GM Ranger: The Multicultural Car You Never Heard Of
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- A classic car connaisseur tells the confusing history of GM Ranger, the South-African/Swiss/British/German car that was another genius idea from General Motors. It's essentially a brand that is based on Opel car bodies, with Vauxhall trim and a Chevrolet engine. Let's untangle this obscure car brand!
Remember to like, subscribe and share if you want more of this!
You can follow me on Instagram: www.instagram....
You can always email me at:
edsautoreviews@gmail.com
Enjoy!
![[TH] FS vs BME - VCT Ascension Pacific - Lower Bracket Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wnygqsR2Fig/mqdefault.jpg)
And I thought the "Buick Opel by Isuzu" was the peak of GM badge engineering
Yo I'm surprised someone else knows about that badging
There was also the Daewoo Windstorm MaXX: A badge-engineered version of the Opel Antara, which in turn was a badge-engineered version of the Daewoo Windstorm, sold as a higher trim level of the Windstorm in Korea with Opel's numerous improvements. As far as I know, the only reverse-badge-engineered car in existence.
@@no1DdC I was today years old when I learned this info
@@no1DdC There’s another! The first-gen Mitsubishi Precis was a rebadged budget version of the first-generation Hyundai Excel, which was itself a badge-engineered budget version of the second-gen Mitsubishi Lancer.
The only car with 3 brand names in a single car.
In Brazil at the same time we had the Chevrolet Opala which was basically an Opel Reckord with an American inline 6 engine. GM and their rebadging's galore at its finest.
Opalão 2 dedo de vidro abaixado
I was blessed with a 'Diplomata' as a company car when I lived in Brazil in 1983. It was a 3-speed column change with just enough power to pull the skin off rice pudding.
(That apart, a great company in a great city (Belo Horizonte) with great people).
Very interesting so there’s a possibility if I’m driving an American Buick that it’s actually made by a German instead of a fat guy from Kentucky
Rekord*
@@ryananderson8511 In your dream. UAW won't let that happen.
GM South Africa also sold rebadged Holdens: Kingswood (Kommando), Statesman(Constantia) and the Monaro (which also looked like a Rekord but marketed as Chevrolet SS). In modern times some Australian collectors have ventured to the RSA in order to pick up these used models since the originals in Australia have become prohibitively expensive. A South African Ford Fairmont GT is a fraction of the price of an original Ford Falcon GT.
And some Australian built performance Holdens were sold in the UK as Vauxhalls.
Hi Ed, good episode but a couple of things to add. First Opel was taken over by GM in 1929, not 1931. Second, the Ranger in South Africa used Vauxhall Victor front suspension & steering, not only that it was planned to be sold as a Vauxhall, the very first press photographs of the car had Vauxhall badges from the Victor FD, only at the last minute did it change to Ranger. I have copies if you want to have a look. In Europe, the Ranger was the brainchild of GM turnaround guru Bob Price, who later was MD of Vauxhall, the idea was to give struggling Vauxhall dealers in the Benelux & Switzerland additional models to sell even if these competed directly with Vauxhall's own models. Keep up the great work!
❤ this channel, excellent color + detail, thank u
Bob Price was also responsible for cleaning up the utter train-wreck that was 1960s GMSA.
Ed guess's alot this channel sux
@@yossarian6799 south America is a failed state
Plus, the HP Firenza was a gem of a bespoke performance coupe and (whether with Viva E, Firenza or Magnum designation) the coupe is, in my opinion, one if the prettiest cars ever made particularly from the side, genuinely. The pre-1925 Vauxhalls basically enjoyed the sector of the market later assumed by Bentley; they were prestigious, luxurious performance cars: world's first sportscar, first British production car to reach 100mph, popular with the Russian royal family etc. Even post-1925, the biggest Vauxhall estates were still good enough for the Queen to use as her personal daily drivers, having owned no fewer than four of them from the 1950s into the 1990s.
Thanks for this Ed! I want to set the story straight- GM South Africa only assembled the A body Ranger. The new B body style that was actually an Opel in Europe (and also sold as a Ranger in those European countries you mentioned) became the successor of the Ranger and Opel brand in SA. The B body in SA was badged as a Chevrolet. The Chevrolet 2500 (Chev 4 cyl) the 3800 and 4100 both with 6 cyl engines. In 1973 the Ranger was sold alongside the new Chev B bodies 2500-4100 until November '73 when Ranger was discontinued. Opels were also no longer available because the new Chev 2500-4100 models replaced them. At one time there were 11 Ranger models to choose from including a 2 door HT and 2 wagons. The springbok badging obviously appealed to patriotic South Africans. Hope this makes sense!
