Published: August 29, 2017, 10:30 PM
Updated: November 21, 2021, 3:08 PM
General Motors Heritage Center
Like several other automakers, General Motors maintains a collection of some of its most historic vehicles. Unlike some others, GM’s collection is not open to the public, but we had an opportunity to look behind those closed doors. Here’s some of what we found.
Words and photos by Gerry Malloy
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Consolidated collection
The General Motors Heritage Center was established in 2004 as the result of a decision by GM to consolidate all the historic vehicles that existed throughout the company into a single collection. Prior to developing this corporate heritage fleet, each vehicle division maintained its own history.
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Every one a milestone
The total collection comprises more than 600 vehicles, each one representing an important GM milestone or innovation. Each one is special in some way. The Heritage Center showroom, inauspiciously located in a suburban industrial enclave, features up to about 165 vehicles at a time, and the rest are on show elsewhere, in storage or undergoing maintenance.
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The outer limit
This immaculate 1963 Chevy II Nova SS graces the outer lobby of the Heritage Center, which is as far as the general public can get. The Center does serve as a conferencing center, however, hosting meetings, conferences, special events, and group tours almost daily. It is also home to the GM Media Archive, which serves as a research resource, housing production records, technical service manuals, original press kits, sales literature, speeches, and patent information.
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Behind those closed doors there is a vast display of iconic GM production and concept vehicles, such as this 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible, which featured the highest fins of any car during the be-finned 1950s.
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1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible
Equally iconic for fans of the blue bow-tie is this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, complete with accessory continental spare tire kit.
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Concept cars!
Mixed in with all the production cars is an exceptional assortment of GM concept cars spanning more than six decades. The silver concept car here is the 1962 Corvair Monza GT, seen over the rear haunch of the 1990 CERV III Experimental car.
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1969 Manta Ray Concept
This 1969 Manta Ray concept took the styling theme of the third-generation Corvette to an artistic extreme.
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Corvette lineage
Several important examples of the early Corvette lineage are on display, beginning with the 1953 model in the foreground – one of just 300 built in that first year of the fiberglass roadster’s production.
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1963 Corvette Sting Ray
Of course, there are representatives of the original Sting Ray – the second-generation Corvette, introduced in 1963, which not only established a styling theme that would last for decades but was the first Corvette model to feature independent rear suspension.
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1961 Corvette Mako Shark concept
The Sting Ray's styling was previewed a couple years earlier by this 1961 Mako Shark concept car.
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2009 Chevrolet Stingray concept
The evolved essentials of that iconic styling theme can be seen almost 50 years later in this 2009 Chevrolet Stingray concept - as well as in the current Corvette C7 production models.
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1973 Chevrolet Aerovette Experimental
Rumors suggest that the next-generation, C8 Corvette will be mid-engined – a notion frequently explored by GM in concept and experimental Corvettes as far back as the 1960s. They included this 1973 Aerovette, which featured a steel and aluminum structure with fiberglass skin and bi-fold gull-wing doors.
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Transverse V-8
Not only was the Aerovette’s small-block V-8 engine located midship, it was also mounted transversely.
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Fins and wings
Among the crown jewels of the Heritage Center collection are the three futuristic Firebird ‘dream cars’ GM unveiled in the 1950s. Powered by gas turbine engines, with huge vertical fins and vestigial wings, they were almost literally road-going aircraft.
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1954 Firebird 1 Experimental
Firebird 1, the first of the trilogy, was virtually a jet aircraft on wheels, designed to evaluate both aerodynamic design features and the feasibility of using a gas turbine engine in an automobile. The single-seater research vehicle was tested on track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Note the Firebird emblem on the hood.
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1956 Firebird II Experimental
Firebird II, introduced at the 1956 GM Motorama, was slightly more practical in design, with four seats, mostly enclosed wheels, and significantly reduced exhaust temperatures – a serious problem with Firebird I. Among its advanced features was the ability to follow the path of a wire embedded in the road, enabling hands-free operation by the driver.
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1959 Firebird III Experimental
Firebird III, displayed at GM’s Motoramas in 1959, is arguably the most extravagantly designed concept car ever, with no fewer than seven wings and fins. Its space-age innovations included air-drag brakes, like airplane flaps, and an early form of anti-lock brakes. Adding to its aircraft persona, the driver controlled it with a joystick and a drive-by-wire system rather than a steering wheel.
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1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Those Firebird concept cars contributed not only their name to the production Pontiac sporty cars introduced in 1967 but, later, the 'screaming chicken' emblem that adorned the hoods of Trans Am versions, like this 1977 'Smokey and the Bandit' model.
