[Photos] 10 of the Most Iconic Chevrolet Trucks of the Past 100 Years
Chevrolet launched the 1918 One-Ton truck 100 years ago this past Thursday, making the Chevrolet Truck brand a spry 100 years young. Today’s Silverado and Colorado are going as strong as ever—and with the addition of Centennial Edition models to commemorate the 100-year anniversary, even stronger—but they would not be where they are now without 10 of the most iconic Chevy Trucks ever built.
“Today, the Chevrolet truck design studio is focused on purposeful design that creates personality and customization options for a wide breadth of truck customers,” said Rich Scheer, director of Exterior Design for Chevy Trucks. “Looking back on the past century of truck design, I realized that Chevrolet designers have been focused on the same goals since the very beginning.”
Check out the 10 most influential Chevy Trucks below with a bit of Scheer’s view on each design.
One of Chevy’s Latest: The 2017 Colorado ZR2 is the off-road pickup you’ve been waiting for
[wptab name=”1918 One-Ton”]
1918 Chevrolet One-Ton
“In the simplest terms, this is an example of form follows function. It was a rolling chassis featuring an open cab, an inline four-cylinder engine and an open frame allowing customers to install the body that fit their unique needs. One striking design element is the beautiful badge, which was clearly a designed element of this truck. The font, the proportions, and the dark blue, almost black color make a very sophisticated bowtie, even by today’s standards.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1929 International Series LD”]
1929 Chevrolet International Series LD
“It’s amazing how fast they went from the purpose-built 1918 truck to a more styled, closed-cab truck. This is also the time when we started to introduce color. The color combinations on Chevrolet cars and trucks from this period are something I still love today.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1938 Half-Ton”]
1938 Chevrolet Half-Ton
“This was the first truck designed in the newly-formed Art and Color department—which was later to be known as Design Center—by Harley Earl and his team… The proportions really evolved from the earlier designs, creating a lower and longer truck with a styled grille and elegant, swept fenders.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1947 3100 Series”]
1947 Chevrolet 3100 Series
“This is one of the most iconic designs in automotive history. If you mention a vintage Chevy truck, I think almost everyone will picture this model in their mind. It was such a departure, advertisers coined the phrase ‘Advance Design,’ because it was bigger, stronger, and sleeker than ever before.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1955 3124 Series Cameo Carrier”]
1955 Chevrolet 3124 Series Cameo Carrier
“Known as the Task Force truck, the Cameo Carrier is Chevy’s first Fleetside design. The bed surface is flush with the cab and fender, making for one complete, elegant shape from front to back. It was also Chevrolet’s first bumper-to-bumper styled truck, as styling didn’t stop at the back of the cab… This was definitely the heyday of American automotive styling and ornamentation.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1967 C10 Fleetside”]
1967 Chevrolet C-10 Fleetside
“It’s a beautiful, sleek design with a hint of wheel flare. I also really appreciate the line that flows away from the top of the bed line and the beautiful balance with the front of the vehicle. This is a feature that can easily go wrong, but the designers of the time did it so right. The body side has a strong shoulder that tapers toward the rear. The Chevrolet bar on the front fascia connects the headlamp center with the bowtie—a design element that is still consistent today.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1973 C30 One-Ton Dually”]
1973 Chevrolet C-30 One-Ton Dually
“This third-generation C/K square-body truck was the first crew cab dually to market, and many consider it to be the first modern Heavy Duty Truck. The design reflects a dramatic increase in capability for customers who used their trucks for both work and recreation. It is simple, tough, and purposeful, similar to the earliest Chevrolet trucks.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1988 C/K 1500″]
1988 Chevrolet C/K 1500
“The C/K 1500 was the first truck design influenced by aerodynamics. This generation had great design reach, meaning it looked very advanced for its time. That is especially true for the new interior design, with a low instrument panel, pod-like setup, and even buttons that looked futuristic. This truck still looks modern and sophisticated 40 years later.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”1999 Silverado 1500 LT Z71″]
1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Z71
“This was the first generation that used the Silverado nameplate. It also introduced many of the modern design elements that customers associate with current Chevy truck design, especially the iconic Chevrolet front end.”
[/wptab]
[wptab name=”2007 Silverado 1500″]
2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
“The 2007 Silverado is simple, modern, and powerful, featuring exaggerated wheel flares and a clean body side. It’s another evolution for Chevrolet trucks in creating their own identity on the road, with distinctive front and rear ends. This truck brought back the “tough truck” look and feel, even though it was still heavily influenced by aerodynamics.”
[/wptab]
[end_wptabset]
New from Chevrolet: 2018 Chevy Traverse offers new style, fresh powertrains at low starting price
Photos: © General Motors
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.