GMC Suburban

GMC Suburban at a glance

GMC's current models are in the GMC catalogue on 1cars, and the Chevrolet twins are in the Chevrolet catalogue.

From Carryall to the longest-running nameplate

Chevrolet introduced its all-metal Carryall Suburban in 1935: a station wagon body on a half-ton truck chassis, with two passenger doors, three rows of seats for eight and either rear panel doors or a tailgate. GMC added its own version, the "Suburban Carryall", in 1937, and General Motors later shortened the name to Suburban. In the early 1960s GMC again used the Carryall name for its version before it was finally dropped with the 1967–1972 generation.

The Suburban was a working vehicle as much as a family car. Panel-door and tailgate models were built side by side, the 1941–1946 trucks were also produced as military transports during the Second World War, and later conversions such as the 15-seat Stageway stretched the body to a 4,343 mm (171 in) wheelbase.

Generations from 1937 to 1999

Power figures for the older generations are not given in the sources for the GMC versions.

The first two decades: 1937–1959

GMC's Suburbans used GMC's own truck engines, not Chevrolet's. In 1941 that meant a 228 cu in (3.7-litre) straight-six shared with the AK Series trucks. The 1947–1955 Advance Design generation brought a new, rounder body and, at GMC, the four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic from 1953.

The 1955–1959 generation offered V8 power for the first time. Chevrolet used its own small-block, while GMC's V8 was based on a Pontiac design. GMC also built a rare pickup with the Suburban name, the GMC 100 Suburban Pickup of 1955–1958, estimated at 300 or fewer a year. Wikipedia dates the first four-wheel-drive Suburbans to 1957, although another section of the same article places factory four-wheel drive in the 1960–1966 generation.

V6 power and the three-door body: 1960–1972

The GMC Carryall of 1960–1966 offered six-cylinder engines from 230 to 292 cu in, small-block V8s and GMC's own 305 cu in V6, which had plenty of torque but poor fuel economy. Transmissions were three- and four-speed manuals, the Powerglide and, from 1960 to 1962, GMC's dual-range Hydra-Matic.

The 1967–1972 generation moved to GM's new "Action-Line" trucks. The Suburban became a three-door station wagon, and the wheelbase grew from 115 in (2,921 mm) to 127 in (3,226 mm). The GMC 305 V6 remained the standard GMC engine until 1970, with options up to the 396 and 402 cu in big-block V8s. Production of the Suburban rose from about 6,200 in 1967 to about 27,000 in 1972. The panel van version ended after 1970.

Four doors and diesel: 1973–1991

The 1973 Suburban, on the rounded-line C/K trucks, was the first with four full passenger doors, plus a choice of rear panel doors or a tailgate. It stayed in production for 18 years. GMC trims were Custom, Super Custom and Sierra Grande, later Sierra Classic (from 1975) and Sierra (from 1981). Engines ranged from the 250 cu in six to the 454 cu in (7.4-litre) V8, with a 6.2-litre Detroit Diesel V8 from 1982 to 1991. The 700R4 four-speed automatic arrived in 1981 and the electronic 4L80-E in 1991. With three bench seats the Suburban carried up to nine people.

This generation shared its body and much of its engineering with GM's full-size pickups; the Chevrolet C/K story gives the pickup side of the family.

GMT400 and the end of the name: 1992–1999

The final GMC Suburban arrived for the 1992 model year on the GMT400 platform. It was built as a 1500 (half-ton) and a 2500 (three-quarter-ton), each with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. The 5.7-litre V8 was standard, the 7.4-litre V8 was offered on the 2500, and a 6.5-litre turbodiesel joined in 1994. For 1996 the petrol engines were replaced by the more powerful Vortec units. A driver's airbag arrived in 1995, daytime running lamps in 1996, dual airbags in 1997 and OnStar in 1998. In 1999 the shorter five-door body became the basis for the Yukon Denali and the Cadillac Escalade.

For the 2000 model year GMC moved to the GMT800 platform and renamed its long-wheelbase SUV the Yukon XL, on a 3,302 mm (130 in) wheelbase. The luxury GMC Yukon Denali continues that line today.

GMT400 engines and power

Ratings are those of the GMT400 trucks; they depended on the gross vehicle weight rating (above or below 8,500 lb), so a 2500 could be rated lower than a 1500 with the same engine.

GMC versus Chevrolet Suburban

For most of its life the GMC Suburban was the same vehicle as the Chevrolet with a different grille, badges and trim names. The differences were largest before 1973, when GMC fitted its own engines: the 228 cu in six in 1941, the Pontiac-based V8 in the late 1950s and the 305 cu in V6 in the 1960s, as well as GMC's dual-range Hydra-Matic of 1960–1962. From 1973 the trims (Sierra, Sierra Classic, High Sierra) were the main way to tell them apart. Today the long GMC is sold as the Yukon XL, and Chevrolet's shorter SUV of the same family is the Chevrolet Tahoe.

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