Chevrolet Bruin

A 1979 GMC Brigadier 6×4, this one fitted with a Detroit Diesel 6V53 diesel engine.
A yellow GMC Brigadier in Taiwan

The Chevrolet Bruin and similar GMC Brigadier were heavy-duty trucks made by Chevrolet and GMC between 1978 and 1988.[1][2] The Bruin & Brigadier were both conventional rigs using the 9500 series cab introduced in 1966; this cab was better finished and more stylized than a typical big-rig cab but larger than the pickup-based cab used on the contemporary C40-C65 series. Chevrolet's Bruin (and Titan and Bison as well) was discontinued in 1981, while the GMC model continued to be built until the summer of 1988.[3] Diesel engine choices included Caterpillar, Cummins and Detroit Diesel powerplants. Gasoline engines were also available until 1982.[4]

"Bruin" followed the pattern of "frontier beast" names given to heavier Chevrolet trucks such as the Chevrolet Bison (heavier) and Chevrolet Kodiak (lighter). "Brigadier" followed the pattern of "military rank" names given to GMC's heavier trucks. Unlike the Titan/Astro & Bison/General, the Bruin/Brigadier found suitable replacements in the form of the Kodiak/Topkick.

The GMC version was more common than the Chevrolet version. This was probably because for many years, in order to have a solo GMC franchise (unlike the retail outlet usually co-branded as the former Pontiac/GMC division (now Buick/GMC since 2010); the dealer had to carry light trucks, medium trucks, heavy trucks, and service the school bus chassis, and the P-chassis all under one roof at the same location; while most Chevrolet dealers dealt only in passenger cars and light trucks (up to 3500 series).

References

  1. ↑ 1978 GMC Brigadier Brochure (eBay)
  2. ↑ 1978 Chevrolet Bruin (United Country)
  3. ↑ Meyer, Donald E. (March 2009), "The first century of GMC truck history" (PDF), GM Heritage Center (General Motors), pp. 36, 42
  4. ↑ Meyer, p. 37
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