Suburban Emblem ID

[special-K]

I don't know if there has been a thread covering all the different Suburban emblem changes 73-91, but I'd like to see all the different ones and what year had what. I'm not 100% sure on any of them.

[SilverMiner]

Great question for a thread! My first thought was that I didn't think they changed much from 73-80, with a different batch from 81-87, but then I realized I really don't know. Could be another change for 88-91 for all I know.

I'll try to start it out, although this may be difficult with our rigs being nearly 40 years old. It's always hard to say with finality whether or not something is definitively orignal after all these years.

First photo is the original emblem from my 1980 K10 Chevy Suburban. I am the second owner, and I have extensive knowledge of the first owner, and as such I believe this to be the original emblem.

Second photo is an emblem I bought off a seller here on the board because I'm slowly converting my Chevy to GMC. No particular reason other than I've always preferred GMC grilles and it bugs me when everything doesn't match. I believe this GMC emblem could be correct for an 80, but can't be certain. So now I'm the one guilty of muddying up the heritage of my rig (but of course I'm keeping everything just in case I or a future owner decide differently).

[special-K]

I've had all GMCs for a few years and like it that way. Now I have a '95 Chevy Suburban and want to change it over to GMC. But now that I put the hubcaps on with new taller tires I am liking it as is ok. I just bought that Chevy emblem for it's tailgate. It's in excellent shape except the square w/bowtie is broken off. I got it cheap and it's not original to the truck anyway.

I think this style was up through 81-88, but not sure.

I have another one with letters straight in line, still styled similar, w/BY Chevrolet in a small rectangle. Not sure when it's from...76-80?


I think the early one was like the 3rd one?

[Willowrun]

Not the best pic but it's the only one I have at the moment of my '77 emblem. Looks like the first one posted.

[motornut]

88 and 89

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Willowrun

Not the best pic but it's the only one I have at the moment of my '77 emblem. Looks like the first one posted.

I thought this style started in the '70s. My guess is '76 because of other changes in trim...could be wrong. I know the Suburbans used the same fender badges as pickups, but the K/5s had that same letter style fender badges back into the '70s.

Originally Posted by motornut

88 and 89

Ok, that's where those changed. I'm wondering about the other one with yellow accent and the more plain block letters. I'm not to sure on this one that says Chevrolet. I think it is off of the tailgate band on a pickup

[dragonball98312]

The suburban by Chevrolet emblem was only used on 73s and 74s. I have one I pulled off a 73

[special-K]

Originally Posted by dragonball98312

The suburban by Chevrolet emblem was only used on 73s and 74s. I have one I pulled off a 73

Thanks on that. I figured with the yellow accent and that type of letters it must be back around than. I have one that looks about new. Must have come off a long time ago.
So, did the emblem with jumbled letters get used 75-88? Were there only three designs?

[thefraze_1020]

Originally Posted by special-K

So, did the emblem with jumbled letters get used 75-88? Were there only three designs?

Correct. The "Suburban by Chevrolet" emblem was 73-74 only. When the emblems and trim levels changed in 1975, the rear emblem was changed to the style like in the first picture. This emblem was used all the way through 1988. In 1989, when the Suburbans and Blazers were facelifted, the emblem changed to large "Chevrolet" letters, with "Suburban" and "fuel injection" on the row below. This emblem was used on the squarebody Suburbans through 1991, and used (with a few minor changes later on) on the GMT400 Suburbans through 1998.

[special-K]

Well, that works that out. One of those things I've looked at for decades but never thought about till now.

So I guess the jumbled letter style on K/5 fender badges started in '75 too, but only till '80. Then it was 81-88, and 89-91? Jimmys went to a plastic emblem with Jimmy and GMC in a square, then no fender badge in '89 with GMC1500 on the lower door? Or did it say GMC Jimmy? I know my '90 Blazer had a bowtie with 1500, just like pickups. I've seen GMC Jimmy ones but I think they were for S15s. buy this time GM was pushing the baby Blazers and phasing out the real Blazers, it seems. They screwed up in the first place using the same name when they came out. I got so tired of having parts guys ask "Full-size?" when I said Blazer. "No, regular size, not downsized". I figure if you want Blazer parts you ask for Blazer parts. If you want S10 Blazer parts you ask for S10 Blazer parts

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

Here's the rare GMC version, also used in the years 1973-74. It differs from the Chevy version not just because of the "BY GMC" (in the GMC corporate font) but the color inlay of "SUBURBAN" is GMC red instead of Chevy gold.

~Ben