Founded in 1911 by Swiss racecar driver Louis Chevrolet and his partners, Chevrolet is one of the American Big Three automotive manufacturers and one of the best-selling marques around the globe.
From NASCAR to the jobsite, Chevrolet is the name behind some of the most iconic and well-respected automotive models on the market today like the Corvette, Silverado, Camaro, Tahoe, and Suburban.
Chevrolet 4x4 Legacy.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Chevrolet partnered with aftermarket supplier NAPCO (Northwestern Auto Parts Company) to provide dealers and outfitters with 4x4 conversion kits for early Chevy trucks sold to a broad consumer base. Many of them were scooped up by more utility-oriented entities for light-duty work, So finding some of these early NAPCO-outfitted trucks, like the Chevy Apache, are rare finds that command premiums at auction or from direct sellers.
Recognizing strong competitive impetus from rivals like Ford, Jeep, and Dodge and surging market demand, Chevrolet offered factory-outfitted four-wheel drive directly - circumventing NAPCO entirely. In 1960, Chevrolet debuted the C/K model trucks: C designating two-wheel drive, and K designating four-wheel drive. The Chevy C/K line would enjoy a 42 model-year run, officially conceding in 2002 to the full-sized Silverado, mid-sized Colorado, and compact S10.
Additionally, the Chevrolet Suburban also gained factory four-wheel drive for the 1960 model year, by then in its 5th Generation having entered the market for the 1935 model year. The Suburban proved Chevy's capability in the utility vehicle market, and paved the way for future SUVs like the Chevy Blazer in 1969 and, later on, the Chevy Tahoe in 1992.