Chevrolet’s four-wheel drives were working trucks before they were leisure vehicles: NAPCO converted Task Force pick-ups and Suburbans for oil companies, ranches, forestry and rural electric co-operatives in the 1950s, and the K10 and K20 of 1960 carried that trade into the factory. The square-body K-series of 1973–91 is the American work truck of its era, in utility fleets, snowploughing, and the fire service, where Suburbans were chief’s cars and ambulances.
The Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle of 1997 and the four-wheel-drive Special Service Vehicle made the Tahoe the sheriff’s, state police and Border Patrol SUV of the 2010s after the Crown Victoria ended; the Suburban is the motorcade vehicle of the Secret Service; and the Colorado ZR2 and Silverado ZR2 are the factory desert trucks of the South-West.
NAPCO and the K-series at work (1955–1991)
4 VEHICLES IN THIS CHAPTEROilfield, ranch, forestry and utility trucks; the fire chief’s Suburban.
Police and federal (1997–)
3 VEHICLES IN THIS CHAPTERThe Tahoe PPV and SSV, the Border Patrol, the Secret Service Suburban.
Registry records · chapter 2
Desert trucks (2017–)
3 VEHICLES IN THIS CHAPTERThe Colorado ZR2 and Bison, the Silverado ZR2 and Trail Boss.
Registry records · chapter 3
Sources
- Chevrolet Tahoe — Wikipedia
- NAPCO — Wikipedia
- Chevrolet Colorado — Wikipedia
Working vehicles in the registry
9 records, oldest first.
NAPCO Powr-Pak 4x4 (1955–59)1955–59 · United States
Suburban 4x4 (1957–)1957 · United StatesK10 / K20 (1960–72)1960–72 · United StatesK-series square body (1973–91)1973–91 · United States
Blazer (1992–94) and Tahoe (1995–)1992 · United States
Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle (1997–)1997 · United States
Colorado ZR2 and ZR2 Bison (2017–)2017 · United States
Silverado Trail Boss (2019–)2019 · United States
Silverado ZR2 (2022–)2022 · United States