27. Chevrolet 490 Series Half-Ton Pickup
Chevrolet introduced the 490 Series Half-Ton Pickup based on the new 490 Sedan in 1918. Interestingly, the Half-Ton was the first specially-designed pickup in the world. This means that Chevrolet intended to present this model as a light-duty delivery vehicle rather than just a chopped-off sedan body. The power came from a four-cylinder engine, which was standard in the range. Notably, this first truck came from the factory without a body.
That meant the customers were supposed to buy their own cab and truck bed according to their needs. Chevrolet sold a running chassis with the engine, transmission, wheels, hood, and fenders, and then buyers looked for the rest. In those days, many body shops constructed open or closed trucks per the customer’s specifications. Some trucks even had a few bodies they could switch for different applications. The 490 Series truck stayed in production for over 10 years. Chevrolet produced a big number of those, influencing other truck manufacturers to start designing similar models.