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Popular Pontiacs
While the Pontiac brand was discontinued in 2010, it contributed many memorable models to GM’s history during its hey days, including the GTO, Grand Prix and Firebird Trans Ams seen here, behind a Corvair Monza SS concept car.
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1966 Oldsmobile Toronado
The Heritage Center also features several key Oldsmobile models, another now-defunct brand (since 2004), which was the oldest in the GM portfolio. Among its most significant models was this distinctively designed 1966 Toronado, which was the first American front-wheel-drive production car since the demise of Cord in 1937.
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1911 Oldsmobile Limited
One of the largest cars ever produced in America was this luxurious 1911 Oldsmobile Limited, which rolled on 42-inch wheels. Its sheer size is apparent compared to the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero to its right in this picture – the last model built with the Oldsmobile name.
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1962 Oldsmobile Starfire
Seldom seen on the collector-car circuit, this 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire is a stunning example of the full-size personal coupes that began to appear in that era – in some ways a predecessor to the Toronado.
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1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire
Even more historically significant, this 1963 Jetfire variant of Oldsmobile’s mid-size F-85 model, was the first production vehicle to feature a turbocharged engine when it was introduced as a 1962 model – beating Chevrolet’s Corvair Monza Spyder to market by a few weeks.
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1962 Chevrolet Corvair Super Spyder Concept
Based on that first turbocharged Corvair Monza Spyder, this Super Spyder concept made the rounds of the show circuit to generate excitement for Chevrolet's rear-engined compact, which became more successful as a sporty car than as the economy car it was intended to be.
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1969 Chevrolet Corvair Monza and 1964 Corvair 95 Greenbrier
This second-generation Corvair Monza coupe – arguably one of the prettiest GM designs of the 1960s – was one of the last models built before Corvair production ceased in 1969. Beside it is a 1964 Corvair ’95 Greenbrier van, produced from 1961 to 1964. There was also a pickup variant of the Greenbrier architecture called the Rampside.
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1971 Chevrolet Vega
While it was not a direct replacement for the Corvair, the sub-compact Vega became Chevrolet's entry-level model in 1971. This was the first Vega off the Lordstown, Ohio assembly line. While it was an attractive car and featured some novel engineering, including a linerless aluminum engine, it was fraught with reliability issues and it lasted only seven years before being discontinued.
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1957 Chevrolet Nomad
Among Chevrolet’s more successful models is this 1957 Nomad wagon, the last of the classic tri-five, two-door sports wagons to carry the name. And still one of the most attractive station wagons ever!
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1959 Chevrolet El Camino
At the other extreme of the Chevrolet styling spectrum was the ‘bat-wing’ 1959 model, represented here in El Camino sedan-pickup form.
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Chevrolet SSRs
Another unique model in the Chevrolet lineup was the SSR – a retro-styled pickup truck with a retractable hardtop roof. It was introduced as a concept vehicle, seen here in the foreground, in 2000 and morphed into a series of production models, behind, from 2003 to 2006.
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First Chevy V-8
A huge factor in Chevrolet’s success over the past 60 years its small-block V-8 engine, introduced in 1955 and continually evolved through several generations right up to today. But that wasn’t Chevrolet’s first V-8 engine: this was, and it was introduced in 1918.
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1918 Chevrolet Model D Chummy V-8
The 288 cubic-inch (4.7L) V-8 with overhead valves – still relatively uncommon at the time – was designed by Chevrolet engineers before the company merged with General Motors in 1918. It didn’t suit Chevrolet’s entry level position within the larger corporation, or the brand’s cost-conscious buyers, and lasted only one year.
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1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
By the end of the 1960s, however, V-8s ruled and muscle cars were kings. Few were more representative of the breed, or more popular, than this 1970 Chevelle SS.
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1970 Buick GSX
Carrying the Buick muscle-car flag from the same era was this 1970 Buick GSX.
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1987 Buick Regal GNX
By the mid-70s the original muscle-car era was dead, scuttled by rising fuel prices, fuel-economy standards and insurance rates. But Buick resurrected it in the mid-80s with its turbocharged-V-6-powered Regal GN line. This further-boosted edition was one of 547 McLaren-modified GNX models, capable of 13-second quarter-mile times right off the truck.
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1963 Buick Riviera & 1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport
While Buick was the brand on which General Motors was built, it was not strongly represented in the rotating Heritage Center collection during our visit, in part because several key cars were on loan elsewhere. The spectacular 1956 Centurion concept car, for example, is currently on display at the Buick Gallery in the brand’s hometown of Flint Michigan. Also absent was the 1938 Buick Y Job – the world’s first concept car – which GM says is the most valuable car in the collection.
