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The GMT800 Silverado/Sierra 1500 and 2500 pickup trucks were released in August 1998 as 1999 models. The "classic" light-duty GMT400 C/K trucks continued to be produced for the first two years alongside the new models, and the Heavy-Duty GMT400 pickups (alongside the GMT400 SUVs) were continued until 2000, with the new GMT800 Silverado/Sierra HD (Heavy Duty) released a year later. A 3500 model was added later for 2001, with the introduction of the HD moniker (though it was not until the 2007 GMT900 model year a 3500HD debuted).

The trucks were refreshed in 2002 for the 2003 model year, bringing slight design changes and an upgrade to the audio and HVAC controls. The 2007 GMT800 trucks, built after the new GMT900 entered production, used the name Classic to denote the difference between the two generations.​