Chevrolet Cameo
Before the 1955-’58 Cameo, pickups had a step-side design in the truck bed. This means that beds were made with sculpted rear fenders, often with wooden sides. It was a production method that dated to the first trucks from the early 1920s. But as one of the biggest pickup manufacturers in the U.S., Chevrolet introduced the fleetside truck bed on its new 1955 model (via Hemmings).
The fleetside construction was revolutionary in many ways. First, the truck bed looked more elegant because it was flush with the cabin’s lines and the truck design. Second, it allowed for the use of the maximum width of the truck bed, making the truck more capable of carrying a wider load. And third, the innovative construction was more durable and stronger than ever before. The first model to feature this construction solution was the Chevrolet Cameo, but it wasn’t successful at first. The Cameo was an upscale version of a standard Chevy truck. It featured a V8 engine and updated equipment. It was fast for what it was.