Today the Chevrolet pickup trucks we know as the Silverado and Colorado have come quite a long way since the original One-Ton many years back. The Silverado is one of the most powerful pickup trucks money can buy, and the Colorado, one of the most versatile.
Along the way there have been highlight eras that explain its current styling, where the iconic pickup has been, and where Chevrolet sees it moving towards in the future. Known for its unapologetically American style and capability, here is a little history about one of the nation’s favorite vehicles, the classic Chevy pickup.
The Early Days Of Chevy Pickups
How old do you think the Chevrolet pickup truck dates back to? 1940s, maybe 1930s? Try 1918! Yes, the Chevrolet pickup is that old and has quite a bit to show for its age. The 1918 One-Ton emerged out of Chevrolet’s own necessity for a parts mover around the factory. Essentially a rolling chassis with a configurable body or cargo area allowed the original Chevy pickup to be the versatile vehicle of choice for hauling goods to and fro.
The 1918 One-Ton was powered by an inline-four-cylinder engine. The Chevrolet pickup was born out of necessity and was created with a form-following-function design. Although the form factor has taken more importance, and its drivers certainly appreciate a beautiful design, the capability aspect of a pickup truck has never left the recipe, especially not for Chevrolet.
Some key points in Chevrolet pickups:
- Driven by a variety of powertrains
- Has gone through four main eras
- Form (mostly) follows function
- At the top of its class in various areas
- The second-oldest pickup truck ever
- Initially built for factory workers
Early Era Chevy Pickups
Early Chevrolet pickup trucks can be classified as, “pre 1960s” models with the 1930s Half Ton beginning production in 1933. Known originally as “Eagle”, but later renamed to “Master”, this series of pickups was produced until 1940. In production from 1941 to 1947, the AK series trucks were produced from Chevrolet.
Known for their more stylish influence, the AK or, “Art Deco” era of Chevrolet pickups signified a departure from pickup truck to passenger cars. From 1947 to 1955 we saw the Chevrolet “Advance-design”, and rebranded GMC “New Design” with an emphasis put back on getting work done. The truck was aimed to be larger, stronger successor to the AK series. In 1995, Chevrolet introduced the world to a legend, the Task Force pickup, but more commonly known as Cameo Carrier, a fleetside styled pickup in the 3100 series that was the first to feature a GM classic, the iconic Chevy small block V-8 engine.
This was the first application of the engine in a production pickup truck, and the rest is history. The Cameo Carrier ended production after just four years making way for a line of pickups that would change Chevrolet’s name forever. Prior to the 1960s there was no standardization of models, something the upcoming C/K series would solve.
C/K series
The era of Chevrolet’s C/K series pickup trucks began in 1960 with the C-10, and ran all the way to 1972 where the K-10 later replaced the C series. The overlap in the C/K series appears at first because the C represented a two-wheel drive truck, while K designated a four-wheel-drive truck.
That nomenclature spans between four generations of vehicles, with generations two and three known as, “action line”, and “rounded line”. Although variations of C-designated models lingered, it was the K series that took the lead through the 1970s and into the 1990s with the introduction of the K1500. In 1973 the C10 Fleetside was the pickup that introduced the center grille line that linked the headlights and center bowtie.
This element has remained a Chevy pickup staple, giving the trucks their signature look. The C10 remains one of the most popular hot-rod pickups as it illustrates the image of the Chevy pickup in a classic, but relatable way.
Chevrolet introduced the first crew-cab dually in 1973, becoming the heavy-duty truck to have of the era. This pickup The last of the C/K series were larger heavy duty chassis-cab trucks. Production ended in 2002, ending the C/K’s 40-year run. Often regarded as the turning point in Chevrolet’s history, the K1500 emerged directly in the middle of Chevrolet’s older era trucks, and the now iconic Silverado.
Chevrolet Silverado
The one and only, Chevy Silverado. It’s been near or at the top of its class since its inception and continues to impress today with incredible power, towing, and payload capabilities. The Silverado took over the long-standing C/K series Chevy trucks and became the golden standard for the brand. Silverado has carried the weight of the Chevrolet pickup since the early 2000s along with being a stellar towing and having vehicle.
Its 1500 half-ton, 2500 3/4 ton, and 3500 one-ton variants are among the best pickups currently on sale. Since its launch in 1998, the Silverado has gone through three full redesigns, currently on its fourth generation. Within the Silverado family have been numerous interesting editions, such as an SS model back that was produced from 2003-2006, a truck that played into the Silverado’s popular street culture bringing a powerful V-8 and big chrome wheels along with a sportier appearance.
In 2009 Chevrolet played with the idea of introducing a hybrid Silverado, and even produced some examples in every generation. These of course are mild hybrids, mostly to track interest in such a vehicle. Currently, the Silverado HD possesses a monstrous 975 pounds-feet of torque produced from a 6.6 liter Turbo-Diesel V-8. That power is sent through a 10-speed automatic transmission and enables the Silverado HD to tow an impressive maximum weight of 36,000 pounds.
The payload capability of the Silverado HD is 7,234 pounds, and it starts at $43,000. This is massive performance for the money, although with options and many trim levels, things can get expensive quickly. Chevrolet is preparing a Silverado EV that sits on the GMC Hummer’s electric platform known as the Ultium Platform, which will surely underpin other GM full-size trucks and SUVS moving towards electrification.
Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet was not about to sit around and let Ford take over the mid-size market with the ranger. Introduced as a larger, more capable pickup truck back in 2004. The Colorado was a big step-up in competition to the Ford Ranger of the era. On par with Fords mid-size trucks sold in other markets, the Colorado simply outclassed the compact Ranger in every way possible.
Since then, the Colorado has faced steep competition from newer Ford Ranger models, but the Colorado remains a power house for the mid-size segment. With special models like the ZR2 that are direct answers to Fords “Raptor” models, the Colorado holds its own against both domestic and foreign brands.
Although the Toyota Tacoma is a wildly popular pickup, known for its reliability, the Colorado can easily outperform that pickup in many meaningful metrics to those needing pickup truck capabilities. Pickups have grown in both physical size and price. Vehicles like the Colorado prove that there is interest in a smaller, less expensive pickup.
Some drivers simply don’t have overly heavy things to move around. Others appreciate how much more efficient the Colorado has become. Currently, it is powered by an all-four-cylinder engine lineup consisting of different tunes and power outputs depending on trim level. It is an economical option to those who still want to drive pickups as more of a daily and less of a utility vehicle.