It’s 1984, and GMC Is the Truck of the LA Olympic Games

The 1984 Olympic Games were not the first time nor the second time the summer games were held stateside—Los Angeles had already hosted them in 1932—but they were effectively the first time the summer games visited the US in the modern era.

In between those two editions of the premier sporting event, the US had hosted the winter games a few times, most recently in 1980 at Lake Placid, New York.

But the LA summer games in '84 were certainly going to be the big ones for Olympic-size commercialization, with ads for cereals playing every five minutes on network television.

By 1984, it was morning again in corporate America.

And the Olympic torch relay was already staffed by the brand everyone associated with running relays and an active overall lifestyle: Buick.

But the 1984 summer games also needed an official truck.

"We wanted to do our part. And we think it's appropriate," GM ad copy of the time said, without overpromising anything. "A GMC truck, such as our S-15 Jimmy, is a rather athletic sort of vehicle. But not, perhaps, at first glance.

"An S-15 Jimmy is compact, stylish and comfortable, with options available much like an elegant car: power steering, automatic transmission, and air conditioning, to mention a few."

1984 was indeed a big year for the small Jimmy, introduced for the 1983 model year, kicking off a very successful lineup that eventually spanned three brands including a late appearance from Oldsmobile, two bodystyles and wheelbases, and quite a few engine options. (By the way: How did we not get Pontiac or Buick versions of this SUV?)

It's easy to forget now, in 2024, but the S-15 Jimmy and its Blazer twin were formally replacements for the Isuzu-built Chevrolet LUV pickups.

And this particular platform, of course, was spawned by the S-10 that arrived for 1982, opening a new chapter for GM's entry-level pickups with some small engines in base form, as it was still Malaise outside when this model debuted.

For 1984, GMC dressed up the Jimmy as a limited edition with decals and badging, featuring the red, white, and blue star logo of the 1984 games. It was also a lot easier to spot from afar compared to the Olympic edition Buick, and was likewise offered in a white exterior color.

"It's sort of a Jimmy in jogging togs," GM noted.

Speaking of jogging, GMC certainly had vehicles shadow the Olympic torch relay, but from what we've seen in period footage it was the GMC Suburban rather than the Jimmy rolling at slow speeds along with the relay runners.

While it's still possible to spot the Olympic Edition Buick Century from time to time, we're not even sure how many of these Olympic Jimmys are still out there.

Coming across a Jimmy or Blazer from the 1984 model year is not easy just by itself, as the collectability of these SUVs is not exactly high. But we'd love to find one of these still in existence outside a museum, bearing the original decals.

In 2028 the Summer Olympics will be back in LA, and planning is already under way for the games. So there's certainly enough time to bring the Jimmy back as an EV, even if it's just a rebadge of the Blazer EV.

By the time the 2028 Olympics roll around, it could already be time for a next-gen Blazer and Jimmy duo.

What should be the official SUV of the 2028 Olympic Games in LA? Let us know in the comments below.