I’ve been a knowledgeable car guy all my life, and as a kid , even knew what the Soviet cars were, and managed to see a handful in the States, BUT, this is one I’ve never heard of ‼️
Very interesting ❗️
Great video - Great Channel ❗️
🚗🙂
This is exactly what I was thinking. By 1978, as a 14 year old...I read every last bit of anything automotive I could find and this is a first.
@@tdvandy2
1978 I was 17, so, yeah. Exactly.
🚗🙂
Totally. Me as well!
I totally agree. I knew during the 70s even the in Germany at that time quite unpopular British cars and there was a Lada-Dealership in the next town. Therefore I thought I knew all European car brands. But I've never heard from a Ranger.
Ranger's just the tip of the iceberg. Once South Africa adopted local-content rules in 1964, the industry morphed into a curious parallel-universe of models that had no direct equivalent elsewhere on Earth. 3-litre "Big Six" Ford Cortinas. Ford Capris and German Granadas with Mustang 302 V8s. Vauxhall Vivas with Camaro 302 engines. Peugeot-powered Hillmans. Frankenstein Chryslers that mixed US and Australian bodies. Familar cars with unfamiliar names (Dodge Demon = Valiant Charger). Familiar names on unfamiliar vehicles (Chevrolet El Camino = Holden HQ Utility). The Renault 5 and AMC Hornet (with a 250 cubic-inch Chevrolet engine of course) were made and sold by Toyota!
the thing I love about cars is even after decades of enjoying them I still can learn something new. thank you
about learning something new...One car video was about the chevy 327 fuel injected , and some one commented that claimed to have worked at the chevy factory and said all the engines were tested with natural gas running through them.. how about that
This car was also the Chevrolet Opala in Brazil, and was sold from 1968 until 1992…. Same body panels and engines throughout its existence.
O ranger também usava os 151 e 250 americanos? Se sim é bem capaz que a estratégia da GM do Brasil foi inspirada nessa brincadeira das GM africana e europeia
@@matheus_ps Pelo que eu pesquisei o Ranger usou o mesmo 2.5l do Opala Brasileiro. O seu substituto na África do Sul, o Chevrolet 3800, baseado no Rekord D (a próxima geração do Rekord C que o Brasil nunca teve), usou o motor 3.8l seis cilindros do Opala, que acabou virando 4.1L depois. É incrível ver que até em países como África do Sul a GM evoluiu seus modelos a cada 3-4 anos, enquanto que no Brasil ficam fazendo plástica em seus mesmos modelos por décadas.
@@CesarAbeid infelizmente a proibição das importações deixaram as marcas já instaladas muito confortável com pouca concorrência, mas é interessante saber que o Opala tem esse irmão que é o Ranger
@@matheus_ps Exato.
I had never heard of GM Ranger before today... 'SA's Own' indeed!
'Australia's Own Car' Holden was based on an abandoned light six concept called Cadet - it had the basic dimensions of the compacts released by the Big Three at the end of the 1950s. When you consider how many near identical platforms were separately developed by GM over the years (at immense cost) one can't help but wonder why the World Car didn't appear before 1960.
Yeah I have an old Buick book that claimed the Cadet was an abandoned small Buick prototype in the '40s that was used as basis for Holden of Australia
It was only SA's 'own car' because a very high % of the components were made locally. Because of import duties which hampered most of the opposition, it was relatively cheap but not nasty.
Not often there is a car out there that I have NEVER heard of. Looks pretty decent too. Great job, Ed.
The Opel Rekord was also launched in Brazil in 1968 and kept the same body with various restyling until 1992. So, 24 years. That car still have a lot of fans over there.
My first car was a 1977 Opala. But in my family we had a 1971 4 door. Then my father had a 1980 and then 1984. The reason that the Brazilian version of Rekord was so successful is that the local GM design studio kept updating the body, specially the front to trends. Also, the interior, specially the panel went thru various style changes. And GM kept adding mechanical and comfort content. Ah, Brazil also had the automobile market closed to imports.
