What was the original name of the GM division that eventually became GMC?

wow....yes technically you are correct...well done!......and what was the name that GM used that became 'GMC'?

General Motors Truck Company. It's controversial whether or not the name was derived from the owner of Rapid Motor Vehicles: Max Grabowski = Grabowski Motor Company. Officially "Grabowski Motor Company" never existed and as far as I can tell it never appeared on any vehicles either. "GMC" has been used since 1912. I found an excellent website about two years ago that discussed GMC's history in detail and covered this. I'm trying to look for it.

the 90's i dont think so there was a truck in the 40 that just had GMC on it so.....

"Wow, look at the '07 Grabowski Yukon!" Yeah, sometimes changing names is for the better...

I found an excellent website about two years ago that discussed GMC's history in detail and covered this. I'm trying to look for it.

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Have a look at the GMC section on Wiki ...

General Motors Truck Company.

Officially "Grabowski Motor Company" never existed and as far as I can tell it never appeared on any vehicles either. "GMC" has been used since 1912.

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Well it's the same as there never technically was a Olds Automobile Corporation or whatever but we all know where the Olds comes from...

Well it's the same as there never technically was a Olds Automobile Corporation or whatever but we all know where the Olds comes from...

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Not exactly. If I recall, Ransom's vehicles were called Oldsmobiles before Durant took the company over.

Before GM took over GMC, they were "Rapid" trucks or vehicles made by the "Rapid Motor Vehicle Company". GM renamed the division to General Motors Truck Company, and marketed them as GMC trucks.

Thanks for the link James. I've seen the wiki page before... but there is legitimate controversy over the GMC meaning. I need to find info again coming from the Garbowski side of the controversy.

Ok, this is interesting....I'm learning some new things...I always thought 'GMC' came from the General Motors Truck Company.....had never heard of the Garbowski angle.

Ok, this is interesting....I'm learning some new things...I always thought 'GMC' came from the General Motors Truck Company.....had never heard of the Garbowski angle.

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Ever since I found out about Max Grabowski I was always under the impression that "General Motors Truck Corp" was just the layman jumping to an underrstandable conclusion. I donno.... either way GM truck Corp. is GMTC so it just doesn't fit... plus it's too predictable.

How lame would FMC be... or DMC?

Whats wrong with DMC!!!!!!!!!!!! I Love Deloreans and im going to buy one one day and Put a 3800 Supercharged in it. If only I have the Money.

I have done some cross-checking on the GMC birth issue in the past and here's some of what I have uncovered.

GMC was in fact a merger of 2 truck companies, Rapid & Reliance, both purchased by GM in 1909. Both continued to operate their own factories and sell under their own nameplates until '12 when the GMC name was first used. By '12 "Rapid" & "Reliance" names were gone (for a short period trucks were badged as 'GMC-Reliance').

'GMC' was 'General Motors Truck Company' for decades and decades, but the trucks never wore 'GMTC' nameplates, only 'GMC'. There was more than 1 entity within GMC for most of it's history, and it was in '88 that 'WhiteGMCVolvo' was created via a merger, incorporating GMC's heavy duty truck lines. However, I believe the "GMC" division in name has remained omnipresent since '12.

The wiki entry is --not surprisingly-- misleading. It refers to the fact that 'GMC" never stood for 'Grabowsky...', but there was indeed an unrelated-to-GM company entitled Grabowsky Power Wagon Company. Max left Rapid in '08 to form it and it lasted until at least '20, while his brother(s) went with Rapid to GM.

I have never encountered the theory that the 'G' in GMC stood for Grabowsky and I don;t think the theory holds any water.

Edited November 26, 200519 yr by balthazar

This is why I love it here....I always learn something interesting from interesting people. Thanks balthazar....as always informative, clear and concise.

Hmmmm.... interesting. Well there you have it. Caprice: I was trying ot make a joke, as if Ford Motors Truck Corp of DMC for Dodge... it was just a retarded annalogy. No hate of rhe Delorean.

Ever since I found out about Max Grabowski I was always under the impression that "General Motors Truck Corp" was just the layman jumping to an underrstandable conclusion. I donno.... either way GM truck Corp. is GMTC so it just doesn't fit... plus it's too predictable.

How lame would FMC be... or DMC?

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You've never heard of FMC Corporation?

http://www.fmc.com/Corporate/V2/Home/

Forgive my off-topic reply.

Edited November 26, 200519 yr by steamer