Chevy Silverado
source: flickr
Chevy’s C/K series of trucks was so popular they decided to use the line’s popularity to compete with Ford’s modern F-series trucks. So was born the hugely popular Silverado, and the mechanically identical cousin, the GMC Sierra. These full-size and heavy-duty trucks take many of the features customers enjoyed in the 1975-to-1998 C/K pickups and modernize them for today’s market. Originally rolled out in 1999, the Silverado previously lived as a nameplate for C/K Truck trims. This is not to be confused with the actual Silverado, however.
The Silverado took on the numeric designations of the C/K trucks, using 1500 as a numeric designator for its light-duty variant, and a 2500 designator for its medium-duty variant. Chevy introduced the Silverado with the popular Vortec series of motors, previously found in their C/K trucks. Also commonly referred as simply the “LS” small block, the Vortec is a model of Chevy’s overarching V8 line of engines that were largely inspired by Ed Cole’s original Chevy small block of 1955. Cast iron blocks and iron cylinder liners offer proven reliability, with many LS motors running well over 250,000 miles before requiring a rebuild.
source: flickr
The previous and current generation Silverados and Sierras boast the same reputations for reliability and toughness as Chevy’s old C/K trucks, but they live on today as one of few truck series to offer performance packages. The Silverado SS, based on the 1500, provided an upgraded drivetrain and exterior appearance package with impressive numbers. A 6.0L Vortec V8 pushed out 345 HP and 380 pound-feet of torque, while an upgraded 4L65E transmission and 4.10 rear planted all that power at the rear wheels with ease. The SS’s Intimidator version paid homage to Dale Earnhardt with a rear spoiler, embroidered headrests and custom badging.
Today, the Silverado is offered in plenty of unique performance- and offroad-centric packages, including the Z71, the Special Ops, the Alaskan, the Midnight, and the Redline. Each package provides different improvements over the factory powerplants, drivetrains and appearance pieces with available options ranging from higher displacement motors, upgraded suspension components, special paint jobs, offroad lighting and light bars, upgraded tires and wheels, blacked out accents, and much more. These numerous packages make the Silverado one of the most customizable and modular trucks available on the market today. The current Silverado nearly edges out Ford’s Super Duty with an available 6.6L Duramax V8 that pumps out 445 HP and 910 pound-feet of torque. The Silverado’s reputation and proven reliability are so great the military still uses a Duramax powerplant GM version of the Silverado as a light support vehicle.