Perhaps, you should make a video about the Brazilian Record: Chevrolet Opala/Diplomata. Cheers.
Olá truebras, espero que me entiendas. Tenho um Opel Rekord C Caravan de 1971. Na minha opinião, o Opala brasileiro perdeu muito em relação ao seu pai alemão. Começando pelos faróis redondos, ao invés dos retangulares originais, as lanternas traseiras com sinalizadores âmbar passaram a ser apenas vermelhas, sem cinto de segurança de série, ou seja, foi adaptada para a América do Sul, ou talvez para o gosto brasileiro da época
Quanto aos motores também existe um abismo, os motores originais da Chevrolet não têm a sofisticação, nem a variedade que a alemã Opel trouxe. Si, eran simples y fáciles de reparar por los mecánicos de la época. Como curiosidad, el motor del Opel Rekord C fué diseñado en Detroit y el cuerpo en Alemania, con dos versiones, una con y una sin la silueta Coke. Felizmente quedó la silueta Coca Cola. No Uruguai havia muitos Opalas, de vários modelos e anos, e claro, como havia importação livre no Uruguai, vieram quase todos os modelos médios da Opel (incluso he visto algún Admiral de primera serie) e muitas outras marcas alemãs.
El Rekord C, en Alemania, también siguió evolucionando. Los primero modelos heredaron cosas de su antecesor, el Rekord A (historia aparte y rareza, el Rekord B) y en sus últimos años, llegaron a tener motores a inyeccón de combustibles en los Commodores GS/E. Partiendo de la base que Opel hizo dos series con el mismo auto, la serie Rekord "sencilla" y la Commodore "elegante".
Paradoxalmente, no momento pelo que li nos fóruns, muitas peças para Opel Rekord C, na Alemanha, são de origem brasileira, yo tenho até un parabrisas brasileiro instalado na minha Caravan.
A Caravana Opala é especialmente conhecida no Uruguai, pois era utilizada pela Polícia Rodoviária. Era muito comum vê-los na beira da estrada.
Rekord C e Opala, ótimos carros.
Saludos.
I was living in South Africa when that car came out. "South Africa's Own Car" was how the advertising jingle went..
Thanks for another great video - your channel is endlessly insightful! 😁
Two fun facts: Vauxhall is one of those linguistic traps in English - it's pronounced 'Voxall'
It's also a neighbourhood in south London; the Vauxhall car company was based there until 1905.
Its tube station is on the Victoria Line & its bus station is the second busiest in the capital.
Originally Faulke's Hall, named for an Anglo-Norman soldier one Sir Falkes de Bréauté. 😁
What's up with _Worcestershire_ ?
If we hadn't won that pesky revolution we'd all be speaking English in the U.S..
@@-oiiio-3993 Oh man, Worcestershire is the least of it. Try Featherstonehaugh (pronounced Fanshaw) or Cholmondeley (Chumley). It's a minor miracle we Brits ever open our mouths!
@@dr.plutonus1496 Indeed.
Conversely, in the native tongue of my homeland (the San Fernando Valley), entire conversations were often held with the utterance of a single 'word', albeit with different inflection; to wit:
Dude.
Dude?
_Duuude._
Like; dude?
Dude.
Duuuude.
Ever worked on a Holden Torana? In just the front brake package you will find Metric, AF and Whitworth hardware
I would like to see a video about the GM Companion brands like Pontiac, Viking, Marquette, and LaSalle, and/or all other defunct brands GM have (like Rapid, Welch, Rainier, McLaughlin, Cartercar, etc...) and which of the brands should return (including Oakland). For how Geo and Saturn are the cheapest, Chevy is cheap, GMC is premium trucks, Pontiac is less cheap but more sporty, Oldsmobile is the middle ground, Buick is the premium brand, and Cadillac is the luxury brand, where those defunct brands would fit if they where still today, which is very unlikely but imagining is free.
The Viking of 1929 - 31 ran V8 engines.
The former, Australian arm of GMH appear to have incorporated the body style into the Holden Torana in the late 60s, early 70s. The engines ranged from the basic small capacity in-line 6, up to the V8, which won races, largely due to its low weight. The battle on the Mountain, in Bathurst, was a Sunday extravaganza each year. It seems that platform sharing was a common theme from the 60s onward?
