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The Global Insight

What is a square body truck

Author

Matthew Martinez

Updated on April 21, 2026

Produced from 1973 to 1987, Square Body trucks are the third generation of the Chevrolet and GMC C/K

What does a square body mean?

Definition of square body : the part of a ship in which the frames run perpendicular to the keel — compare cant body.

What year Chevy truck is considered a square body?

Nicknamed the “Square Body,” the all-new 1973 Chevy made big leaps forward in many areas compared to the second-generation C/K.

What are Chevy square bodies called?

Don’t laugh, but when Chevy came out with the line of square-body trucks in 1973, they called it the “Rounded Line”!

What was the last year of the square body truck?

The last year for square-body C10 production was 1986 because in 1987 with the introduction TBI fuel injection and the 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission Chevrolet changed the C10 series designation to R10. Who the hell would want an R10?

Why are square bodies so popular?

With its dual-wheel rear axle and severe-duty running gear, it was ideal for construction work and for serious towing. (Back in the day, these rigs were especially popular with racers—they were perfect for pulling fifth-wheel race car trailers.)

How much is a square body truck?

A fully functional, pristine Square Body Chevrolet Suburban will set you back anywhere between $12,000 and $60,000, with the average price of driving one home coming in at around $16,000.

How much is a square body Chevy?

The Square Body Was Inexpensive – Even by Today’s Standards A half-ton from Chevrolet today will run you anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000, showing you how much prices have shot up over the years.

Does Ford have a square body?

The fourth-gen F-Series continued with the square design theme, and the truck once again grew in width and in the number of creature comforts. This generation also introduced the unibody look, eliminating the gap between the cabin and the bed, which made assembly easier and cheaper for Ford.

What is an OBS truck?

The abbreviation OBS stands for “Old Body Style” in reference to the boxy and rugged look of trucks from the 1990s. … Since OBS trucks transitioned into NBS “New Body Style” trucks around the year 2000, this period can be seen as the threshold of when a truck could be considered an OBS.

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What are 90s Chevy trucks called?

Fourth generation (GMT400)1995-1998 Chevrolet K1500 Silverado Fleetside 6.5′ bedOverviewManufacturerChevrolet (GM) GMC Truck (GM)Also calledGMC Sierra Chevrolet Silverado (1999-2000 and Brazil) Chevrolet Cheyenne (Mexico)

What year is the most popular square body Chevy?

There’s been a lot of buzz in recent years around 1973-’87 Chevrolet light trucks (and their GMC counterparts), aka “square bodies.” Whatever you choose to call them, these boxy trucks are popular because they’re widely available at affordable prices, there’s an abundant parts supply, they’re simple to work on, and …

Why are Chevy and GMC the same?

The Basics There’s a reason that GMC and Chevrolet trucks seem so similar, and that’s because they are both under the same parent umbrella – General Motors. … Over the years, General Motors has owned many different vehicle brands, but Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac remain.

What does C10 stand for?

The “C” in C10 indicates that the truck is a two-wheel drive model. The Chevrolet C/K series consisted of two-wheel drive trucks, labeled with a “C”, and four-wheel drive trucks, designated by the letter “K.” The C10 was the half-ton, two-wheel-drive model within the C/K line of trucks.

What is the difference between a C10 and a K10 Chevy truck?

As you’ve probably already grasped by now, the main difference between the C10 and K10 would be that the K10 is four-wheel drive. With a slightly different suspension package as well, the K10 does sit higher than the C10. As the K10 is a 4×4, it is more frequently used for off-roading in comparison to the C10.

Are square body Chevys reliable?

Absolutely! Tough, reliable and easy to work on. Parts are also cheap so that helps. Plus, it’ll be fun if your kid is interested in trucks and learning to work on and modify them.

What is an OBS Chevy?

What is an OBS? (Old Body Style or Original Body Style) OBS refers to Chevy C/K trucks that were manufactured by General Motors between the years 1988 and 1998. Marketed under the Chevrolet and GMC brands, the C/K series included a wide range of vehicles including a truck and two SUV models.

Did GMC make a Suburban?

Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XLClassFull-size SUVLayoutFront engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel driveRelatedChevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon Cadillac Escalade

What corporation made Squarebody trucks?

Built from 1973 to 1991, the “Square Body” Chevy were the third generation of GM trucks in their C/K series. As you might have guessed by looking at it the square body got this nickname from its box-like shape.

What is Ford's most expensive truck?

It’s called the ‘Limited’ “Super Duty Limited is the most luxurious and advanced heavy-duty pickup truck ever created by Ford for accomplished buyers, with appetites for the high life and hard-earned dollars to match.” The F-250 Limited 4×4 will start out at $80,835 MSRP inc $1,295 destination fee.

Why did Ford change from F100 to F150?

Sixth Generation F-100: 1973-1979 In 1975, Ford introduced the F-150. … It made sense to have a pickup in between the F100 and its beefier sibling the F-250, but the real reason for the release was to get around emissions standards at the time.

What is the F100 truck?

All-electric Ford F-100 Eluminator concept truck showcases the benefits of electric propulsion using a 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition battery electric powertrain and twin front and rear electric traction motors that produce a combined 480 horsepower and 634 lb.-ft. of torque*

What year did they start making Suburbans?

In 1935, Chevy introduced the “Carryall Suburban” to the public and it quickly became a hit with professional customers. And though the term “SUV” wasn’t coined for another half-century, the Suburban is widely considered the first such vehicle—and nearly 80 years later it’s still one of the most popular.

What's considered a classic truck?

For the majority of enthusiasts, classic trucks are ones that are at least 20 years old. So, while Hagerty may call trucks like the GMC Syclone and Lamborghini LM002 ‘collector trucks’ because they were made after 1980, they’re both technically classic trucks.

What year range is OBS Ford?

Ford OBS trucks stem from the 7th generation F-Series (model years 1980 to 1986).

What is a GMT 480?

The GMT 400 and similar GMT 480 was the platform for the 1988-1998 model year Chevrolet C/K / GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks. … This was the first GMT designation for the C (RWD) and K (4WD/AWD) full-size trucks and SUVs.

What is a Chevrolet C K?

C/K is a series of trucks that was manufactured by General Motors from the 1960 to 2002 model years. Marketed by both the Chevrolet and GMC divisions, the C/K series encompassed a wide range of vehicles.

What is Chevrolet's smallest truck?

The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado is designed with smart features like the CornerStep rear bumper or the available EZ Lift & Lower tailgate to help make loading, hauling and trailering easier. Carry a full load with 49.9 cu. ft.

What is a NBS Silverado?

NBS = New Body Style. Trucks from 99 to 2007.5. NNBS = New New Body style.

What is a C10 pickup?

The C10 model was used by Chevrolet in the years 1960-1987 to define the 2WD drivetrain and ½ ton chassis of every truck they produced. The “C” marking the truck as 2-wheel drive, and the “10” marking it as a half-ton. Chevy C10, or Chevrolet 2wd, ½ ton pickup.

What is a R10 Chevy?

Answer: Chevrolet switched their normal naming in 1987 from the K series (K10, K20, K30) for four-wheel drive trucks and C Series (C10, C20, C30) for two-wheel drive trucks to the V series (V10, V20, V30) for 4WD and R series for 2WD (R10, R20, R30) This same change was made to the Suburban and Blazer and the GMC …