Glamor Truck From Planet 8: The 1955 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier

Summary

The 1955 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier was a special half-ton pickup truck model with a unique “fleetside” body, designed by future GM Styling VP Chuck Jordan. It used fiberglass outer panels to create a slab-sided bed without a step ahead of each rear wheel, which was unusual for pickup trucks of the time. The Cameo Carrier and the equivalent GMC Suburban Pickup also had deluxe trim and interior appointments, making them more luxurious than standard Chevrolet and GMC trucks. High prices meant that the Cameo Carrier and Suburban Pickup sold only in limited numbers through 1958. However, they inspired similar models from several other manufacturers. By the late fifties, most American pickup truck lines offered a similar-looking slab-sided body style.

The Harbinger

It’s tempting to overstate the impact and historical significance of the Cameo Carrier. It did foreshadow the modern age of cushy personal-use trucks and utility vehicles, but it did not bring about an immediate sea change in the social standing of light trucks, nor did it spark a new vogue for luxury pickups. Both of these things eventually happened, but the transition was both gradual and protracted. The Cameo Carrier did provide an auspicious American introduction to the “Fleetside” body style, which proved very popular once it became available in all-steel form, but the popularity of that body style probably had as much to do with the practical advantages of the wider bed — something the Cameo Carrier couldn’t offer — as anything else.

1958 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier (white and red) rear 3q by Greg Gjerdingen (CC BY 2.0)

While the 1958 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier looked much like the Apache Fleetside pickup that effectively replaced it, it was considerably more expensive and far less practical, which sealed its fate. This is a very rare truck: Only 375 were built before production ended mid-year. (Photo: “1958 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier Pick-Up” by Greg Gjerdingen, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) license)

Still, as a truck expressly designed to appeal more to the eye and the ego than to practical sensibilities, the Cameo Carrier was decades ahead of its time.

