1947-53 GM Truck Cab – These Were Continued Into the 1960’s
The Advance Design GM 1947-55 Chevy/GMC trucks broke all previous sales records in the U.S. The truck hungry buyers after the WWII shortages bought the AD trucks as fast as the many US factories could produce them. The local town dealers loved their popularity and related purchases. If any supply problem occurred for the beginning years, the buyer usually placed an order and waited.
Because most dealers installed most options, they made even more income when the buyer wanted a radio, heater, grille guard, step plates, radiator overflow condenser, etc.
When the pickup restoration craze began to gain momentum in the early 1990’s, the Advance Design trucks lead the pack again. The next generation wanted what they remembered growing up. Their father or a neighbor driving one (with them as a passenger) kindled the “want to have one” like they remembered.
Of course, General Motors (in the early years) was one of the largest companies in the world. The tooling would “not” be discarded even with the introduction of a new redesigned US cab in mid-1955. The old saying in the U.S., "Follow the Money," told GM that there was a waiting market in other countries. Other countries manufactured General Motors trucks so when a new GM design cab was to be introduced overseas, they carried the AD cab. The tooling for their new cabs and doors were from the U.S. A repeat performance for General Motors!
Additional Comment:
The cab and door U.S. tooling had been paid for so many times during 1947-55. On GM books, it had been “written off” their records with no value! Therefore, the trucks could start again in overseas factories with this large expense not existing as was in the U.S. Just right for buyers with less money in their budget. Good for buyer and seller.
The following are two examples assembled from outside the U.S. in years as far as the early 1960’s. In our examples: Germany and Brazil. Both countries made them as a larger 1 ½ and 2 ton carrying capacity (partially in our feature Truck of the Month for December 2010).
1956 Opel
Owner: Jan van Bohemen
We just couldn't resist placing this approximately 1956 Opel as this month's feature truck. Did you actually think General Motors discarded the famous Advance Design 1947-55 truck cab tooling? To get a little more use of the tooling, it was modified in the late 1950's as a German Opel truck. Remember the small Opel car imported in the 1960's and sold in Buick dealerships? They displayed the same lightning bolt emblem as the trucks.
Look closely at this pickup. It has Advance Design all over it!
Its owner is Jan van Bohemen in Germany. It started as a larger work truck, however he wanted a pickup so he made the bed and rear fenders to get the look he wanted. Very impressive!
For your information...more data on the later-use of the Advanced Design Tooling. Not only did they use this tooling in Europe but it was an assembly line produced truck in Brazil.
1961 Chevrolet Truck Assembled in Brazil
During 2012 at the annual Convention of the American Truck Historical Society, we met some real truck enthusiasts that had traveled to the show from Brazil. One was, Antonio Sergio Hurtago, an owner of an older American truck museum in San Paulo. I was given a very interesting current 12 month calendar from this museum. The most surprising page featured a 1961 Chevrolet truck assembled in Brazil. Study the attached photo carefully of the cab on this larger work truck. It can be immediately recognized as a United States 1947-55. That’s where GM sent some tooling from their famous Advance Design body! The GM factory in Brazil continued with this popular cab for additional years! Look closely again. GM in the US did not continue to produce Advance Design gauges, so look at the photo of the 1961 dash. Yes, the 1955-1959 Chevrolet dash gauges were the ones of choice in the Brazilian factory during at least 1961. This new Brazilian Chevrolet truck is so different from the US models, yet there is the AD cab and doors that makes it an excellent candidate for this article!
