The dawn of the Square Body truck occurred in 1973 when General Motors introduced a bold new style for its truck divisions, namely their Chevrolet and GMC pickup models.
The Square Body era would continue until 1987 and marked a legendary segment of GM pickup history, given the right-angle design truck’s strong sales record and continued popularity in the vintage vehicle hobby.
Jim Sutherland
There are many factors behind the success of the Square Body and we at MyStarCollectorCar believe the famous pickup’s legendary status extends well beyond its TV roles as fatherly sidekick Joe Rockford’s then-new GMC truck in ‘The Rockford Files’, as well as bounty hunter/stuntman Colt Seavers’ GMC pickup in ‘The Fall Guy’.
It would be fair to say both TV shows likely helped Square Body sales during their respective runs in the 1970s and ‘80s, but the legendary GM pickup had already won the hearts and mind of its fans before either show aired on TV.
MyStarCollectorCar readers may be puzzled by the fact General Motors initially labeled the Square Body trucks as “Rounded Line” models, given their squared-off body lines wore out a few straight edges during the design phase. The General’s oddball name likely refers to the fact these 4-wheeled bricks were designed in a wind tunnel, had rounded windshield and door components, and were surprisingly more aerodynamic than their predecessors.
General Motors likely realized they had to get more bang for the buck in terms of engine performance because of early 1970s automotive legislation that shrank the herd of horses under a new vehicle’s hood, so a sleeker body design was a major requirement for their 1973 pickups-even if the newer trucks appeared to be squarer than a 1972 Chevy truck.
It would be no exaggeration to conclude General Motors had a runaway hit with their new-for-1973 pickup trucks. Even the cabs were more comfortable because the ’73 GM trucks offered 2 ½ inches of extra room for their passengers, consequently three generously sized adults could fit into them for a trip to a Weight Watchers meeting better than older pickups’ cabs built by the General.
Additionally, the Square Body’s truck bed was also a little roomier so it could hold more cargo than its GM predecessors.
However, a short bed and fleet sided Square Body pickup may well be the most desirable version of the truck ever built by General Motors because this model is very well suited to the overall design of the trucks.
Their squared-off design is perfectly suited to the short box versions because they appear to be exactly the right length in this style. Long box Square Bodies may appear to be too long in the eyes of short box fans because the trucks’ straight-line design is emphasized with the extra inches on the back, roughly about 2 feet.
Consequently, the short box Square Bodies appear to be sportier in the eyes of their beholders, but every model has a sizable fan base these days.
Square Bodies in any form will likely remain very popular for a long time, given the fact they were built from the early 1970s until the late 1980s and sold in large numbers. Plenty of parts are available for Square Bodies because of their popularity so it is very unlikely these legendary trucks will lose their loyal fan base any time soon.
Even better, Square Bodies are still an affordable collector vehicle.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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