I would also point out, that the Opel, for Australian use, broke on the GMH test track. (with the Opel variant for the new Commodore model, breaking in two.) The German engineers blamed our population for driving like fools. He could not understand the nature of our road network, once the cities were left behind.
When testing the prototypes for the Camira (Cavalier, Ascona et al) in the Australian outback, the German engineers constantly punctured tyres, due to their inability/unwillingness to drive the vehicles around the largest of the potholes/bumps. The Australian drivers, (who were used to the conditions and drove around the situation, out of habit) didn't have the same problem...
The Torana started out as a rebadged Vauxhall Viva. There were also plenty of four cylinder Toranas made.
Vehicle stress test.
For hot and arid environments, Australia
For cold and harsh environments, the trio on the baltics.
For the more extreme hot and arid environments + unaccountable problems, much of Africa. And the cold and harsh, Siberia.
More mileage stress test goes for the roads on the US.
The same countries also apply to new aircraft being tested on different environments. It also include high altitude, low air density landings and take off.
@@kimpatz2189 For motor vehicles the conditions which are likely to be encountered by the average car on our appalling roads, beyond the urban or freeways,, are enough to destroy some vehicles. Those are the dynamic testing foreign built vehicles must deal with. America has a wonderful network of relatively straight and well surfaced, and few sections, of this raw ungraded dirt road.
The USAF have an extreme temperature facility in Florida, for aircraft. From absurdly cold to tremendous heat. Too expensive for vehicle manufacturers to hire.
@@stevenhoman2253 In Brisbane here. Don't have to go out of the city and suburbs for appalling roads. Thousands of new potholes, caused by the February floods, means I have had to adopt the a different driving style: watching the road surface closely and steering.
I always wanted Vauxhall to make a Victor FD Coupe. It was out there all along. Mind blown. 🤯
Which begs the question if it was out there then WHY did Vauxhall not sell it in the U.K.?!
It would have slotted neatly into their model range and allowed them to have a capri competitor of sorts (although slightly larger) before the Firenza came out in 1971/2
@@dj_efk . I couldn't agree more. I have always loved two door styling on mid to large cars. I got a 2nd hand Manta as soon as I could afford it, then later a Calibra. I'm in my late 50's now and would love to see an Insignia Coupe. Too much Dukes of Hazzard or Smokey and the Bandit I guess.
We had that car in Brazil for many decades, it was the Chevrolet Opala, 4 door sedan and 2 door coupe, with Diplomata and Comodoro luxury versions and the Caravan 3-door station wagon, I believe until 1992. It had 4 and 6 cylinder versions and also automatic transmission. In the 80s the models ran on sugarcane bioufuel. It was replaced by the fabulous Chevrolet Omega (Opel Omega).
As an American I'm a GM guy. But yeah, they've done a lot of questionable stuff. They really like to keep upgrading and updating cars until they're almost perfect. Then kill them off. Grand National, Fiero...yeah
I am glad someone did this video about GM Ranger. Your did an excellent job and got your information as well. I was impressed with the information and footage. Your efforts are appreciated.
Have a Manta badge off of a beyond saving rusted out Manta Opel I saw at a wrecking yard. I just like the name.
I really loved the Opel Manta and it was sold in the USA!
Too bad we never got the Manta B here.
@2:47 The Opel Diplomat is interesting because it used some Chevelle inner body structure including cowl, A pillars & windshield.
But it was unibody and a shorter wheelbase than the US Chevy Chevelle.
And it was a #36 Matchbox in the '60s!
Great video and a completely obscure car. It's funny you made a video on this car because at the start of the summer 2021 I was inquirying to buy a 1970 "Ranger" for a reasonable sum of 2000e. However it wasn't called a ranger. It was called a Vauxhall Ventora. A car I had never heard of or seen before and I would consider myself something of a rainman when it comes to most automobiles. I have to admit I'm sorry I didn't buy it but someone put a deposit down just before I asked to look at the car. It was in a baby shade of blue the styling reminded me heavily of the 66/68 Chevelle. A muscle car with European proportions. If I ever see one pop up again I'll be sure to buy it and throw a nice 350 small block in there 😊😊
The Opels were also rebadged as Chevrolet here on Argentina (and most probably, all of Latin America) until GM lost Opel.
Interesting fact about that, here and in Brazil we kept the Corsa B model (as a sedan) facelifted and renamed as Classic until 2016. They are still servicing as taxis, and some of them will until 2026 when the last units turn 10 years old. The engines are still based on the Family 1 engine series, the last one being the SPE/4.