FIN

NOTES ON SOURCES

Our sources for this article included Jim Allen, “Backward Glances: 1957 International Harvester A-120 4×4,” Four Wheeler, 8 May 2013, via MotorTrend.com, accessed 29 April 2022, and “TC-12 Dozer: The Legendary 1964 Euclid,” Diesel World, 6 February 2020, via dieselworldmag. com, accessed 16 May 2022; “Argonaut Building,” Detroit Historical Society, n.d., detroithistorical. org, accessed 16 May 2022; the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide, Encyclopedia of American Cars: Over 65 Years of Automotive History (Lincolnwood, Ill.: Publications International, 1996), and “1955-1957 Chevrolet Light-Duty Trucks” (which we believe was adapted from Michael Lamm’s article in Collectible Automobile Vol. 16, No. 3 (October 1999), HowStuffWorks.com, 7 October 2007, auto.howstuffworks. com, accessed 1 May 2022; Tom Beaubien, comment on “Homer LaGassey” at Dean’s Garage, 23 June 2009, www.deansgarage. com, accessed 16 May 2022; “Charles ‘Chuck’ M. Jordan,” The Automotive Hall of Fame, 2012, www.automotivehalloffame. org, accessed 16 May 2022; Chevrolet — Central Office, Engineering Department — Technical Data Group, 1955 Chevrolet Features: Truck Engineering Achievements (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, March 1955); Chevrolet 1954 Specifications: Trucks (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Division of General Motors Corporation, 18 December 1953); Chevrolet 1955 Specifications: 1955 Truck First Series (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, 29 October 1954); Chevrolet 1955 Specifications: 1955 Truck Second Series, Revised (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, 1 August 1955); and Chevrolet 1955 Specifications: Passenger (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, 29 October 1954); Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, “The All New Chevrolet Task-Force Truck Line” [brochure] (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, n.d.); The Chevrolet Story: 1911–1955 (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Division of General Motors Corporation, April 1955); Chevrolet Truck Operators Manual 1955: Operator’s Manual for 1955 Chevrolet Light, Medium and Heavy Duty Trucks (Second Series), 2nd ed. (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, n.d.); “New 1956 Chevrolet Task-Force Pick-Up Trucks” [brochure] (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, 15 February 1956); “1957 Chevrolet Task-Force Truck Line” [brochure] (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, September 1956); “1967 Chevrolet Campers and Pleasure Trucks” [brochure] (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, ca. October 1966); “Task-Force 58 Chevrolet/pickups” [brochure] (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, October 1957); “Task-Force 59 Chevrolet Pickups” [brochure] (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, September 1958); Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, Engineering Product Information Department, 1958 Chevrolet Features: Truck Engineering Features (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Engineering Center, October 1957); 1959 Chevrolet Truck Engineering Features (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Engineering Center, October 1958); and 1956 Chevrolet Features: Truck Engineering Achievements (Detroit, Mich.: Chevrolet Engineering Center, ca. October 1955); Ford Division, Ford Motor Company, “New Ford Trucks for ’57” [brochure] (Dearborn, Mich.: Ford Division of Ford Motor Company, Dec. 1956); “1961 Ford Trucks: Pickups · Falcon · F-100 · F-250 · F-350 · Econoline · 4-Wheel Drive” [brochure] (Dearborn: Ford Division of Ford Motor Company, February 1961); and “1962 Ford Trucks: F-100 Pickups · Stake · Chassis-Cab · Chassis-Cowl” [brochure] (Dearborn, Mich.: Ford Division of Ford Motor Company, February 1962); Ford Motor Company of Australia Pty. Ltd., “1935 Ford Utilities” [brochure] (Geelong, Australia: Ford Motor Company of Australia Pty. Ltd., 1935); the GM Heritage Center website, www.gmheritagecenter.com; GMC Truck & Coach Division. “Even its looks carry weight” [advertisement] (Pontiac, Mich: GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors Corporation, n.d.); “GMC Blue Chip Trucks & Tractors: Series 100–370” [brochure] (Pontiac, Mich.: GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors Corporation, March 1957); GMC Trucks: New Models and Features for 1955 (Pontiac, Mich.: GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors Corporation, 28 February 1955); GMC Trucks: New Models and Features for 1956 (Pontiac, Mich.: GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors Corporation, 13 February 1956); Maintenance Manual: GMC Trucks Models 100 Thru 500 (Chassis Serial Numbers T1001 and Up) (Pontiac, Mich.: GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors Corporation, October 1956); and “New school of thought about trucks” [advertisement] (Pontiac, Mich: GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors Corporation, n.d.); John Gunnell, ed., Standard Catalog of Chevrolet Trucks: Pickups & Other Light-Duty Trucks, 1918–1995 (Iola, Wis.: Krause Publications, Inc., 1995); Alex B. Hill, “Map of Detroit Auto Industry 1960” [map from 1960 Detroit Auto Show brochure], Detroitography, 18 April 2014, detroitography. com, accessed 16 May 2022; “Interview: Chuck Jordan, GM’s Chief Designer.” Motor Trend Classic Cars, 19 June 2006, via MotorTrend.com, accessed 16 May 2022; H. Roy Jaffe,comment on “Homer LaGassey” at Dean’s Garage, 23 June 2009, www.deansgarage. com, accessed 16 May 2022; Jim Koscs, “Thank the Chevy Cameo Carrier if you own a pick-up but don’t use it like one,” Hagerty, 12 December 2016, www.hagerty. com, accessed 25 April 2022; Michael Lamm, “driveReport: Cameo,” Special Interest Autos No. 43 (January–February 1978): 10–15, 59; James T. Lenze, ed., Standard Catalog of American Light-Duty Trucks: Pickups · Panels · All Models 1896–2000, 3rd ed. (Iola, Wis.: Krause Publications, Inc., 2001); “Lot #848: 1957 GMC Suburban Carrier,” Barrett-Jackson, n.d., www.barrett-jackson. com, accessed 26 April 2022; Bill McGuire, “The Strange Tale of the 1961-66 Ford Wrongbed Pickups,” Mac’s Motor City Garage, 27 October 2020, www.macsmotorcitygarage. com, accessed 20 May 2022, and “Up on the Roof,” Mac’s Motor City Garage, 11 December 2012, www.macsmotorcitygarage. com, accessed 16 May 2022; Mike McNessor, “1955–’58 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier,” Hemmings Motor News Aug. 2018, via www.hemmings. com, accessed 25 April 2022, and “Fashionably Finned – 1957 Dodge D100 Sweptside,” Hemmings Classic Car No. 94 (July 2012), via www.hemmings. com, accessed 26 April 2022; Mecum Auctions, “1957 International Harvester Pickup: Golden Anniversary, 220/113 HP, 4-Speed (Lot S34 // Branson 2009 // October 24,” 24 October 2009, www.mecum. com, accessed 29 April 2022; Mike Mueller, Pickup Trucks (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Lowe & B. Hould Publishers, 2001); “1955 GMC Suburban Pickup,” GM Heritage Center, n.d. www.gmheritagecenter. com, accessed 26 April 2022; “1955 GMC 100 Suburban Carrier,” RK Motors Charlotte, n.d., www.rkmotors. com, accessed 26 April 2022; “1957 GMC Palomino,” PeeWees 1955 to 1599 GMC Trucks, n.d., p-wee.tripod.com/index_031.htm, accessed 17 May 2022; the Old Car Manual Project Brochure Collection website, oldcarbrochures.org; Mal Pearson, “Powell Sport Wagon: 1955–1957,” The Makes That Didn’t Make It 2018, www.makesthatdidntmakeit. com, accessed 30 April 2022; Jeff Peek, “This rare 1957 Dodge D100 Sweptside is a hot one,” Hagerty, 26 November 2018, www.hagerty. com, accessed 26 April 2022; Tiago Pinto, “10 Classic Pickups We Desperately Want Back,” Hotcars, 15 December 2020, www.hotcars. com, accessed 17 May 2022; and Luther W. Stier and Charles M. Jordan, assignors to General Motors Corporation, U.S. Patent D.177,773, “Truck,” applied 26 May 1955, Serial No. 36,236, patented 22 May 1956; U.S. Patent D.178,434, “Truck Cab,” applied 26 May 1955, Serial No. 36,235, patented 31 July 1956; and U.S. Patent D.182,072, “Truck,” applied 29 December 1955, Serial No. 39,513, patented 11 February 1958.


