Chevy C/K
source: wikimedia
Chevy’s most popular full-size pickup, the C/K, made such an impact on the truck world for such a long period of time (1960 all the way to 2002, to be exact) that its legend alone earns it a spot on our list of Toughest Trucks. A precursor to the household names Silverado and Sierra, the C/K represents the “two-wheel drive/four-wheel drive” that the platform offered. The C/K offered two critical firsts that no other truck had available at the time: A drop-center latter frame sporting a more comfortable, lower-sitting cab, and independent front suspension. These two features alone set the C/K apart from all other period trucks, offering a more car-like driving experience without sacrificing any reliability, towing capacity or general strength.
Today, C/Ks from as early as the 60’s can be found for sale with their original powertrains and bodies, requiring little work to keep them running just as reliably as they did in their early years. The C/K is so popular that it’s still produced in Korea and China to this day, serving as an international work truck in an unlikely market.
