-did-the-letters-gmc-originally-stand-for/ar-AA14ZCRf?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Motor_Vehicle_Company#/media/File:Rapid-motor-vehicle_1906_ad.jpg

 

[Ed Luddy]

Up here in the tundra/Canada it did mean General Motors Canada at one time.

[8E45E]

1 hour ago, Twisted Shifter said:

Though the acronym has stayed the same for over a century, it has had several different meanings through the decades.

Garage Man's Companion.

 

Craig

[John348]

4 hours ago, Twisted Shifter said:

You may already know that GMC stands for General Motor Company. But did you know that it once stood for Grabowsky Motor Company? When General Motors bought the Grabowsky brothers’ truck business in 1909, it kept the acronym GMC. Though the acronym has stayed the same for over a century, it has had several different meanings through the decades.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/what-did-the-letters-gmc-originally-stand-for/ar-AA14ZCRf?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Motor_Vehicle_Company#/media/File:Rapid-motor-vehicle_1906_ad.jpg

 

I remember buying my first GMC truck in 1999 and reading a plaque on the wall of the dealership that GMC was originally Grabowsky Motor Company, turned out to be rather convenient for GM in the long run.  

[f.f.jones]

The Rapid "Motor Vehicle" was guaranteed for one year (c1910) and cost nearly $75,000. in 2022 funds.

Some things change and some don't.

 

 

 

 

[West Peterson]

Story by Steve Rossi appeared in the September/October 2021 issue of Antique Automobile.

[JACK M]

I always like to learn something new. (old in this case)

[13White]

18 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Garage Man's Companion.

 

Craig

Great Mechanical Catastrophe

General Maintenance continuously

 

[1937hd45]

Hope it is still politically correct to use GMC in open conversations. Do the professionally offended have a different interpitation? 

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

On 12/7/2022 at 10:08 PM, 8E45E said:

Garage Man's Companion.

 

Craig

 

On 12/8/2022 at 4:19 PM, 13White said:

Great Mechanical Catastrophe

General Maintenance continuously

 

Got Mechanic Coming

[sagefinds]

I say this with a smile since I have six GMCs from 1923 to 2008,three daily drivers,two projects and one parts truck-General Messa Crap. I wouldn't trade them for anything else on the road.

[SC38dls]

Got More Cash!

dave s 

[Brass is Best]

Generic Model Chevrolet

[NEMGs]

So a question I have: When GM consolidated its automobile lines, getting rid of Saturn, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile, why did they keep GMC?  They are just rebadged Chevys, but they maintain a whole separate dealership system for GMC.  Don't understand why

[Larry Schramm]

And if you want to buy a truck in any color than white, it will cost you $495.00 because it is a "premium" product.  I bought a Chevy Silverado and saved the $500 and got the color I wanted.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[John348]

6 hours ago, NEMGs said:

So a question I have: When GM consolidated its automobile lines, getting rid of Saturn, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile, why did they keep GMC?  They are just rebadged Chevys, but they maintain a whole separate dealership system for GMC.  Don't understand why

GMC is majority of fleet sales, as well of a lot of the larger trucks that are not offered through Chevrolet. GMC Dealerships house the Buick and Cadillac franchises, very few produce the volume to be stand alone any more. There is a large brand loyalty of customers to GMC trucks. To be honest if GM shut down GMC I will look at other brands before Chevy. I find the Chevy's are sold with packages, the GMC's seem to be 'a la carte. I never minded paying more as long as I got what I wanted, or a better way to put it I did not get stuck with items I did not need.

[8E45E]

12 hours ago, NEMGs said:

So a question I have: When GM consolidated its automobile lines, getting rid of Saturn, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile, why did they keep GMC?  They are just rebadged Chevys, but they maintain a whole separate dealership system for GMC.  Don't understand why

It would have made some sort of sense 50 years ago, at least in Canada.  Up until the mid-1970's, GMC dealers were standalone truck dealers only that sold and serviced the full range of GMC commercial vehicles; no cars!!  Because GMC at the time was in direct competition with International, Mack, and the Paccar line of medium duty and heavy duty models, all GMC dealers, were expected to maintain stock of them on the lot, besides half-tons and vans.  As expected, GMC dealers back then were located in the industrial sections of the city, not downtown, or near residential neighborhoods like car dealers.  Then some absent-minded bigwig GM exec decided it would be smart to pair up Pontic-Buick dealers with GMC, and in turn force the former standalone GMC dealers to sell Pontiacs and Buicks.   It only added to the start of GMC's failure and abandonment in the heavy duty Class 8 truck market, when they sold out to Volvo in the late 1980's.  

 

Craig