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9 Comments

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  1. Aaron – I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to read your work. I think all gearheads will echo my feelings. Back to the point – as a small child in a small town dealership, we were all involved with Dad’s business. We knew the other kids of dealer owners and the wives all hung out together, too. Therefore we heard what the consensus of the adults usually was. The local Chevrolet dealer loved the styling of the Cameo, but deemed it sale-proof. So, to increase the visibility, he would have the parts department drive one as the delivery truck. I remember seeing a plaque on his wall a few years later noting his excellence in truck sales. We also saw one that had been customized with Cragar wheels and two-toned paint down the sides. As was customary in 1956, it had the words “Tall Cool One” on the flanks. That was a very fun time to grow up as every day was new ground. Now, 60 years later, the little girl who played with my sisters still owns that Chevrolet store. The American Dream.

    1. As regards sales potential, I think there’s some parallel (as mentioned in the text) with the postwar American coupe-utilities. (The limiting factor in sales of the Ranchero and El Camino was not that American buyers didn’t like the look or the idea, but that translating that aesthetic or conceptual appeal into sales was challenging: Yes, a Ranchero or El Camino was car-like, but having NO back seat was a tough compromise for a lot of people, and if you actually needed a pickup, it was hard to get around the fact that an actual pickup was a better value, particularly once the Japanese compact trucks became more widely available.)

  2. Glad to have you back with your beautiful insights…

  3. Aaron,

    Thanks so much for the Cameo article! This is one of my all time favorite trucks. I have read most of the material on Ate Up With Motor, some of it twice. I appreciate your writing style and details you provide.

    Thanks!

  4. SO glad to finally see some brand new content instead of simply retooling the existing stories. I was frankly worried that you were considering winding the whole site down. Looking forward to seeing your next story about the “rope-drive” Tempest…

  5. I just want to echo others in letting you know how much we appreciate new content from you, as well as your continued maintenance of this site, Aaron! It’s an invaluable resource, and here’s hoping greater clarity arrives with regards to some of the laws that have been vexing you over the past few years!

    I wonder if you might reach out to the owners of some other resource sites, like Paul Niedermeyer’s Curbside Classic, who might have spoken with their own attorneys about these regulations.

    1. Honestly, it all seems pretty hopeless, and I haven’t been able to get any help at all. It feels like I’m just running out the clock. I’ve been trying to finish the rope-drive Tempest article, but beyond that, I don’t know.

  6. Loved the article Aaron. I’ve often read about HOA’s banning pickup trucks from parking in driveways where cars would be allowed – “uncouth” indeed! I wonder if that has changed after decades of them being mainstream transport or whether those rules are just ignored/not enforced now?

    1. At the very least, they’ve become harder to enforce in some places. In California, for instance, a rule like that might be considered a form of unlawful housing discrimination. (I’m no lawyer, but current state laws on housing discrimination are expansive, and I believe they include a prohibition on housing discrimination based on someone’s lawful source of income. So, an HOA rule that would have the effect of discriminating against people who work as plumbers, carpenters, or contractors seems like it might be on shaky ground, legally speaking.)

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