The Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

 Bruin (and similar GMC

GMC (General Motors division)

GMC is a manufacturer of trucks, vans, military vehicles, and SUVs marketed in North America and the Middle East by General Motors Company. In January 2007, GMC was GM's second-largest-selling North American vehicle division after Chevrolet, ahead of Pontiac....

 Brigadier) were heavy-duty truck

Truck

A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...

s made by General Motors

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

 between 1978 and 1988. The Bruin & Brigadier were both conventional rigs using the 9500 series cab introduced in 1966; this cab was better-finished and more stylized than a typical big-rig cab but larger than the pickup-based cab used on the contemporary C40-C65 series. Diesel engine

Diesel engine

A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...

 choices included Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...

, Cummins

Cummins

Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...

 and Detroit Diesel

Detroit Diesel

As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...

 powerplants.

"Bruin" followed the pattern of "frontier beast" names given to heavier Chevrolet trucks such as the Chevrolet Bison

Chevrolet Bison

The Chevrolet Bison were heavy-duty Class 8 trucks made by General Motors between 1977 and 1988. The Bison & General were both conventional rigs. Diesel engine choices included Caterpillar, Cummins and Detroit Diesel powerplants....

 (heavier) and Chevrolet Kodiak

Chevrolet Kodiak

Beginning with the 2003 model year, US-market models moved to a new platform with a more spacious cab based on the GM full-size vans. The 4500 and 5500 trucks had the option for Four-wheel drive. These trucks featured solid front axles, on both 4x2 and 4x4, instead of independent front suspension...

 (lighter). "Brigadier" followed the pattern of "military rank" names given to GMC'Chevrolet Bison|Bison/General]], the Bruin/Brigadier found suitable replacements in the form of the Kodiak/Topkick

Chevrolet Kodiak

Beginning with the 2003 model year, US-market models moved to a new platform with a more spacious cab based on the GM full-size vans. The 4500 and 5500 trucks had the option for Four-wheel drive. These trucks featured solid front axles, on both 4x2 and 4x4, instead of independent front suspension...

.

For some reason, the GMC version was more common than the Chevrolet version. This was probably because for many years, in order to have a GMC franchise; the dealer had to carry light trucks, medium trucks, heavy trucks, and service the school bus chassis, and the P-chassis all under one roof at the same location; while most Chevrolet dealers dealt only in passenger cars and light trucks (up to 3500 series).