AUTO HISTORY
Bill Vance explains how the Cameo Carrier demonstrated that pickup trucks could be stylish passenger vehicles
Early pickup trucks were mostly spinoffs of passenger cars which manufacturers created by cutting off the car body behind the front doors, closing in the cab and attaching a utility box. Some just sold the cab and chassis and owners arranged for their own cargo boxes. In the late 1930s and ‘40s, particularly after the Second World War, halfton trucks began getting their own persona. They evolved into larger, sturdier, purpose-built haulers rather than modified cars. These were rugged and utilitarian machines for farmers, contractors, tradesmen etc. and little thought was given to luxury or style. Light trucks were primarily transportation implements created for the work-a-day world. That began to change in the 1950s, and if one vehicle could be credited with giving this movement its real kick-off it would be the 1955 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier. A companion GMC Suburban model offered different trim and engine options. Chevrolet’s sensational all new 1955 car line set the trend with a wraparound windshield, egg-crate grille, “eyebrow” headlamps and high level taillights. It projected a luxurious aura that suggested Cadillac influences. In addition to its style, buyers could opt for Chevrolet’s outstanding new 4.3 litre (265 cu in.) short-stroke, 162 horsepower overhead valve V-8 engine, a dramatic departure from Chevy’s old but still available inline “Stovebolt Six.” An available 180 horsepower Power Pack made the V-8 even more exciting. When the year’s second series of 1955 Chevrolet pickups (the first series were carryover ‘54s) appeared in March, 1955 they carried strong Chevrolet car influences. They had wraparound windshields, egg-crate grilles, more substantial bumpers and eyebrow headlamps. A 36 percent increase in glass area greatly improved visibility. The standard engine was the old standby 3.8 litre (235 cu in.) 123 horsepower, overhead valve six. A more exciting option was that new V-8 detuned to 145 horsepower for truck use.. Underneath was a new, stronger frame, longer leaf springs, wider track and a wheelbase shortened by 51 mm (2 in.) to 2,896 mm (114 in.) for easier manoeuvring in confined spaces. With the stylish new regular pickups launched, Chevy decided to add even more panache with a dressed up version called the Cameo Carrier. Starting with the Chevrolet Deluxe cab pickup with its wraparound rear window, stylists added more appealing interior and exterior appointments and paint treatment. The most striking Cameo difference was the addition of fibreglass panels to the sides and rear of the cargo box. These extended the box’s sides out flush with the cab and sculpting carried the cab’s styling crease straight through to the rear in one continuous line. There were car-type taillights and a central hinged licence plate panel that dropped down to reveal the spare tire. Tailgate chains were replaced by cables that rewound onto spring loaded reels. Cameos got a special two-tone paint treatment of Bombay Ivory with Commercial Red accents around the windows. This attractive feature and items like full chromed grille and wheel covers set the Cameo apart from all other pickups. Unfortunately this stylish appearance didn’t come cheap; the dude truck was priced approximately 25 percent above regular models. And since trucks were still mostly seen as utility vehicles for price conscious business people not many opted to pay the premium. Only 5,220 Cameos sold in its short first model year. Sales sputtered even lower to 1,452 in 1956. For 1957 Chevrolet gave the Cameo a new grille and different colour schemes, coaxing sales up to 2,244. Alas, despite quad headlamps and yet another revised grille for 1958 dealers sold only 1,405 Cameos. At this point Chevrolet decided to discontinue it in mid-year. The Cameo was replaced by the Chevrolet Fleetside pickup which carried many of its predecessor’s styling cues but without the high price. The Cameo Carrier attracted competitors. Chrysler wanted a glamorous truck but couldn’t afford to spend much money so it removed the rear fenders and bumper assembly from a custom half-ton Dodge pickup and replaced them with the rear fenders of a ‘57 Dodge two-door Suburban station wagon. This produced the handsome Dodge Sweptside 100 pickup which Dodge dressed up with whitewall tires, chrome wheel covers and two-tone paint. The more significant response came from Ford with its wide-box 1957 Styleside pickup in which the sides of the cargo bed extended the full width of the vehicle. Ford therefore made an important pickup advance by making the wide box standard equipment, not a premium model. Although the Cameo Carrier was not a commercial success it prepared the way for more luxurious pickups and cab-width cargo boxes. It demonstrated that trucks could be stylish passenger vehicles, not just basic utilitarian workhorses. When the Cameo Carrier set the trend for today’s high style, luxury-loaded pickups, it earned its little place in automotive history.