8th-Annual 2018 Southeastern All Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals. It was really hot, but at least it didn't rain

Chevrolet trucks. They’re one of the most durable icons in the history of America. Today a vintage Chevy truck resonates like a worn pair of Levi’s jeans or a favorite pair of boots. Their owners love them the same way they love their dog or even their oldest and closest friend. Sure, these trucks were designed to trudge through fields, haul hay, and drag trailers. But they have become much more than that. That passion is exceedingly evident when you visit the Southeastern All Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals at Moss-Wright Park in Goodlettsville, Tenn. The owners of more than 500 trucks spent the entire day in near 100-degree heat to be with like-minded owners. This is the premiere gathering for these trucks east of the Mississippi. Of course, when you get this many trucks together, you’re going to find several outstanding examples.

Southeastern Truck Nationals is a Chevy truck lover's paradise

I don’t really enter many formal car shows, but every once in a while there’s one I can’t pass up. The Southeastern Truck Nationals in White House, Tenn., is one of them. This year, around 250 Chevrolet and GMC trucks crammed into the community park. That was a particularly strong showing because it rained for a good part of the morning, making the park a muddy mess. That wasn’t a problem here, though. These are trucks—they can handle a little mud! Try something like this with Prius enthusiasts (is there such a thing?), and they’d be buried to their battery packs. There were some very exceptional trucks at this event, so let’s check out a few of them.

2015 Southeastern All-Chevy Truck Nationals in White House

Chevy trucks. You gotta’ love ‘em. And there was a lot of love to go around on Saturday when 125 shiny Silverados, shimmering C-10s, beautiful Blazers, and awesome Apaches packed the Municipal Park in White House, Tenn., for the Southeastern All-Chevy Truck Nationals. There was a Chevy truck for every taste and style (I even found three Fords in the adjoining parking lot), plus a robust Chevy truck parts swap meet. I took the old HMC ’63 C-10 out there and snapped a bunch of pictures. Of course, the one thing the pictures don’t show you is how hot it was. I’m no meteorologist, but I would estimate that it was 125 degrees out there with 275% humidity. And even under those conditions, the show staff ran things off smoothly, and everyone still seemed to have a good time.

2014 Southeastern Truck Nationals proves that nice trucks are all over America

One of the events that I knew I was really going to miss when I moved from Kansas City to Nashville was the Midwest All-Truck Nationals. As an old truck owner, I always enjoyed the all-truck format, and the people that own old trucks tend to be fun to hang out with. My fears were put to rest this weekend when I drove my old heap to White House, Tenn., for the Southeastern Truck Nationals. This all-General Motors event had a lot of what I liked about the KC show, and I got to see a bunch of new (to me) trucks at a very nice city park. The skies were a little overcast, but that didn’t keep 85 trucks from making the show.

1960 to 1966 Chevrolet and GMC truck mega photo slideshow

As someone who attends a lot of car shows, and also as the owner of an ugly old ’63 Chevy C-10, I tend to notice trucks like mine when I’m out and about. This generation of trucks was around from 1960-1966, and they sold a bunch of them.

I think they kind of went off the radar for awhile. I know I used to think they were pretty ugly old trucks, and not many people seemed to be focusing on them as restoration candidates.