Square bodies ... wells — GMC and Chevy wheel wells were as round as the tires within them from the time GM restarted civilian production until the birth of the square body.

Among them were twin 1988 SS Monte Carlos (a 29-miler at $39,000 and a 247-miler at $42,000), a 320-mile 1998 Suburban ($40,000), and a 42-mile 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie pickup ($26,001).

That toughness was arguably never more embodied than in the brand's so-called "square-body" builds that went into production ...