Y como Suzuki Fan, el Chevrolet Celta, que creo en realidad era el Opel Tigra hecho sedán, o usaban las puertas y el capó, ya no recuerdo.. Entreverado el asunto.
Bueno, acá en Uruguay existió el Ford Festiva, que era en realidad un rebadge del Kia Pop. En determinado momento Ford dijo: no son más Ford, no vendemos más repuestos para esos coches. Manejate. Hace años que la presencia de Ford en Uruguay es testimonial y ha perdido mucho prestigio. Solo en camionetas grandes, y muy por detrás de Toyota, Nissan, y varias más.
SDS
I had to watch this twice. I am fascinated by anything discussing the opel MANTA. My mom owned an awesome blue one with the black hood. I was 5 when my dad let me stand on his lap and steer it. I wish I lived in the multiverse where my family kept it. My dad traded it for a 😭 gran Torino woody station wagon. We also owned a pumpkin orange Buick opel by Isuzu. Glad to not be in it's multiverse. I wonder what happened to our MANTA. It was sold around 1977 in Easthampton Massachusetts. My oldest and fondest memory related to the automobile.
I have to give you the utmost props, I'm an absolute car nerd and I had no idea the GM Ranger was a thing. Even though I'm in the US my boss is an old Brit as well as a fellow car guy, I definitely have some questions when I get to work tomorrow.
Interesting to think how many GM brands have come and gone. (And sometimes come back, as is the case with Hummer).
They sure are good at spending marketing money lol.
Hummer is a real bummer
Don't forget the Canadian car brands like the Beaumont SD and Acadian Canso SD.
To be true, Hummer didn't came back...that electric truck is a GMC.
@Clermont Florida Yep you got it brother
I still cannot believe GM killed Holden in Australia. Why? Were sales that poor?
Can you do a video on the South African car industry because it sounds interesting
Although South Africa never developed its own car industry from scratch being more inclined to assemble well known American brands for the local market. Today, South Africa is understood to be the largest exporter of the top 3 German brands outside Germany.
"Are you still with me?... good" instantly fades to commercial
Lolol
Great video! Very informative too….interestingly, the Vauxhall Victor was rebadged and sold in the Indian market as the Hindustan Contessa till 2002. It is deemed to be India’s first ‘muscle car’ by many Indian automotive enthusiasts. Never knew that it was originally a car from GM.
Great video buddy. You should do a video on the history of the South African car industry
Can we get a deep dive on the Mazda Roadpacer? A giant Holden with a tiny 13B rotary sold as a Japan-only Luxury(?) car
Mazda being the only one to stick with the rotary engine even though GM and Citroen gave up on it at a huge cost to themselves could be a 20 minute mini documentary style video in itself. And it would probably highlight in my opinion the best looking Mazda rotary engined car of them all: the 1968 Mazda Cosmo. A car that showed Mazda was trying out with exclusivity way before the Amati.
This car was sold here in Brasil until 1992
As Opala, and the the two door as Comodoro
And four door as Diplomata, using mostly the 210 cubic inch 6inline GM block.
And all that living together with the Chevy Cavalier (here Monza) and the Chevy Chevrtte.
Existem tanto o Opala, quanto o Comodoro e Diplomata com duas ou quatro portas. E o motor seis cilindros, era 250...
In a parallel universe where there is a GM Ranger and NOT a Ford Ranger!
In a parallel universe GM trucks don't fall apart after 3 years. Not hating but how many S-10s do you still see on the road vs the Ford Ranger?
@@captlazer5509 you know that's very true but considering they redesigned it and renamed it to the Colorado in or around 2005 that should be the case anyway
@@JasonFlorida I remember that but I still see old boxy Rangers around and very few old S-10's. I hate the new Ford Maverick. GM if they stepped up could capture the small truck market
@@captlazer5509
Other car companies are going to do just that.
@@captlazer5509 the Ford Maverick reminds me of the old El Caminos since the truck bed and the body are made together. I find that Hyundai sport truck thing even uglier than the Mavericks though.
