Old Pictures of GM Brazilian Branch

GM followed Ford and opened a Branch in Brazil too...Here some pictures of that time...

 

GM started a operation in Brazil in 1925...Before that they only had operations in three other countries: Canada, England where they bought Vauxhall and Germany where they controled Opel...Brazil was fourth in the list...GM addopted a System called CKD (Completely Knocked Down) where the parts came from USA and were assembled here...From 1925 to 1928 GM assembled 50,000 cars here in Brazil...Thats one of the reasons we have tons of american tin around here!

 

This was the CKD System!

 

Chevrolet parade in 1931...They used to do that for marketing the new models....

 

Thanks for all the pictures . I always enjoys seeing the old pictures of the car makers s they are being build . Still interesting when they are from another country !

Retro Jim

 

Thank you JIM...Im happy you appreciate that! It is a piece of the american car industry history down here!

 

Thanks for the awesome photos!! where is this GM plant in the pics??
I seem to recall driving past a GM proving gounds outside of Campinas,SP on one of my last trips to see my family there...

 

In 1927 GM had already assembled 25,000 cars in Brazil!

 

The first plant was in Sao Paulo in the Ipiranga Neighborhood...In 1927 they start building a new plant in Sao Caetano do Sul...Moving to that plant around 1930...Nowadays they have a couple of plants around the Sao Paulo State...The one close to campinas could be the Sao Jose dos Campos one!

 

Thats the Sao Caetano do Sul Plant circa 1948

 

You actually can make a 180 degrees picture with those 3 pics! Nice woodies over there!

 

Inside the same plant around the 30's

 

Always close to the railways to make the transportation easier to the rest of the country!

 

ricardo....thanks muchooo for all the interesting pictures, love them old building also.

 

GM spread dealers all around in Brazil...In 1926 there were about 150 Dealers around Brazil and that was just the first complete year of operations in Brazil

 

wow..thanks for the pictures,,i love things like that

 

Where would I be able to get those pictures, are they yours? Im Brasilian and a Chevy guy I would love to make some large prints and frame some or those.

 

Thanks for posting!
Cool pics!

 

really cool. I did not know that.

 

Bruno,

You can find some of those pictures in the internet! There is also a book called "General Motors do Brasil: 70 anos de historia" where you can find more pictures and all the history of Chevrolet in Brazil!

 

Ricardo,
Great pics! I've bought parts for my Willys Aero from down there, thanks to you folks I can still get some of the hard to find stuff.

thanks for the photos!

 

Oh yeah! We have lots of Willys Aero! Thank you!

 

This was the Chevrolet Circus...This was the way Chevrolet found to marketing its products...They used to go to small cities in the vast countryside of Brazil Doing a Circus Parade with artists, girls in sunbath suits and a row of all kinds of Chevrolet models, Bus, trucks, convertible cars etc...They used to stay for two days in each city presenting circus acts, music and the cars to the farmers and peopel in general then they moved to next city!

 

cool pictures, but why is there a 28/29 ford roadster in the 31 one chevy parade. seem like a bad place for that little car to be.

 

Hahahhaha I didn't notice!!!

 

Actually, my friend, looking the picture once more, I don't see the Ford you say! If you look better all the cars are same color and alll of them have the Chevrolet Logo in their doors! Can you explain me better where you see the Ford Roadster?

 

Cool pics ! I have a some friends that are missionaries in Sao Paulo, the Leonard's , they love it down there. He is a little bit of a car guy I will have to ask him about it when he is back on furlough.