History Of The Chevrolet C/K Truck

Check out any car show or auction these days, and you’ll see plenty of classic Chevrolet trucks represented, especially the C/K trucks from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Old Chevy trucks may not have sold in the same numbers as the Ford F-Series (America’s best-selling truck since 1977), but these trucks are winning the popularity contest among modern-era collectors and enthusiasts today.

Want to know what these pickups are all about? Keep reading to learn more about the history of the Chevrolet C/K truck.

Chevrolet C/K Origins

In response to Ford’s Model TT, Chevrolet debuted its own one-ton truck with the 1918 Chevrolet Model T. After that, Chevrolet used various truck names, including the AK Series truck in 1941 and the Advanced Design in 1947. With the introduction of the Task Force line of trucks in 1955, Chevrolet started displaying four-digit model names to distinguish the different models (for example, 3100 was used on the half-ton truck).

First Generation 1960-1966

Chevrolet completely redesigned its truck for the 1960 model year and ultimately changed the pickup truck market. An all-new frame with a dropped center section made the cab more accessible without affecting the truck’s ground clearance, while the new suspension setup gave these trucks a smoother ride. Up front, the solid axle was replaced with independent front suspension (five years before Ford’s I-Beam front suspension was added to the F-Series), and the rear suspension was changed to coil springs with control arms; interestingly, the GMC versions retained the leaf spring setup.

Equally notable is the addition of a factory four-wheel drive option instead of the previous “Power-Pack” 4x4 system installed by NAPCO (Northwestern Auto Parts Company), although this setup still utilized a divorced transfer case. This new in-house 4x4 option also necessitated a new naming system: C/K with two-digit models. C was applied to two-wheel drive trucks and K was on 4x4s, while the 10, 20, and 30 numbers were designated as half-ton, three-quarter ton, and one-ton, respectively. GMC had its own naming convention up to this point, but it also switched to match the Chevy trucks.

Second Generation 1967-1972

The second generation of the C/K trucks (the Action Line) brought even more innovations to the truck segment. In addition to the chassis and suspension upgrades introduced by its predecessor, this new C/K line added the powerful 327 CID V8 and 4x4 models, which now featured a transfer case mounted directly to the transmission, increasing ground clearance.

Grille revisions took place in 1969, with a singular bar across the middle and integrated turn signals, and in 1971, with an egg-crate grille and the turn signals moved to the bumper; the GMC versions feature a crosshair grille with quad headlights. In 1969, Chevrolet created the K5 Blazer, which rides on a shortened C10 chassis.

Third Generation 1973-1987

When it was introduced, the third-generation C/K was known as the Rounded Line, but ironically, these trucks are affectionately referred to as the Square Body today. This C/K saw the introduction of a Crew Cab body style, and the one-ton dually C30 popularized the one-ton truck market. 

With a fourth-generation C/K coming for the 1988 model year, the Rounded Line trucks were rebranded as the R/V lineup, with the R applied to the two-wheel drive trucks and V to four-wheel drive models. This body style lived on until 1991 on C30 Crew Cab trucks as well as the K5 Blazer and Suburban SUVs.

Fourth Generation 1988-2002

The last generation of the C/K truck was introduced for the 1988 model year, and Chevy went back to a four-digit naming system, now using the 1500, 2500, and 3500 designations. This generation finally gave GM’s trucks an extended cab body style to compete against other full-size pickups, and it saw the debut of the Z71 off-road package and the 454SS performance truck. GM replaced its light-duty C/K trucks in 2000 with the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra naming, but the old body style lived on as three-quarter and one-ton fleet models until 2002.

Velocity and the Chevrolet C/K

The newest addition to the Velocity lineup of modernized classics is the Velocity Chevrolet C10 Street Series. This street truck was introduced at the 2024 C10 Nationals event in Salt Lake City, Utah featuring a Roadster Shop chassis and GM’s Gen V 6.2L LT1 V8. Stay connected with Velocity to find your perfect C10.

Own a legend. Drive a Velocity Chevrolet C10!