The GMC Brigadier, also known as the Chevrolet Bruin, was a series of heavy-duty Class 7-8 trucks assembled by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. It was the second generation of the H/J-series heavy-duty conventionals and was built from 1978 to late 1989.
GMC Brigadier at a glance
| Class | Class 7-8 heavy-duty conventional |
|---|---|
| Production | 1978 to late 1989 |
| Also sold as | Chevrolet Bruin, 1978-1980 |
| Series | 9500 at launch, 8000 from 1979 |
| Position in range | between the medium-duty C/K and the GMC General |
| Assembled | Pontiac Central Assembly, Pontiac, Michigan |
| Cab | H/J 9500 cab introduced in 1966 |
| Standard engine | Chevrolet 427 petrol V8 |
| Diesel engines | Detroit Diesel 6V53, 6V71, 6-71, 8V71, 6V92; Caterpillar 3208; Cummins NTC and L10 |
| Diesel only | from 1982 |
| Hoods | tilting fibreglass or butterfly |
| Final version | WhiteGMC Brigadier, 1988-1989 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the GMC Brigadier.
History of the GMC Brigadier
From the H/J series
In 1966 General Motors separated its heavy-duty trucks from the medium-duty models, giving them a distinct chassis and ending the use of the C/K pickup cab. The 1966 H/J series had a model-specific 93-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab dimension, while the medium-duty models received a slightly longer 96-inch cab. Alongside GMC V6 and Chevrolet 427 V8 petrol engines the H/J trucks could be ordered with Cummins, Detroit Diesel and Caterpillar diesels. That chassis formed the basis of the longer C/N/M series, which was replaced in 1977 by the Class 8 Chevrolet Bison and GMC General.
A new name for a new look
In the mid-1970s GM began to move away from alphanumeric model names. Chevrolet rebranded the H/J series as the Bruin, while GMC adopted military-style names for its heavy trucks and called the H/J the Brigadier, alongside the General and TopKick. GMC introduced the Brigadier as a 9500 series, with an 8000 series added for 1979, while Chevrolet offered the Bruin in 70, 80 and 90 series. Tilting-hood examples of the two brands are nearly identical, but butterfly-hood versions can be told apart by their headlights: two on the Bruin and four on the Brigadier.
Chassis and engines
The Brigadier carried over the H/J 9500 cab introduced in 1966, but a fully tilting fibreglass hood replaced the removable steel one and brought a larger rectangular grille and a redesigned radiator with better cooling. The older centre-hinged butterfly hood remained available. The cab could be ordered with an optional airfoil and with a one-piece or two-piece windscreen. The Chevrolet 427 petrol V8 was the standard engine, but in 1982 the Brigadier became diesel-only, with the Detroit Diesel 6V53, 6V71, 6-71, 8V71 and 6V92, the Caterpillar 3208 and Cummins NTC engines; the Cummins L10 joined the list in 1984.
The end of the line
The Brigadier quickly outsold the Chevrolet Bruin, and after 1980 Chevrolet stopped selling heavy trucks altogether, cancelling the Bruin, Bison and Titan. In 1986 Volvo took an 85 percent stake in a heavy-truck joint venture with GM, and the products were sold as WhiteGMC. The slow-selling GMC General and Astro were dropped, but Volvo GM kept the Brigadier in production. In mid-1988 it was re-released as a WhiteGMC, the only GMC truck produced under the joint venture, with revised badging and an optional sloped hood that shared its grille with the GMC TopKick. It was built to the end of the 1989 model year, retiring the GM H/J chassis after 23 years.
Design and features
- Short-hood conventional: a Class 7-8 layout similar to the Ford L-Series and Mack Model R.
- Tilting fibreglass hood: a larger grille and better engine cooling than the old steel hood.
- Two hood types: the butterfly hood stayed available, with four headlights on the GMC.
- Straight truck or tractor: used in short-haul, vocational and severe-service work.
- Diesel-only from 1982: a wide choice of Detroit Diesel, Caterpillar and Cummins engines.
GMC Brigadier versions
- Brigadier 9500 (1978): the launch series.
- Brigadier 8000 (1979): a second, lighter series added a year later.
- Chevrolet Bruin (1978-1980): the same truck in 70, 80 and 90 series.
- Butterfly-hood Brigadier: the older hood style, recognised by its four headlights.
- WhiteGMC Brigadier (1988-1989): the final version, with optional sloped hood.
The Brigadier sat below the GMC General and was joined by the cabover GMC Astro, while its replacement in the medium-duty range was the GMC TopKick. More trucks are in the GMC collection.
Sources
- GMC Brigadier, English Wikipedia: production, design, engines, WhiteGMC period
