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1973 Chevrolet C/K Named Best '70s Chevy Truck

By Rachel Schneider Men's Journal

Some trucks are remembered for being beautiful, some for poweful performance. But the 1973 Chevrolet C/K launched an entire era, and that's what makes it so iconic.

HotCars named the 1973 C/K pickup the best Chevy truck of the 1970s, and looking at its legacy, it's easy to understand why. The truck didn't just raise the bar for what a Chevrolet pickup could be. It established an entirely new standard for American trucks that would endure for nearly two decades and continues to resonate with collectors and enthusiasts today.

The Truck That Started Chevy's Square Body Era

When Chevrolet introduced the third generation of its C/K series in 1973, it arrived with a boldness that immediately set it apart. General Motors officially designated the platform the "Rounded Line" generation, but the truck's strong angles and straight body panels quickly earned it a different nickname that has stuck ever since: the Square Body.

The design was the result of a genuinely new approach. Unlike its predecessors, the 1973 C/K was built from scratch entirely in-house by Chevrolet - the first time the company had done so - giving GM complete control over every aspect of the truck's character. It was designed using computer systems and tested in wind tunnels, a level of engineering sophistication that was unusual for a pickup truck at the time.

The results were immediately apparent. The Square Body was bigger, boxier and more capable than anything that had come before it, and it was full of firsts that would shape the American truck industry for generations.

A Truck Full of Firsts

The 1973 Chevrolet C/K holds a remarkable number of claims to automotive history. It was the first American truck ever fitted and sold with a diesel engine - a 5.7-liter Oldsmobile diesel V8 that could be paired with either a three-speed or four-speed manual transmission. It also introduced the four-door crew cab configuration and the dual-rear-wheel setup that became known as the "Big Dooley" - both of which transformed what buyers expected from a full-size pickup.

Under the hood, the truck offered a range of engine options that gave drivers genuine flexibility. The top-spec 7.4-liter 454 V8 produced 240 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque, which were serious numbers for a working truck in 1973. Curved side glasses improved visibility and reduced blind spots, while front stabilizers, a longer wheelbase and staggered rear shock absorbers eliminated the wheel hop that had plagued earlier generations.

Inside, the cabin was fitted with bench seats and improved flow-through ventilation.

When Did the Square Body Era End?

The 1973 C/K remained in production for 18 years, through 1991, which was an extraordinary run that speaks to how fundamentally right the platform was from the beginning. Throughout those years, Chevrolet refined and updated the Square Body generation, adding larger cabins, bigger windows, improved aerodynamics, better sealing for quieter interiors and eventually more sophisticated engine controls and comfort features as buyer expectations evolved.

More than three decades after the last Square Body rolled off the line, demand for these trucks has never been stronger. Collectors value them for their durability, their straightforward engineering and the clean, unmistakable shape that makes them instantly recognizable at any car show or weekend market.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Gear section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 4:00 AM.

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