I had never heard of a GM Ranger, but in Australia in the 1970's we had the Chrysler Valiant Ranger. It was the base trim level of the Australian designed and built VH series Valiant from 1971 to 1973. There was also a slightly fancier trim model called the Ranger XL. I can't recall the difference, but they were probably cosmetic like wheel trims, seat fabric and so on. They were both pretty basic cars. It is hard to think that this car was related to the wildly successful Valiant Charger of that time.
Maybe one day you could do a story on the Australian 'Supercars" of that period, Ford Falcon GTHO, Holden Monaro GTS350 and Torana XU-1 and the mighty Charger E49 RT/4 six pack.
The answer to the ultimate question is found in this episode. Interesting that Ford used the Ranger moniker for its small pick up truck after it ditched the Courier. Watchful eye of GM???? Hmm, I guess watchful does not equal care and quality.
Watchful as in, they were eventually very controlling - allowed very little individuality from brand to brand.
Ford also used Ranger for one of the Edsel models, and it was also a trim level for f-series trucks from 1960s-1982.
To round it all off, Opel and Vauxhall where spun off after the banking crisis of 2008 and ended up in the hands of Peugeot (PSA) that subsequently merged with Fiat - Chrysler and is now called Stellantis or something like that (I could not be bothered to look that up).
GREAT TO SEE A NEW EAR VIDEO AVAI;ABLE! IT REALLY PERKS THE DAY UP - THANKS ED!
Excellent and informative video.
I feel like the short-lived Mazda Roadpacer AP and perhaps other unlikely rebadges would be worth a video
Keep up the good work!
Easily one of the BEST You Tube Channels of all time. Brilliant.
As a belgian, i can't agree more, we have the best beers in the world !
Duvel or La Chouffe?
You need them all to undo the wrong doing of stella artois 😱
@@marvintpandroid2213 more like Oval, Tripel Karmeliet and Hoegarden Grand Cru
@@anyajenkins4611 No fair, I need to go back some time soon.
It was a brilliant car in South Africa. We loved it. Even if it was a Vauxhall.
I know that Australian Valiant (ie Chrysler) Rangers were sold in South Africa and the UK too, very confusing XD
South African Valiants never used the "Ranger" name. Base-model Valiants were called "Rebel" ...
In 1973, before the petrol crisis, the Opel Record D was the Best Seller in South Africa, with American engines, 2,5 L I4, 3,8 L I6, and 4,1 L I6, but they were badged Chevrolet! The ad went Blue skies, braaivleis, and Chevrolet!
It never clicked that the front clip was from a Vauxhall Victor! I saw tons when in SA for the first time in the mid 70s. Well-researched, entertaining vid as usual.
Great history lesson! You should also have a look at the South African Chevy Can Am...
My dad's first car was also a Ascona A! Opels were everywhere here in Norway too during the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Very interesting and enjoyable video, but really; aren't we just talking about what GM has always done? I mean back then, a Chevrolet Chevelle or Pontiac LeMans here, a Beaumont Acadian in Canada, right? Badge Engineering: A game the whole family can play! 🎲!
I had a 1975 Opel Ascona 1.6S. Loved that car.
I remember seeing them in the Autotest yearbooks that my father bought in the 70s. Never seen one in the flesh before
Sounds similar to what GM Canada were doing with their myriad of different brands: Acadian, Asuna, Beaumont, Envoy and Passport.
In Australia we had the Statesman brand from 1971 until 1984 selling upmarket and enlarged Holden based models
- in the late 50's/early 60's (in Canada) you could buy certain Vauxhall models through Pontiac dealers. In addition, the Envoy 'Epic' was simply a rebadged LHD HA Vauxhall Viva. In the mid 90's I met a young guy who had one while waiting at the Nanaimo ferry terminal on Vancouver Island - only time I have ever seen one in the wild.
Cool to see the Ranger getting some light on it! I'm an owner of an Opel Rekord C Coupé myself :)
Here in SA the Ranger was known as a damn good car.
Finally a episode with Opel :)
I remember it well. GM Switzerland sold it for a time (assembled in Biel).
I actually did know of GM Ranger due to a story I've been tinkering with for the past few years. Also, 5.4 litres is huge? The Chevy Small Block family stops at 6.6 litres. Aftermarket small blocks go up to 7. You want big, you want big block: up to 8 litres! Aftermarket engines exceed 10!
I heard of Ranger in recent years through hearing commercials on old Springbok Radio programs.
Still want an Opel GT!!!
