The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs FIRST SUBURBAN

Question: What year did GM make the first Suburban, and was it called a Suburban? Yesterday, 2 guys were admiring my '64 K-10 'Burb. 1 guy said that he did not know they made 'Burbs in 64. I said they were made in the 40s. 2nd. guy said, "Yeah. But they were called panel wagons." I didn't know, so I didn't argue with him. I saw a picture of a '35 in the Gallery, and it was called a Suburban Carryall. Were the first called Suburban Carryall, and if so, when did the name become just Suburban?

Taken from the inactive Old Burb Club website :

"In 1933, while Dodge was preparing to sell wood bodied wagons to the army, Chevrolet began building an all steel version of the venerable canopy express for the National Guard and the Civilian Conservation Corps. Significantly, the bodies utilized a one piece steel roof, not the fabric covered insert then prevalent. There is evidence that the steel bodied Carryall-Suburban made its appearance for this Government sale, probably in '34. During '33 & '34, Chevy had a station wagon which was a typical "woody" on a car chassis. Bodies for these were supplied by Hercules, but by '37, the car based wagon was carrying a Campbell wood body and the name "Suburban."

The steel wagon on a commercial chassis was dubbed "Carryall-Suburban" and saw listing in the Chevrolet catalog for '35, and GMC brought out its version for '37. Although the panel was evolving towards a steel body during this same time, it still had the fabric covered wood roof in '36. The Carryall-Suburban traces its heritage to the Canopy Express. This is not just because of the gov't sales of these models in 33 & 34, but because of the parts used to build them. The first Carryall-Suburbans had a drop down tailgate in the rear opening. The hinges and fixtures for this tailgate were incorporated into the rear edges of the body sides which were manufactured for a tailgate, not for (a) side-hinged door(s). The "barn doors" option for the rear of the Carryall-Suburban was first listed for '38. As often happens, this option actually appeared in production sometime during the model year prior to its official listings. Some unknown number of '37 model Carryall-Suburbans left the factory with the double rear doors. This is attested to by Lou, an Early 'Burb member who owns a pair of unmodified '37 barn door Carryalls. That these are not early '38 models is shown by the VIN's as well as the placement of the gas tank attachment points. ('37 tank attached to body, '38 to frame)"

It looks like a Chevrolet Carryall Suburban (AKA Suburban Carryall or just Suburban) was first sold to the public in 1935 and a GMC model was first sold in 1937.

I was under the impression that they were first sold as a 1936 model and that they had their 70th anniversary last year. At least that's what I read last year. They say that half of the stuff in the paper isn't true, so maybe I read the bad half.

from GM History site

GM 1941 Master Parts List Supplement - reference to 1935 Suburban

1935

I just thought I would add my knowledge of the early Chevrolet Suburbans. In 1934 Chevrolet produced the first vehicle (a wood bodied Station Wagon) that called a Suburban. It was almost identical to the Hercules-Campbell Body Co., Inc of Tarrytown, N.Y. enclosed station wagon. These were sold mostly to the US Military Cavalry Divisions. In the later part of 1935 Chevrolet started production of the first Suburban Carryall which was based on the 1/2 ton panel body and only had the panel truck "barn doors" for the first 2 years. Body is wood frame with steel metal covering. The Mifflingburg Body Co., PA beat Chevy in 1933 by producing a 4 dr. Station Wagon body with all steel metal over wood frame.

I get that all the time too 64, even my buddy bought a 53 panel truck & was trying to call it a sedan delivery

My Dad knows a local early Chevrolet restorer that has a '35 Suburban, Walter Deck in Ridge Farm, IL. It's been featured in several publications, and from what I've been told, is one of the best examples of the first 'Burb. There's a local show coming up in few weeks, if he has it there, I'll get some pix of it and post them.

I would love to see the pictures especially of the interior in the back; seats, floor and top. The only color interior you could get in the 35 and early 36 was apple green wood and rear interior sheet metal with dark green "Spanish grain" imitation leather.

Actually, all of you are incorrect. The first use of the name "Suburban" by GM was by Cadillac in 1915. The question was "What year did GM make the first Suburban?"

1915 Cadillac description

Actually, two questions were asked: "I saw a picture of a '35 in the Gallery, and it was called a Suburban Carryall. Were the first called Suburban Carryall, and if so, when did the name become just Suburban?"

