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. Interestingly enough, when these trucks first debuted, GM called them the “rounded-line” generation due to the round windshield, windows, and door frames. Having lasted for eighteen years in the American car market, it's clear that Chevy really nailed it with the square body. These trucks were GM’s first to be designed using computer simulations and wind tunnels.
Under the hood, buyers had a wide variety of powerful and reliable engine options to choose from. On the inside, Chevy’s engineers made the cabin more comfortable with added legroom, a four-door crew cab option, and climate controls.
By 1988, GM began to phase out the square body trucks in favor of the fourth generation of C/K. Here are some of the reasons why now is the perfect time for a square body comeback.
Trucks are a Growing Market
It is no secret that trucks have become massively popular in the American car market in recent years. In April of 2020, truck sales actually surpassed passenger car sales for the first time ever. In addition, four of the top ten best-selling cars in America are full-size pickup trucks. The main reason that trucks today sell better today than they used to is because of lifestyle buyers, or people who don’t need a truck for work but like the idea of driving a pickup. With truck buying at an all-time high, now is the perfect time to bring back the square body.
Truck Buyers Miss That Old School Look
Despite the high volume of truck sales in the past few years, these stats shouldn’t be taken to mean that truck buyers like modern American trucks a lot more than the trucks of the 1970s and 80s. Today's trucks fulfill the needs of both working people and lifestyle buyers by offering greater capability and cabin comfort than ever before. However, despite their advantages, there are many people who miss the rugged looks of older trucks. In fact, there are some who would say that today's trucks are just plain ugly. And who can blame them? Modern full-size trucks have abandoned the clean lines and lean proportions for a bulkier and more rounded look. The square body would immediately separate GM from the rest of the pack in a big way.
Give Buyers a Cheaper Option
Prior to the “Old Body” trucks of the late 1980’s, GM made inexpensive trucks with a great powertrain and not much else. While the square body c/k’s interior was good for its time, there wasn’t the same focus on cabin comfort as there is today. This meant that they were priced a lot lower than modern American trucks. For example, a 1975 C10 cost $3,600 back in the day. Adjusted for inflation, that truck cost about $17,500 today. Compare that with today’s Silverado half-ton which can run anywhere from $28,000 to $61,000, and it's easy to see how much truck prices have really changed over the years. Back in the day, Chevy trucks were an affordable option for working people who needed a simple, reliable truck, and right now there is a wide-open space in the market for a full-size no-frills truck like the old square body.
Why They Won’t Resurrect it
Despite the nostalgia surrounding the square-bodies, it isn’t as simple as just duplicating the old ones. Industry standards have changed so much it would be very hard for Chevy to recreate the square body. For example, part of the reason that today’s trucks look the way they do is to maximize fuel efficiency. It’s a lot cheaper to reshape the outside of a car than to redesign its engine. So now when car companies are faced with heightened fuel economy standards, it comes as no surprise that Chevy chose to ditch the very angular look of the square bodies in favor of a more rounded look. Another consideration is cost, part of the reason old square bodies were less expensive is that there wasn’t as much that went into them. Even today’s budget car buyers have come to expect “standard” features, including more comfortable seats, computers and sensors that monitor engine performance, and safety features that weren’t even invented when the square body was made. All of these new features mean cost and added weight. So even a base model, would still probably end up being much rounder, heavier, and more expensive than the original. However, there is a chance that another company could step in and replicate the square body as Gateway did with the Ford Bronco.