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Buick Silver Arrow III concept
Buick was represented by this 1972 Buick Silver Arrow III concept car, which was actually based on a production Riviera with a lowered roofline and added features.
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1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
Cadillac seemed to be the dominant marque in terms of numbers during our visit, with such jewels as this 1957 Eldorado Brougham on display. Behind it is a 1931 Cadillac V-16 Dual-Cowl Phaeton.
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1931 Cadillac V-16
Cadillac was one of only two automakers, along with Marmon, ever to offer V-16 engines. (The Bugatti Veyron’s engine is a W-16.) The Cadillac V-16, introduced in 1930, was a narrow-angle (45o), overhead-valve design displacing 452 cubic inches (7.4 liters). Cadillac continued to build V-16’s, including a second-generation version, until 1940.
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Historically significant Cadillacs
Several other historically significant Cadillacs were part of the display, including the red 1903 Model A runabout in the foreground – the first series produced by Cadillac after it was formed from the residue of Henry Ford’s second attempted company. The blue 1912 Touring model, center, included a feature that changed the course of the auto industry.
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Electric self-starter
That 1912 Cadillac featured the industry’s first electric self-starter, developed by GM’s Dayton Electric Laboratories. The concept was quickly adopted throughout the industry, eliminating the need for hand-cranking and thus confirming the gasoline engine as the dominant powerplant for the next century and beyond.
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1949 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
In the post-WWII era, this 1949 Cadillac Coupe De Ville became the first production car to offer a pillarless “hardtop-convertible” body style, which became the premium style of choice for more than two decades.
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1967 Cadillac Eldorado coupe
In 1967, Cadillac introduced its front-wheel-drive Eldorado coupe, the sharp-edged styling of which established a distinctive brand look that continues through today.
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1988 Cadillac Voyage concept
Cadillac’s designers did lose their way for a while, as illustrated by this 1988 Voyage concept car.
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2002 Cadillac Cien concept
But the look was back even more strongly by the time this 2002 Cien concept car celebrated Cadillac's100th anniversary.
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Mid-engined beauty
The sleek Cien featured a midship-mounted experimental V-12 engine that raised hopes of both features reaching production, but they remained a beautiful dream.
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2011 Cadillac Ciel concept
The look carried on, however, evolving through this 2011 Ciel concept as well as other concept and production models.
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Cadillac race cars
The distinctive Cadillac styling was even adapted to the brand's race cars – including this 2002 LMP 02 racer designed to compete – with limited success – at Le Mans. It continues on today’s DPiV.R competitors in the IMSA endurance racing series. In the background are Cadillac racers from an earlier era.
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GM race cars
It's not just Cadillac race cars on display. There are examples of GM's broad range of involvement in various form of motorsport, including IndyCar.
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2001 Corvette CR-5 race car
Corvettes have been at the core of GM's racing programs almost from their inception. This 2001 purpose-built Corvette CR-5 racer was driven by Ron Fellows, both in the North American ALMS series and at Le Mans, where it won its class.
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Engines!
In addition to cars, there is a vast display of significant GM engines from over the year, including the experimental Cadillac V-12 in the foreground.
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Electrovair II & Electrovan experimental vehicles
Electric cars are much in the news today but they are nothing new for GM, which was experimenting with them at least as far back as the 1960s. The Corvair-based Electrovair II in the foreground featured a trunk full of silver-zinc batteries, while the Electrovan in the background is said to be the first experimental fuel-cell powered vehicle ever built.
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2010 EN-V Electric networked Vehicle & 1969 512 Electric Experimental Vehicle
These pod-like vehicles could be up-to-the-minute concept cars, predicting our near-term future, but the EN-V in the foreground dates back to 2010 and the 512 Experimental Vehicle behind it al the way back to 1969.
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1992 Ultralite experimental vehicle
GM’s 1992 Ultralite experimental vehicle established a new direction for concept cars, exploring the way to a greener future with ultra-lightweight materials, an aerodynamic future and a very small, highly efficient engine. Its body structure was formed fully of carbon fiber.
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AUTOnomy concept car
The GM AUTOnomy concept car, introduced in 2002, was one of the most dramatic concept cars ever. While its fuel-cell powertrain has yet to become reality in any significant numbers, its ‘skateboard’ chassis configuration has become a near-norm for electric vehicle battery placement and many of its drive-by-wire features are now being used in production cars.
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