At least that Cadillac Imperial Suburban carried 7 passengers. It looks like that Imperial Suburban had more space behind the third row of seats than was the case in the Standard Cadillac 7 passenger Sedan.

Actually the first 1935 Chevrolet vehicle was called a "Carryall Suburban" The name was just "suburban" in the parts books to same space. The name Carryall Suburban was used, at least, through 1937. Chevrolet in 1938 sometimes referred it as a Closed Suburban. I want to make a correction on the rear doors as recorded earlier they were the panel barn doors but split horizontally in the middle with hinges on top and bottom to work as a tailgate (external sheet metal was stamped with panel door contours).

Actually all the 1915 Cadillac bodies called "Suburbans" were made by custom body builders if my Cadillac history serves me right! The word suburban was from the horse buggy body makers.

What it all boils down to is that the first Chevrolet Suburban to have the body of a SUBURBAN, was in 1935.

All I know is that my dream stovebolt is a 41-46 suburban.

Hello to all,

Someone's dream may come true as there are two, yes two!! Art Deco Suburbans on ebay right now!!!One is a '42 and one is a '46, both from the same seller, located in Hibbing,Mn.
I will be selling just a body for a '46 clamshell in a few weeks.
Hope this helps someone, Richard

I forgot to mention, Walter Decks Suburban, and his '46 Canopy Express, are both pictured in the book Chevrolt Pickup Color History by Tom Brownell and Mike Mueller.

And to top it all off, somehow Plymouth began using the name Suburban, boldly and in plane sight, begining in 1953, I believe, as part of their line-up on a station wagon. I'm not sure how long that went on, but I believe it was until 55 or 56. I happen to see a 53 model this past week-end at a local car show. I can't imagine how Plymouth flat out stoled the name right in front of the whole world! I would love to hear the story behind that marketing idea and how the heck it lasted for more than one model year!

Joe :confused_smile:

Plymouth (and other car manufacturers) used the name long before Chevy and GMC did. The General did not even trademark the name until after it became the only manufacturer to continue using the name, and then, not until 1988! "Suburban" was considered a station wagon body style by manufacturers, like "sedan" and "coupe", and became part of the name of several different cars and wagons over the years. Plymouth didn't "steal" the Suburban name at all. In fact, it was used on their wagons all the way through 1978! Dodge predated GMC/Chevy in its' usage.

Check the linky, scroll down about 2/3 down the page...

Good and interesting information! If they didn't "steal" the name, and I'm sure you are right, I need to find the lady that was standing next to me when I saw that 53 last Saturday and explain it to her. She stood there and looked at her husband and said, "Look, Honey, they stold the Suburban name!" To which he replied, " Wow, they sure did!"
That's how these rumors start!

Joe :confused_smile:

Boy this is fun? I'm more cornfused than ever. At this point all I seem to know is that I have a 1964 Chevrolet K10. It has no badges or emblems of any kind on it. Chevrolet is on the grill.

Do any of you who own pre-1988 "Suburbans" have emblems or badges on your vehicles that say "Carryall Suburban", "Suburban-Carryall" or just "Suburban" or "Carryall"?

It's not that it really matters, it's just that at this point, my curiousity is aroused. Most folks that want to talk about my "truck", usually just ask what year it is. And here in Wyoming, my K10 isn't even considered a "truck", for the purpose of registration.

For you folks that live in other states, how are your 'Burbs registered, passenger vehicle or truck?

73-91 had just "Suburban" on the back door/gate, IIRC. GM just thought they were 1/2 ton trucks back in '64. The lady who bought mine new in Wash. called it a van, sometimes I call it a bus, but to me its really a truck.

It is fun and it is interesting to know that General Motors and Chevrolet didn't claim the Suburban trademark sooner then they did, especially since we have heard the stories of how picky they have been about other Chevrolet related names. It's also interesting and a little confusing to note that the name was considered an automobile body style, such as "sedan" and "coupe" when it has always been a truck for Chevrolet.
Thanks patrick66 for the enlightening post on the Suburban name.

