VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Commercial Vehicles The First Chevrolet COE Trucks

For any of you guys that haven't seen what the "First Chevrolet COE Trucks", looked like, check out, http://la.znet.com/~t1937/COE.htm

The first COE GMC debuted in 1934 but the first COE factory Chevrolets debuted in Canada and from Pontiac, Michigan in 1937 MY. There was also a new COE bus chassis that also debuted in 1937. The GMC palnt at Pontiac produced export versions of GMC, Chevrolet and Oldsmobile trucks, including COE, with either Chevrolet, Oldsmobile or Hercules diesel engines. The Canadian trucks were all-Chevrolet though. I still cannot work out why Chevrolet went to COE only in 1939 but perhaps they had an exclusive contract with Montpelier?

That said I forgot that there were "Forward Control" conversions available in the UK on the Vauxhall-built Chevrolets from 1930-32. When the Southampton, England plant opened in December 1938 they assembled some COE trucks in late '39 and I found a survivor that has now been restored! The right money would secure this UNIQUE right hand drive brewery truck. Wish I had the money and the space!

Hey Oracle, That's some neat info. you have there.Thanks for posting it for us to see. You wouldn't happen to have any on the "Advance Design" Chevrolet Maple Leaf's would you,especially Maple Leaf COE's.

I have a list of all Canadian Chevrolet, Maple Leaf and GMC COE trucks from 1967 to 1952 at least. That includes all engine options but I don;t have any catalogues regrettably. There is a photo of a 1940 I think COE in the 1942 Canadian Parts Book.

David

Nice link Spanky

Oracle: Technically speaking, the first GMC COEs were long before '34...in fact in 1911. But the "C" of the "OE" is defined as an enclosed "cab" buckboard style in 1911. In any case, you would find the motor under the floorboard and seat.

Reliance and Grabwosky both made COEs earlier, Grabowsky in '02 and Reliance in '04, but they were not branded as "GMC" until 1911.

Not wanting to start anything here, but it's important that we try to not re-write history incorrectly.

Gotta watch the "02's & 04's" now that we have other 02's and 04's

Thanks for the additional information OldCarKook, but the magazines of the time, e.g. Automotive Industries announced that the 1934 Models were the first GMC Cab-over-Engine US models. Therefore 1934 is quoted as the first official factory COE GMCs but you are 1000% right, and I have just dug out below a coupple of items of evidence. There is a photo of one in the latest issue of CLASSIC COMMERCIALS British magazine, as well as a 1936-7 GMC that was virtually identical bar grille to the Chevrolet and Oldmsobile export/Canadian trucks. Earlier than 1932 when assembly stopped in favour of Bedfords, "Forward Contol" conversions were offered on British-built Chevrolet and GMC trucks.

Herewith I hope Randolph Forward Control truck of circa 1910 in Oshawa, Ontario and a 1910 Advert from Winnipeg, Alberta. This shows that the general idea was out there in the ether.

Please do feel free to start a discussion about the origins of an automotive style as it's interesting history.

I should add that I have Canadian GMC serial and engine number information from 1935 to 1951 if that ever helps. E mail me for this. Check my website for GMC production information.
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/chevytalk/canadiangmc.html
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/chevytalk/GMhistory/truckindex.html

Excellent! Thanks for the links.

May I obtain permission to use those materials on the oldGMCtrucks.com site?

Information posted on my site is SHAREWARE, FREEWARE, and PLASTER IT OVER THE UNIVERSEWARE. It's there to be accessed, copied and used. Thanks for asking though.