I am Danish and familiar with this car brand, from when I read a novel set in 1970's South Africa
Ed, a fascinating story! Thanks for sharing this with us! I had never heard of the Ranger, but knew of the Vauxhall/Opel badge engineering that had gone on for ages. Side note….. I remember in my the 2000s seeing cars here in the UK which were Opel badged but we’re for the UK market, not sure why??
I have a video suggestion. The body used by GM Ranger was from an Opel Rekord C. This body was used for 25 years in Brazil under the name of Chevrolet Opala.
This car is a classic in Brazil. It used a four-cylinder and straight-six engine (4.1 litres). 1 million units were produced. which makes it a (relatively) inexpensive option for anyone looking to build a drag car or muscle car.
You could research the Opel Rekord and also the Chevrolet Opala and make a video about how this European car (with an American appearance, as it was designed by an American) ended up becoming a cult car in Brazil.
Is gluing actually the right term for bigger things like front ends? wouldn't it be more appropriate to use bolted on or something like that or did they actually just use glue?
Knowing gm
It is probably glue
Perhaps you should look up the meaning of "hyperbole".
I like it when Ed uses that term- it sounds so cheap- but that's exactly what badge engineering is: CHEAP.
It was a popular car in Belgium. Just an Opel with a different front. At home we owned one. It was sold by Vauxhall dealers.
We never had the Ranger B in South Africa. That car was sold as a Chevroler 3800 or 4100 and only in 4 door form. There was also a single headlight version which was the Chevrolet 2500.
The South African market is still flooded with many 70s variants of the GMH cars. Perhaps they were imported privately?
Fascinating. Never heard of it before.
Este carro foi produzido no Brasil, com a marca Chevrolet "Opala", com motores 4 cilindros 2,5 (151") e de 6 cilindros 4,1 (250"), entre os anos de 1967 até 1992. Um enorme sucesso de vendas.
Chevrolet in South Africa also purchased uniquely Australian built Holdens (but re-badged and with slightly altered trim), to satisfy the right-hand-drive market of larger cars (6 cyl & V8), without needing to develop new models.
There were also larger (6 cyl & V8), Australian Fords exported to South Africa for the same reason.
And as we all know, with General Motors, variety is the spice of life!!!
I'm still confused. Just glad I bought my GM product; 2012 Cadillac CTS4 Sportwagon. It makes me smile 😃
In Brazil, one of Chevrolet's biggest icons, the Opala, come from the same origin.
Here it was offered as a sedan, coupe and station wagon.The sedan version was sold until 92.
your quirky sense of humor cracks me up
Wow, got dizzy just listening, must have needed a map to track the formations of Ranger, etc. etc.Learned something new this AM.Thanks
Ah, but I have heard! Give me the scoop, Ed!
Don't forget the Chevrolet Opala in Brazil. Is a famous car here, with different design, but the same base of Opel Record C and his numerous brother's.
You can make another video about this car that has been produced in Brazil as a chevrolet opala until 1992 with a large number of face-lifts. It was equipped with a 4 or straight 6 american engine.
The name Ranger is/was also used by Ford for their Pickup, and years ago on their Edsel.
Here in Australia, it was also used by Chrysler on their Valiant, 50 years ago.
Possibly used by other carmakers as well.
Wouldn't someone have the copyright to Ranger ?
I so love your channel. Educational and informative. As with all your videos they add so many small things that would go into obscurity. You truly are The Man. I'm old so I remember, your scouring history Educats the uninformed. For what you do I appreciate you. So should yuts. Lol movie pun. G fall city wa. Love you brother
The body used in the Ranger was also offered in Brazil with a in-line 6 from an impala, thus the brazilian Opala was born
I always liked the Opel Kadet, Manta and GT (my parents almost bought one) and with all that history I need a drink.... (Dutch Vodka) Cheers
In the USA, we have a Ford pickup called the Ford Ranger. I did not know these were still around until I did a Google search. I don't know why GM executives thought they could just rebadge everything and somehow the public would never notice.
Ford used "Ranger" on f-series trucks as a trim/option package from the 1960s up to 1982. Then in 83 the Ranger replaced the rebadged Mazda/Ford Courier. I'm surprised GM didn't cry foul that Ford was using a GM model name.
@@abpsd73 Ranger was an Edsel model in 1058, so Ford probably had the name first. Edsel wagons were called Villagers, which then became the horrible Mercury/Nissan minivans in the 90's. Car makers copyright a name and keep it for many years. However, if it is copyrighted in the US, that has no effect in other countries (I think).
