These days, you’ll find the Bison name attached to pickups like the Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison and Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison, but back in 1964, GM was imagining something a little bit different. Back then, The General unveiled this – the GM Bison concept truck, which wrapped together a number of interesting features and design ideas into one tasty package. Now, we’re taking a closer look at the 1964 GM Bison concept thanks to the following photos.
These original photos were recently republished online thanks to the GM Design Instagram account (@generalmotorsdesign), and provide a glimpse of the automaker’s forward-leaning ideas at the height of the Space Race. Making its big debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the GM Bison concept incorporated a curvaceous exterior design that looks like a flying saucer mated with a semi, and includes a clamshell windshield section that tilts forward, providing access to the interior. With the clamshell up, panels around the sides slide forward and deploy steps to aid ingress and egress. Two seats provide accommodations for passengers.
The styling is absolutely wild, but there was even more to this concept beyond the design, such as the four-wheel steering technology. However, the elephant in the room (or Bison, as it were) has to be that enormous winged thing on back.
That structure is actually a GT-309 gas turbine, which was supposed to provide the GM Bison concept with the necessary motivation. By 1964, General Motors had been dabbling in gas turbine powerplants for more than a decade, and GM applied the idea to heavy trucks with its 1964 Bison concept. Mounted above and behind the cockpit, the turbine included an aerodynamic design, leading rearwards to an enormous standardized container. The GM Turbo Titan III gas-turbine prototype would debut only a few years after the 1964 Bison concept.
Unfortunately, the 1964 GM Bison never developed beyond the initial concept stage, but regardless, it’s an inspiration to look at, even today.
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Comments
The Ford Turbine Truck was a much better design, even making tours across the U.S. Its gas turbine engine was so famous that a large working model kit was sold. I have two of them. You can fnd the model on eBay, and see it run at YouTube.
Chrysler also had a turbine car from the 1960s. It was a wild time when turbines were being tested by the big three. I sometimes like to imagine that turbines would succeed with modern technology.
Just a ploy for GM to keep throwing away money, which equals high cost on the sales tag
Interesting. Would the run seem to go faster if the driver was down with the cars, instead of on high. Couple of issues, though: The engine mounted that high will mess up the center of gravity, also that mode of entry is cool, but how cool would it be on a snowy night at a truck stop in North Dakota.
JayS… gull winged would probably have been a great idea, with built in steps!
I think it looks Super Cool for it’s time. At first I thought it was an Off -road vehicle. Between the turbine engine and space age design the creators deserve kudo’s for coming up with a vehicle like that.
I wonder if the prototype is in a museum . Sure would be nice to look at up close.
Ganesh TL
Engine project working
Petrol diesel electric gas no
Engine working video
Clearly no one worried about front occupant crash protection back then…