Joe

So, another question arises: is it "OK" to put the word SUBURBAN on my wife's Cadillac Escalade, since afterall, Cadillac did use the name SUBURBAN? Or is "...That ain't right!" I'm sure you all know that today's GM Suburban line, be it Escalade from Cadillac, Yukons/Suburbans from Chevrolet/GMC, are all the same essentially, and all basically roll out of Janesville, WI...I actually kinda thought Studebaker called their wagon (circa 1860) a Suburban, too...It's a little fuzzy, though, for me to recall...Forget about RURAL, for now. And soon, there will be no SUBurban>>>It will ALL be URBAN. That's the important part to remember...

Only in California, though!

I think the original question about the first Suburban was about the GM Suburban. This is the Stolvebolt Forums right?

1935. Period. Move on.

So, Suburban was the earlier term for SUV? Thats about the only thing I am getting out of this thread, other than the fact that "Suburban" wasn't trademarked until the late 80s; ironically when "SUV" became the widely used vehicle type.. and the onslaught of the modern SUVs started.

Do I have that right?

[and i am not trying to retort that 1935 was the answer]

Depends on what SUV means:

- "a high-performance four-wheel drive car built on a truck chassis"

- "outside of North America and India, these vehicles are known simply as "four-wheel-drives", often abbreviated to "4WD" or "4x4""

- "for decades, SUVs were often referred to generically as "jeeps."

If an SUV is supposed to have 4-wheel drive, then the 35-55 Carryall Suburbans (GMC or Chevrolet) do not fit the term.

Now this thread can digress into the the meaning of SUV.

.. lol- i always thought of an SUV as a vehicle meant to carry people/stuff.. basically a bigger version of a mini-van.. with better drivetrain options [ie the 4x4 and AWD systems]

SUV-Sport Utility Vehicle.
Sport ( a source of diversion: Recreation),
Utility ( fitness for some purpose or worth to some end), Vehicle ( a means of carrying or transporting something).

Nope, don't see nutin' about no stinkin' 4 wheel drive in that definition.

Had me a '68 Dodge Carryall once, with 2 wheel drive. Had some really aggressive mud tires on the rear. Nice ground clearance. Drove it on muddy logging roads in East Texas. Never stuck it. I'd say it qualified as a SUV.

Also, had myself a couple of Ford Explorers, '91 and '95. I think most folks consider them SUVs. Had 4 wheel drive, but with 160 horsepower, HARDLY "high performance".

Have to agree with suzq, SUV is a vehicle type. I'm 62 and until the late 80s/ early 90s I never heard the term SUV.

With respect to "Jeep", it's defined as a SMALL general-purpose motor vehicle with 80-inch wheelbase, 1/4 ton capacity, and 4-wheel drive.
Note the 1/4 ton capacity. So, the Jeep of WWII and or Korea, does not fit the the generally accepted modern definition of a SUV. Also, the purpose of the early Jeeps was not for sport.

I think the bottom line is that Suburban and/or SUV is a type of vehicle. And according to patrick66, Suburban was not the "NAME" of a GM vehicle until 1988. Prior to that Suburban was a vehicle type.

To further confuse the issue...In 1955-56-57 GMC made a truck like the Chevy Cameo. It had the same wide fiberglass bed as the Cameo. They named it "Suburban".

This is from ClassicTrucks.com. "It just so happens that Lou located this super-rare '57 GMC Suburban Town & Country pickup (which was Pontiac-powered right from the factory). To the best of Lou's research, there were only about 1,000 of these trucks ever built along with the "plentiful" Chevy Cameo."

Here's a link to pictures of a '57 Suburban Pickup

http://www.classictrucks.com/features/0509cl_1957_gmc_suburban/photo_01.html

The 55-57 GMC Suburban Carrier Pickup was also called (in 1955) the Suburban Pickup. The name Suburban Town & Country was supposedly abandoned due to that name already being used by Chrysler? It would be interesting to see if GMC ever used the name Suburban Town & Country in a document.

Here's a good 1955 GMC (with 56-57 documents) website.

The first 1935 (released late in the 35 production year) and 1936 Chevrolet Carryall Suburban's had the same top as the 1/2 ton panel truck steel around the edges and fabric top in the middle. Both trucks had internal wood structural frame work with all the same wood as the 1/2 ton panel with addition structure around the operating side windows. The rear doors were the same external metal stampings as the panel except they were cut horizontally across the middle, hinges on the top and bottom. I was looking at my pictures of a panel when I wrongly stated barn doors for the Suburban.