GMC Suburban III photos

The third-generation GMC Suburban arrived in 1947 built upon GM's celebrated post-war Advance Design truck architecture, known in GMC terminology as the New Design series. It introduced a vastly more spacious cab with wider seating, superior visibility, improved ventilation, and a rigid all-steel body structure available with either rear panel doors or a tailgate arrangement. Powertrains featured robust overhead-valve inline-six engines displaceable at 228 and 248 cubic inches, delivering enhanced output and smooth operation alongside three-speed and four-speed manual transmissions. In the early 1950s, GMC pioneered the offering of the four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission in its light-duty trucks and Suburbans. The vehicle retained a tough ladder chassis with heavy-duty solid axles and leaf springs designed for long service life across North America's rapidly expanding post-war highway and rural networks.