C/K Pickup

Chevrolet introduced this full-size pickup nameplate for the 1960 model year as a new generation of utility trucks built on a dedicated truck chassis. The badging used C for two-wheel-drive models and K for four-wheel-drive versions, and GM’s own 4WD system debuted with the launch. Early trucks established the basic formula that would define the line for decades: rugged full-size capability paired with steadily improving comfort and convenience. A 1964 facelift removed the wraparound windshield, and later generations became better known to enthusiasts by their informal nicknames, including the 1967–72 “Action Line,” the 1973–87 “Square Body,” and the 1988–98 “OBS” era. Over time, the trucks also moved beyond plain work duty, with higher trim levels, extended-cab and crew-cab variants, and performance-oriented versions helping broaden the lineup’s appeal. The top trim badge that emerged in the mid-1970s eventually became more important than the base C/K designation, and for the 1999 model year Chevrolet retired the C/K nameplate as the all-new full-size pickup line adopted the Silverado name. This makes the C/K one of Chevrolet’s most important and longest-lived truck nameplates, especially among classic American pickup enthusiasts.