After launching in 2023, the GM Classic website has mysteriously disappeared. The site preserved the legacy of existing and defunct GM brands by making OEM-authenticated vehicle information readily available. GM Classic also had a connection to GM Restoration Parts to ensure parts manufactured for discontinued models meet strict quality standards.
The stated goal of GM Classic was to “share your passion for iconic pre-2000 GM vehicles while supporting your journey by providing the best products, historical information, resources, parts, and a community of classic GM vehicle owners and enthusiasts.” The General’s four North American retail brands, Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac, were represented on GM Classic, plus Pontiac and Oldsmobile.
It’s unclear why the GM Classic website went away. We reached out to General Motors asking for comment and haven’t received a response as of this writing. It’s possible a lack of awareness of the site meant its community building didn’t quite go as the automaker intended.
General Motors first filed the GM Classic trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on August 3rd, 2022. The application carried a Goods and Services description of “providing a website featuring entertainment and educational information in the field of automobiles.” The site went live the following Spring with resources like an exhaustive list of owner manuals for a wide variety of vehicles, as well as supplemental documentation on things like wiring diagrams or timing chain tensors, to name but a few.
Although the site called itself a resource for “pre-2000 GM vehicles,” there was a notable lack of additional General Motors brands from the 20th century. We understand the really old brands like Oakland, LaSalle, and Viking not being represented, but some of the more recent brands like Saturn, Hummer, and Saab have pockets of enthusiasts who could’ve benefited from resources on GM Classic.
We’ll keep an eye out for a relaunch or a replacement for the GM Classic website, but in the meantime, General Motors enthusiasts will have to look elsewhere for the resources it used to provide.
Comments
Because of Trump’s tariffs and horrendous mismanagement, and without willingness by him to bail GM out, GM itself might well no longer exist in the next few years.
What about Mexico, Canada, China, and Europe’s tariffs on American cars that have been in place for decades?
And how did any of those supposed tariffs affect you?
They affect the stock prices and 401 K investments as they limit sales on American products globally and hurt us here at home. Also it hurts our economy to export less than we take in.
It raised the cost of business for everyone in the domestic auto business.
You’re confusing Trump’s US tariffs (in some imaginary fight) with tax management in other countries (where the government provide actual services like healthcare and education to their citizens) that has been the norm for decades, if not centuries. What other countries do with their imports has very little to do with US markets and the propaganda being spewed is not factual information.
At some point, unhappy people need to admit to themselves that Trump is not the reason for their unhappiness.
Hey Beachy, still loving the leftist meltdowns since Trump won! Super entertaining! Keep them coming.
“Heritage” no longer sells vehicles. The majority of the market isn’t interested in it….or how it’s currently being offered. Look at how “Mustang” sales have tanked.
Aside from Corvette, GM is not interested in investing or nurturing a brand’s heritage that does not meet ROI goals. “Niche” is dead.
You want your dream car? Go to “Bring-a-Trailer” or “Mecum”.
You’re not going to find it at a GM dealership.
A certain maker of green ag equipment is trying this as well.
Used to be you could go to the parts counter for literally anything they ever made, and often that part would be in stock! Now, if it’s over 10 years old they’re less than enthusiastic. Despite equipment that can give decades to a lifetime of service, and pre-emissions diesels in regular daily service because of that.
Mercedes-Benz dealers don’t want to work on cars 15 years or older.
Took expensive to carry the parts inventory.
Leave that to someone else…
interesting take, lets build vehicles that dont relate to our prior designs, lets steer away customers from a new vehicle being their next dream vehicles
no loss. out with the old in with the new
The developers and maintainers are probably part of the huge swath of people that were ousted in cost cutting measures.
Drill baby drill
“It’s unclear why the GM Classic website went away.”
Cost cutting to help pay for massive EV losses. They’re devouring GM.
I like these comments today, creative, funny.
It’s a website. Pish posh. It’s not like anyone is destroying the REAL car depicted. Physically go to a museum or car show to see the vehicle in person. It’s actually a good thing for us to get out and talk to each other rather than bash each other on line. Maybe, just maybe all of these untruths and conspiracies will go away.
I will drive my 2000 s10 ZR2 until the wheels go square before I spend $50.000+ on a basic 2WD work truck
I had a zr2 blazer. I wish I’d kept it.
I have a 92 Ford F-250 diesel. I told the parts guy I will drive it as long as I can. It’s all I need. Still hauls, pulls, and drives well and parts are still available all over the place.
Mary and her girls have no interest in cars and trucks that are reasonably priced and “for everybody”. The plebes can ride public transportation. The rich folks can drive Denali EV, ZR1 you name it. The common folks are either driving Kia/Hyundai, Toyota.
Look around.
GM has abandoned their legacy customers.
Look anywhere in a parking lot. If you are not old enough to remember when Detroit and GM especially sold a majority of the market, watch a 70’s movie on tv. Try to find a foreign car. The problem as I see it is, most of the people running these heritage websites are probably clueless what it’s all about. Then they wonder why it didn’t work
Why this website GM Classic should exist because GM has made some of the Best Vehicles in the World. Long Live GM and all those Classic GM Cars !!
The best place to see all the old cars is Bewitched or I Dream of Genie (as well as other nice things to look at).
You may actually find that plebs are driving GM Trucks. They get $1,300/month loans with $0 down and for 86 months on a Sierra 2500 with a Duramax, Denali EVs are being bought buy middle management in a tech firm, and ZR1s are being bought buy influencers, car giveaway companies, and celebrities. People that take public transportation are the impoverished, people scared for life from driving, and people who believe public transportation is the savior of the world. Now as to why GM Classics failed is probably because that first time of hearing it is from reading this article. It’s called mismanagement of the advertising budget.
BMW has their Group Classic division that supports their out-of-production cars and their heritage. Some years ago, in 2006, the group, then know as Mobile Tradition, slowly and methodically hand built a brand new 1973 BMW 2002Tii in a glass enclosed display outside of the BMW Four Cylinders Building in Munich. They did this to demonstrate that BMW still produces most every part needed to produce a brand-new version of a then over 30-year old design.
But does that BMW business unit make money / favorable ROI?
And then, more importantly….how do you accurately correlate what they do actually drives new car sales?
Give it time…this will be privatized.
“We’ll support your vehicle for however long you own it” is more favorable than “Better dump it while parts are still available!”.
If I wanted a throwaway vehicle I’d get a Kia.
“Drill Baby Drill” it’s quite evident from these many ‘brain damaged’ comments, that the world
just can’t believe that the USA is not going to TAKE IT ANYMORE. &%$# been going on so long “they” think that it’s just the way it should be! Wish there was a ’57 Chevy with all of today’s power & comforts. “Do ya’ll think that would sell?” So much of the Auto Industry has no clue where they came from – hence they’ve no clue where they’re going! obvious…
Odds are they will be bringing something better as this web site was hardly known about and used.
This is not a big deal as most here did not even know about it. When companies have a program that is not working they try something else.
Just try to go to Honda and get any vintage support or Toyota. Not even Ford.
ugly cars sells more… since 2010 and industry is worried is selling their ugly products
Not a good idea. NOT American.
I would have been more interested if Saturn has been included.
Disappointing.
But this decision might be reversed in the future….given the trademarks placed.
But Ms Mary would be gone by then. How long do CEOS last?