Chevrolet began producing light-delivery vehicles on passenger-car chassis in 1918, along with medium and heavy trucks. The lighter Model 490 was chassis-rated at 1,000 lbs and heavier Model T four-cylinder trucks (yes, Chevrolet called their trucks Model Ts also) were chassis-rated at 1 ton—and thus began our nation’s love affair with Chevrolet trucks. The earliest Chevrolet trucks were little more than ladder-style chassis and drivetrains with padded bench seats and cargo platforms. Few had doors or closed cabs and were decidedly lacking in human comfort and convenience. Common to the earliest trucks were wood-spoke wheels and cowl-mounted headlamps. Overhead protection was minimal and typically consisted of light wood rails covered in heavy canvas fabric. Some early trucks had canvas side-curtains that could be rolled up to display merchandise, like produce or other vended foods. Still, that Bow Tie symbol was proudly displayed on the front of the radiator shell from the very beginning.
In the mid-’20s, not much of the truck’s visual design had changed—engines were more powerful, headlamps were now on the front of the truck, and hinged doors with glass were practical improvements for the operator. Chevrolet’s light-duty Capitol AA Express trucks were direct competitors of Ford’s Model T, and the delivery trucks could be purchased with a Screenside or a Utility Panel body.
In 1929, Chevrolet introduced an overhead-valve six-cylinder engine, called the Cast Iron Wonder, that would be a great success. Steel disc wheels and longer wheelbases (124 inches) were available. Chevrolet’s new Independence Series AE came out in 1931, featuring the now-popular six-cylinder engines. Front (only) bumpers were becoming more important protection devices, and fender-mounted spare tires were common. Bright radiator shells and bright headlight buckets were first found on the ’31 Chevrolets. They could be purchased and modified for a wider variety of uses, like gasoline and milk tank trucks as well as multi-purpose dump trucks.
For 1933 Chevrolet introduced windshield safety plate glass and four-speed transmissions. Dramatic new styling was a highlight of the ’34 Chevy trucks—styling was finally something important. Appropriately, Chevrolet designers began to distance their truck designs from those of Ford and Dodge’s competing trucks primarily in the grille shell, ornamentation, and fender shapes.
The ’37 Chevrolet grille, shared by ½-ton trucks, was described as the waterfall design. Unique grille designs continued to evolved into the ’40s but were still vertically oriented. Typically, trucks inherited passenger-car designs one model-year later. These designs placed greater emphasis on heavy chrome bars and hood-side trim details. Front and rear fenders were also evolving into more rounded forms, and headlamp mountings finally moved into the front fender by 1940 for passenger cars and by 1941 for Chevrolet ½-ton trucks.
Then in February 1942 World War II put a halt to commercial car and truck production—new vehicle designs were shelved for the duration. When production resumed in 1946, most major manufacturers were content to continue where they had left off, with minor detail changes. Public demand for new vehicles was so strong that dealers had no trouble selling pre-war designs to a post-war market. This situation didn’t last long as 1947 automobile and truck production saw perhaps the most dramatic industry-wide changes in engineering, production and materials technology, and body design.
Most noticeable were the wide horizontal grille designs at both Ford and Chevrolet. Fenders were decidedly more integrated with the body and more elongated. These major changes were to stick around in Chevy trucks for the next eight years—the grille didn’t change dramatically for the next seven years in light duty trucks.
Production for ’55 First Series Chevy trucks were carryover designs (except for the sedan delivery based on passenger-car styling) from ’54 until the new Second Series ’55s, dubbed Task Force styling, was put into production to combat Ford’s radical ’53 Ford F-100s. This was GM’s most ambitious and complete product revision in the company’s history, and perhaps its most successful. Wraparound windshields and panoramic rear windows were a significant styling innovation, as were the optional V-8 engines and new 12-volt electrical systems that revolutionized how trucks would be powered. The Cameo Carrier’s flush-with-the-cab fiberglass fenders were a styling tour de force, but not as practical on the farm as the steel Series 3100 trucks with a stepplate in front of the rear fenders. Designers were limited for the next few years to changing only individual exterior panels, and they added a number of lumps and bumps to the hood and fenders of these models. The ’58 Chevy Apache did introduce the first dual headlamps on Chevrolet trucks, and the distinctly designed Chevrolet El Camino pickup made its first appearance in 1959.
Only insignificant styling changes would be made until the all-new ’60 Chevrolet Model C10 came along that introduced independent front suspension for trucks and a series of ½-ton four-wheel-drive trucks. By now Chevrolet offered 185 different truck models on 18 different wheelbases with the widest variety of bed- and body-lengths in the history of the company. This model year was significant in that it was the last year a sedan delivery was offered on the passenger-car chassis. The Apache Suburban Carryall with double doors or single gate would fill the need in the future. Two-tone paint schemes were popular on these rugged straight-six or V-8-powered trucks, and the longest list ever of optional equipment was available at extra cost. Another unique offering was the air-cooled six-cylinder Chevrolet Corvair 95 Loadside pickup, Chevy’s answer to the Volkswagen van until the end of model-year ’64.
In 1964 the wraparound windshield would go away in order to make doors longer and ease ingress and egress from the ½-ton C10 cab. Badges were relocated but few other styling changes were significant until 1967.
GM announced in 1967 “the most significant cab and sheetmetal styling changes in Chevrolet history.” This statement reflected the importance of the exterior body design as more trucks were purchased for personal transportation and recreational use. Now the fenders and hood were completely integrated into the rectangular body panels. The frontend design featured a single headlamp with (restrained) horizontal grille bars and integrated park and turn lamps. Panels and Suburbans now had a 127-inch wheelbase and a new longer body with a single driver-side door and two passenger-side doors—the option of a tailgate or double rear doors was offered. The Stepside and Fleetside models also continued to be offered.
The ever-evolving body designs continue today with chassis- and body-design changes influenced by advanced technology and computer-aided design and engineering. Much of the improved technology has benefited driver and passenger comfort and safety in the areas of reduced noise, vibration, and harshness. Even greater improvements have been recorded in the areas of passenger safety with airbags, side door beams, improved fuel management in crash situations, and crushable impact zones that reduce serious injury. Computer-controlled timing, instrumentation, and safety features continue to improve the driveability and day-to-day functioning of modern Chevrolet trucks. Plus, you can get one equipped just about any way you want!
On the engineering front, Chevrolet trucks are staying on the list of registered vehicles in ever-greater numbers, indicating continued confidence in reliability and durability. You can call ’em Chivullays, Chevys, Cheebies, Chevs, Bow Ties, or the Heartbeat of America—whatever you call ’em, they’re the trucks that are woven into our country’s great automotive cultural heritage.