67-72 Development/Concept Photos Galore!

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

Just saw this for the first time today....Very interesting to say the least.

I noticed some of the photo's had some clay residue on the ground which I believe is how they used to shape some of the panels to get the effect/design they were after.

And in todays world the whole shebang is computer generated.

Yeah, the artistic side is gone.

[SkidmoreGarage]

Not to disagree for the sake of disagreement, but the computer is just a tool and there are just as many, or more, artists and designers as there were in 1964. The problem I see is that they take the creative designs and focus group them to death. Most people off the street (buyers) don't know what is aesthetically good or bad when they first look at it... Then they layer in cost reduction. Everything becomes over-masculine, but streamlined, plasticy designs which could be made by any manufacturer and painted in silver, black, or white.

I think modern GM is one of the worst companies when it comes to risk and design. Arguably, their best current designs are retro based. I don't think anyone is rushing out to pick up a new blazer, hoping it's a modern classic.

[Stephen717]

I would actually like having that dash and similar tail lights. It'd make people stop and stare and it'd be fun to tell people that "this was one of the designs gm had thought up for the action line series of pickups". Idk I guess I would just like the truck to be more unique than the other c10s on the road

[JT_Trucks87]

I have spent the last hour reading through this thread and I must say it has been an absolute blast to read!

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 70cst

I call on the Ft Wayne Chevy Truck Assembly plant and boy has things changed since the 70's.
This is a great thread.

That's Flint Assembly, pictured, as indicated by the two production lines.

K

[factorystock]

It appears the engineering work done for the new for '73 camper special features began in '71.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by factorystock

It appears the engineering work done for the new for '73 camper special features began in '71.

I like the rear fender flares.

Do you have a link to that literature?









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[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by factorystock

It appears the engineering work done for the new for '73 camper special features began in '71.

That’s good stuff, the fleet side dually that never came to be, that would have been awesome if it had.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

I noticed some of the photo's had some clay residue on the ground which I believe is how they used to shape some of the panels to get the effect/design they were after.

And in todays world the whole shebang is computer generated.

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Yeah, the artistic side is gone.

Going back to address these earlier comments:

Not to be contrary but we (GM) still start with the clay. After the clay model looks like what the designers have in mind is is scanned and coverted to CAD data. The CAD styling data is what is sent to engineering to make it work.

It's an iterative process so as long as the clay is in the studio the designers feel like they can make subtle changes. Also - as engineering determines that some concepts won't work in real life the suggestions are cycled back through for studio response and input.

Usually the model is torn down and the clay recycled immediately at the conclusion of the project (which is probably for the best in view of the above). There were a few models that were retained, in expectation of historical significance, stored in the basement of the studio.

The CAD is no different than a 2D drawing, in terms of the technical and practical knowledge that guides it, except that it is more powerful for visualization because you can dice it and slice it and roll it around in ways you could never do with pencil and paper. It's like using a power nailer to do carpentry instead of a hammer and loose nails. Both require a skilled operator, both get the same job done.

In one case I'm standing behind a draftsman looking over his shoulder while he works on a computer, in the other case I'm standing behind a draftsman looking over his shoulder while he works on a drawing board. Or - I might be standing behind a sculptor looking over his shoulder while he peels bits of clay onto the floor. It is still me watching over the progress in any case.

So: Clay ==>CAD==>tools==>parts.

K

[conoco]

This is probably the coolest post I have seen on this forum. So much great information, I had no idea about. I would like to frame some of the photos for my garage. Well done digging all this stuff up!

[HO455]

It's been 2 years since this got bumped to the top.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by hewittca

I have finally figured out what this oddball truck is that was included in the photo sets I received:



Turns out, the answer was buried here on the board all along in this thread. It's a Brazilian spec C10!



Apparently, Chevrolet commissioned a Brazilian company to assemble the trucks for them in South America, and they used many carry over parts from previous generations of pickups. The year ranges for the specific body styles were also different. This site details the specs for the South American C10s by year.

Those fenders were special made. And all these had 16" wheels, as shown in these pictures.

[Bob B.]

If you look close at the Brazilian Fleetsides, you can see the indented line that starts at the grille and runs the length of the cab (above the door handles) and bed does not taper down towards the rear, it is carried through straight to the end of the bed. Of course the vertical seam at the bed corner and '60-'66 tail lights are a dead giveaway. The Brazilian fleetside bed is also different than the Mexican fleetside bed.

[special-K]

Great observations, Bob. I hadn't noticed the contour on the bed running straight. I've seen foreign-built trucks with '55-'66 Stepside fenders that barely had that distinctive sharp body line, as if someone toot sheet metal up to that line and wrapped over the fender below. All these south of the border beds were locally made. Not sure, but I believe the cabs were stamped in USA and shipped, even to Brazil. Cabs are the most expensive part of any truck to produce the first one

[toms68cst]

Sometimes the images in the background are really interesting. The one COE design truck resembles the Deora. The picture behind it looks like a Harry Bently Bradly drawing. I also see what looks like an open roof El Camino design.

[70c10-08]

Originally Posted by toms68cst

Sometimes the images in the background are really interesting. The one COE design truck resembles the Deora. The picture behind it looks like a Harry Bently Bradly drawing. I also see what looks like an open roof El Camino design.

That COE truck kinda makes me think of the GMC motorhome if it was built as a pickup

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 70c10-08

That COE truck kinda makes me think of the GMC motorhome if it was built as a pickup

I do see that, too. Now someone needs to build one. That open top I have seen fullsize photos of. What a concept. If real life could only be so full of free for fun time to have a market that would bear the need

[Sicklajoie]

Had to bump this thread, I bookmarked it several years ago and like to look at it on occasion.
The 2 pics below are just pure perfection IMO. This is what a truck is all about.

[Getter-Done]

Glad you brought it to the Top.

Big Back Glass 67.

[KevinK7]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

Glad you brought it to the Top.

...me too I had not seen this before ; )

Very cool pics for sure...

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

Had to bump this thread, I bookmarked it several years ago and like to look at it on occasion.
The 2 pics below are just pure perfection IMO. This is what a truck is all about.

I'm reminded the C/K development group at the Milford Proving Ground had a relationship with a farmer in the midwest (Illinois, I think) named Stoney Atkins.

I don't think we provided vehicles but we would often use his property and operations for photo shoots for marketing.

I'm not saying these specific photos are, but many of the photos from the 60's and 70's of trucks working would be from his place.

K

[CKfan]

Great old thread.
Keith your insight and 1st hand information in greatly appreciated and a gift to us die-hards.

[KevinK7]

Originally Posted by CKfan

Great old thread.
Keith your insight and 1st hand information in greatly appreciated and a gift to us die-hards.

Ditto for sure, ...and this led me to Kieth's intro thread from his sig.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

This is what a truck is all about.

I agree. Pickups trucks used to have a unique look. Modern pickups are designed for the best of two worlds, mixing the truck look with the car look, somewhere all along the way, they lost their nostalgic look and charm.

[chewychevy67]

This thread makes me wonder how many times they changed when they made the 88-98 trucks. Anyone got pics of those years?