What Australians call the Ford Ranger ute is the second largest selling motor vehicle in Australia for the past five or so years.
Now not too far behind the Toyota Hi Lux ute at first.
I had a Ranger from 1971, a coupe 1.9 s , darkbrown, it was mij first car.
Thanks for this video. I'm from South Africa.
Oh my, the only Ranger car I know of here in the US is the Ford Ranger pickup truck. ...Which was discontinued here in the 2000s, as the US market shifted toward bigger crew-cab pickups
Thanks for this window into what GM was doing in the rest of the world!
Rangers were sold alongside the Opel Rekord, Ranger was more "modern" looking inside and out. The "Ranger B" was never sold as a Ranger in South Africa, it was sold as Chevrolet. Had 2.5, 3.8 and 4.1 liter engines only. Vauxhall Viva also changed to Chevrolet Firenza, that came with 1.9, 2.5 and and a small number with 5.0 liter engines. (Chevrolet Firenza Can Am)
Interesting piece of history this. Holden is kind of a story in itself. Started out as a saddlery, built an experimental car of their own very earl in the existence of automobiles as a thing. The were also one of those coachbuilders that went from the horse drawn kind and into Automotives. They did buisiness for a while as a local coachbuilder making bodies for imported Chevrolet chassis, and also believe it or not, imported Ford chassis. Many a Model T in Aus back then had Holden built bodies. They were bought out by Chevrolet/GM as you said, and produced 'Our own car' in 1948 I think?
They went on to produce a bunch of cars here in Aus becoming very popular and very much in the heart of many Australians, our car.
As globalism came to be a thing the Australian car market became increasingly fragmented, Holden increasingly reliant on Gov't subsidies to survive. Around the 2010's the Govt of the day decided to shitcan the idea of subsidising Holden, and GM canned local production which by then was only producing local cars of the Commodore platform. Our car was no more.
GM went on to try and make Holden a GM outlet selling cars from Korea and a couple other places. It didn't fly and the vast majority of Holden people turned their back on the brand (shutting down local manufacturing left a bad taste in their mouths).
GM shut down Holden entirely within a year or two of that happening. Here endeth the story of Holden.
P.s. Holden during the late 60's and during the 70's was exporting cars to GM in South Africa.
GM Holden was also exporting the 3rd Gen Commodore to the Middle East & South Africa rebadged as a Chevy Lumina. It's a crying shame that both GMH and Ford Australia are no more.
@@richardbaron7106 Apparently both the Ford Territory and the FG series Falcons were engineered for LHD but no protoypes were ever built. Ford USA wouldn't approve the project, which is a pity as they were apparently superior to the equivalent US products. Can you imagine the global sales for a Territory?
@@Martin2153 - that's interesting, esp as I often thought Ford messed up not having an export program for the Falcon / Fairmont range.
I have to watch this one a few times.
Oh damn Vauxhall existence is acknowledged
Did you get a headache researching this subject? Any regrets? 🥴 (I really do like your videos.)
Had no idea about this one, that's cool
Gotta say... I love the Ranger-A
I could easily see my faather driving a Vauxhall Victor/Opel Rekord C with me in the GM Ranger.
3:27 is Blaauwberg Beach. I go down there at least twice a week in summer🤣
In the 1960s and 1970s engineers, designers and management from the USA worked at Opel, Vauxhal and Izusu, and GM Overseas, etc. i think they were looking for economies of scale by moving toward world chassis that could be used anywhere and tweeked for the final destination. The Japanese were learning from American engineers. In the end we now have chassis shared in all countries as world cars like honda crv, rav4, etc. i learned to drive on a Vauxhall Victor 101 manual. I later had an Opel Manta(1971). Interested in what your source was!
Please do an entire episode on the Lada.
Ed… an unparalleled fusion of history, education, humour and sarcasm (last bit not relevant to the American viewers…)
I loved and still love the Opel GT!!
I love your knowledge about the cars you talk about and your entertainment your personality gives.Very cool.Thank you.
I trust that during your research, you stumbled upon the Australian designed and built, Holden Belmont, Kingswood, Premier and Monaro - sold in Suth Ifrica, as the 'American' Chevrolet Kommando, Constantina, and Sports Koupe.