For most people, a vehicle is simply a tool for getting from Point A to Point B. But as enthusiasts, our vehicles are much more than that — they're an extension of our personality. Modifying and accessorizing our cars and trucks lets us express ourselves and stand out from the crowd. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, General Motors leaned into this idea with a wide variety of special edition packages for Chevy and GMC "Square Body" trucks. In this article, we'll take a look back at a handful of the most interesting Square Body special editions.
GM brochure scans courtesy of 73-87.com
Chevy Sport
Dubbed "a special Stepside for people with unlimited imaginations" by GM, the Chevy Sport was one of the simpler special edition packages for the Square Body, but the cool factor is still high.
Starting in 1976, the Sport package was offered for short-wheelbase Stepside trucks with the Scottsdale trim level. It was initially limited to certain colors, such as Rosedale Red (shown above), Catalina Blue, orange, and black. The package consisted of special stripe decals, white-letter tires, chrome bumpers, and a brushed aluminum cab-back molding.
In subsequent years, the Chevy Sport package changed to include tri-tone graphics (pictured above), color-matched bumpers, rally wheels, and color-matched carpeting atop extra-thick floor insulation. Various inline-six and V8 engine options were available.
Chevy BIG-10
Chevy called the BIG-10 its "heavy-duty half-ton." It offered a 454ci V8, TH-400 automatic transmission, optional 3.73 rear end, stouter front coil springs and rear leaf springs, heavy-duty vacuum-assisted brakes, and bigger tires, increasing the GWVR to as much as 6,200 pounds.
However, enthusiasts soon realized that in short-wheelbase two-wheel-drive configuration, the BIG-10 made for a very exciting muscle truck. Road & Track put a '76 BIG-10 up against a '76 Corvette and found that this pickup was only a few tenths slower in the 1/4-mile (16.9 seconds vs. the Vette's 16.5). They called it "one of the quickest American-built vehicles for 1976," and noted that the big 454 still delivered an average of 14.1 miles per gallon.
GMC Sarge
In the late '70s, GMC was one of the biggest names in commercial trucking. Its flagship Class 8 heavy-duty truck — the General, pictured at the end of the the lineup above) — was offered with custom paint, stripe graphics, trim, radios, and much more. As a nod to this, GMC introduced the Sarge as its little brother.
The Sarge package was available on C or K-2500 Wideside (a.k.a. Fleetside) pickup trucks in 1977. It featured exclusive silver paint, tri-color stripes, "Sarge" decals on the bed, color-filled bedside rails, a special hood ornament, and forged aluminum wheels with white-letter tires. Inside, its dashboard featured an integrated AM/FM radio, 8-track, and most importantly, a CB radio to stay in touch with other truckers.
GMC Jimmy Casa Grande / Chevy Blazer Chalet
Casa Grande means "big house" in Spanish, and the Jimmy Casa Grande is exactly what its name implies. GMC partnered with famous Washington-based camper builder Chinook to develop this permanently-attached pop-up camper package for the GMC Jimmy. Chevrolet also offered its own version called the Blazer Chalet. Both were reportedly quite rare, with prices ranging from $10,000 to $13,000 ($53,000 to $69,000 in today's money).
Various trim levels were offered for the camper, but each contained a table that converted into a bed, and a kitchen complete with a stove, sink, and icebox. The premium packages added options such as a propane heater, power refrigerator, and dual overhead bunks to increase sleeping capacity to four. The exterior was painted gold to match the truck, and featured large windows, custom decals, and a second set of original-style taillights.
Check out this Mecum Auctions listing for more photos of a surviving Jimmy Casa Grande.
GMC Desert Fox
The 1978 Desert Fox package was a ship-through partnership between GMC and aftermarket upfitter Hickey Enterprises. It was available for GMC Sierra trucks as well as the Jimmy, and was said to be "as much at home on the road as it is running a dry creek bed or pulling a mountain trail."
This package included Buckskin paint with special five-band striping on the sides, hood, and tailgate. Its PA6 wheels were also painted Buckskin to match, and clad in all-terrain tires. A painted-to-match brush guard with high-intensity CIBIE lights and tow hooks was standard; trucks got a bed bar with more lights, while the Jimmy got a color-matched roof rack. Folding side steps, a winch, a CB radio, and a rear tire swing-out with water jerry cans were available as optional upgrades.
GMC Amarillo
Here's one that's a bit more on the wild side: the 1979 GMC Amarillo built as a partnership with American Coach Corporation (ACC). It's named after the Spanish word for yellow, and wears an exclusive paint hue to match, as well as orange graphics on the hood, body sides, and tailgate. The Amarillo GT edition (pictured above) also included a front air dam, roof spoiler, color-matched 15x10" alloy wheels with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires, bumper-mounted driving lights, chrome side pipes, and a hand-stitched leather steering wheel.
After featuring the Amarillo GT on the cover of its September 1979 issue, Truckin' magazine called this "the symbol of the ultimate street cruisin' rig rushing toward the fuel stingy '80s with reckless abandon."
Looking for Classic Chevy & GMC Truck Parts?
Whether you prefer mild cosmetic mods like the Chevy Sport, high-performance hot rods like the 454ci BIG-10, or wild appearance packages like the GMC Amarillo, Classic Industries has you covered. Our classic GM Truck restoration parts catalog includes thousands of parts for 1947-2017 Chevy and GMC trucks. Click the button below to browse our selection of GM truck parts now:
