In the earliest days of mass production, companies like Ford and Chevrolet sold chassis-only pickup trucks, leaving the customer responsible for procuring and installing a cab and body.

and for Chevrolet it was the 1918 Model T (for truck, duh). The half-ton delivered a 224-cubic-inch (3.7-liter) inline-four of 36 hp and considerable off-idle torque. Its rolling chassis and frame ...