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.
The independent front suspension of the C/K trucks incorporated torsion bars and coil springs to reduce flex under load and insulate the drivetrain, while rear trailing arms maintained appropriate tire camber during rocky excursions or when traveling across bouncy, unmaintained roads. These simple suspension technologies were ahead of their time in the 60’s, and they’re what helped earn the C/K trucks a reputation for being ultra-reliable while also being surprisingly comfortable and easy to drive.
source: wikimedia
Powering the early C/Ks were available straight-6 motors in 230, 236, 250, and 261 cubic inches (including the historically reliable Blue Frame motors), and an industry-leading 283 cubic inch V8. The GMC branded C/K also came available with a 305 cubic inch V6, which also powered all of GMC’s other standard pickups and the venerable Suburban of the same period.
The C/K came available in standard ½-ton, ¾-ton, and 1-ton configurations, labelled “10”, “20”, and “30”, respectively, while the GMC labelled C/Ks were labelled “1000”, “1500”, “2500”, and “3000” to “6500” to denote medium- and heavy-duty models. Every C/K truck, regardless of configuration, came equipped with a 3- or 4-speed Synchromesh transmission, or the wildly popular and rugged 2-speed Powerglide automatic.
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.
