The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Canadian name for 'Panel and Suburban'

Can anyone tell me what GMC and Chev called the 1949 to 53 Panels and Suburbans?
I gather that in the US the suburban was called a 'Carryall' Is that what the factories called them? Was it the same for Chev and GMC
Was that name used in Canada too?

Same questions for panels:

Were they called 'Panels' by the factories?

Hope someone can clear this up for me
Thanks
Ter

Ter,

A 1954 Chevrolet of Canada Salesman Truck Data Book uses the names "Panel" and "Carryall Suburban".

Tim

Ter; The model name "Suburban" was used from the first models which began product in in 1934 for the 1935 model year. Suburban is the longest running model name in automotive history. Only the war years (1942-1945) was there no production.Some years they were called Suburban Carry-All and other years they were called Carry-All Suburbans.
To the best of my knowledge, Suburbans were not built in Canada until 1949.

Another interesting thing about the "Suburban" name is that several manufacturers used it, too, during the same period. Plymouth used it to denote wagons in several different models up to 1978, which was the last full-sized wagons from Mopar. Hudson and Studebaker each used the name for one or two years each.

Cadillac was actually the first to use the name, in the 'teens. GMC/Chevrolet have used it continuously for over 70 years, as Stan noted.

History of Suburban name: http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/history.htm

Cadillac Suburban: http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/Lit25_29.htm

Also, click on the link to 1919.

ive got a `48 gmc suburban & ive heard it called all the above & more...in fact that cop on saturday called it a panel delivery,,,i politely told him it`s a suburban....no matter what u call`em they are cool....to think ,,,i was gonna buy a pick em up truck...does the clamshell tailgate or barn door have anything to do with what it`s called ??????????????????

yes they're called the same thing in Canada, and no the tail opening has nothing to do with it, the burbs were available either way, and I don't think they were ever refered to as "clamshell", but "tailgate/liftgate", and the barn doors were called panel doors

the panel was actually called a "panel delivery", the same way the car based one was called a "sedan delivery" - after the true panel was replaced with the van body styles some started calling the panels "panel vans", but GM never did

Bill

Hey everyone:
Thanks for all the replys. What a great source of info.
Carryall is a term I have only heard since finding this site.
Thanks again
Ter

Hello again:
Just was given an original parts book (quite greasy) for 1941-1955 Chev and GMC Truck Parts.
Haven't looked at it too much yet but it has pictures of all models we were talking about here. The terms This book was published by GM in Canada.
Hello GMC48Sub
This book does not use the term "clamshell" that I have found yet but uses these terms:
"Surburban Carryall with End Gate" or
"Suburban Carryall with Panel Type Rear Doors"
I seem to remember seeing a Chrysler woody car (not wagon) with what they called "clamshell doors"
Maybe that is were the term came from.
Around here the panel type doors on the newer Suburbans are called "barn doors"
Thanks again to everyone for the information.
Ter

Hello again:
Just was given an original parts book (quite greasy) for 1941-1955 Chev and GMC Truck Parts.
Haven't looked at it too much yet but it has pictures of all models we were talking about here. The terms This book was published by GM in Canada.
Hello GMC48Sub
This book does not use the term "clamshell" that I have found yet but uses these terms:
"Surburban Carryall with End Gate" or
"Suburban Carryall with Panel Type Rear Doors"
I seem to remember seeing a Chrysler woody car (not wagon) in a magazine with what they called "clamshell doors" There was a lift up and two piece lower door like GMC Chev Astro
Safari "Dutch Doors" but certainly "clamshell shape"
Maybe that is were the term came from.
Around here the panel type doors on the newer Suburbans are called "barn doors"
Thanks again to everyone for the information.
Ter

The 1934 Chevrolet called a Suburban was a Chevrolet built wood station wagon on the 1/2 ton Chassis made in the Indianaoplis plant. The Carryall Suburban was built by Chevrolet late in the 1935 model year.