1937 GMC T14

During the early 1900s at the dawn of motoring, hundreds of individual automakes emerged, but by the outbreak of World War II, the market had adjusted and the inevitable industrial consolidation reduced their numbers. Among the survivors was General Motors' GMC Division, which remains one of a handful of original truck makes to survive into the 21st Century and more recently celebrated its centennial year in 2012.

General Motors Truck Company was formed in 1912, initially to market the commercial vehicles built by Billy Durant's recent truck-making acquisitions - Rapid and Reliance. During the 1920s, GMC produced trucks in a wide variety of sizes, from long 187-inch wheelbase five-tonners to one-ton models. They merged with the Yellow Truck and Coach Company in 1925, becoming the Yellow Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. Three years later, Pontiac's production of light delivery vehicles and pickups was transferred to GMC, and during the 1930s these used L-head engines from Oldsmobile and Pontiac, while the larger trucks received overhead valves powerplants from Buicks. GMC adopted several important mechanical improvements by the close of the 1930s, including diesel engines, a new overhead-valve six for light trucks, and synchro-mesh transmissions. The diesels were the new two-cycle Detroit Diesel designs, while the gasoline Overhead Valves sixes used designs similar to those from Chevrolet. GMC and Chevrolet pickup trucks were virtually identical, ever since Chevrolet was added to General Motors during World War I. Distinguishable differences are typically found in their grilles and nameplates, though differences have varied over the years. The GMC brand was focused on commercial uses while the Chevrolet trucks were marketed toward private ownership.

The popularity of pickup trucks in America grew dramatically following World War II, and GMC trucks were typically sold by General Motors dealerships that offered Buick, Pontiac, or Oldsmobile automobiles, while the Chevrolet truck was sold by Chevvy dealers. Between 1939 and 1950, GMC trucks were assembled at the main GMC truck plant in Pontiac, Michigan, and thereafter at GM truck plans in Oakland, California, and St Louis, Missouri.

GMC T14
The GMC T-15 was rated at ½ ton or 4,600lbs. The Oldsmobile L6 engine displaced 213 cubic inches and used a single carburetor to develop 85 horsepower at 3,500 RPM. It was backed by a three-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drum brakes provided the stopping power. The suspension was comprised of leaf springs. Both pickup truck and panel truck body styles were offered.

Approximately thirty-nine percent of GMC's 1937 production was of T-14 pickups, and the popularity of the commercial trucks and the diverse lineup had grown significantly since 1932, with the 57,350 trucks produced by GMC in 1937 representing a 310% increase over 1932 production.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022