Vehicle Description
Worldwide Vintage Autos is pleased to present this 1958 Chevrolet
3100 Apache.�
HISTORY
1958: First year for fleetside bed, significant redesign of front
end. All light-duty trucks are now called "Apaches", medium-duty
trucks called "Vikings", and heavy-duty trucks called "Spartans".
Truck has four headlights instead of the previous two and features
a shorter, wider grille running the width of the front end. Parking
lights are now in the grille instead of being in the front of the
fender and the hood is similar to 1955/1956 models, but with a flat
"valley" in the middle. First year for factory-equipped air
conditioning. For 1958, GM was promoting their fiftieth year of
production, and introduced Anniversary models for each brand;
Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet.�The 1958
models shared a common appearance on the top models for each brand;
Cadillac Eldorado Seville, Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Oldsmobile
Holiday 88, Pontiac Bonneville Catalina, and the all-new Chevrolet
Bel-Air Impala. The trucks also received similar attention to
appearance, while staying essentially durable, with minimal
adornment. SOURCE: �WIKIPEDIA
SPECIFICS / BUILD INFORMATION�
During�World War II, NAPCO helped the war effort by producing
specialized mechanical parts and assemblies that were tested in war
conditions.
As early as 1942 NAPCO began building�four-wheel drive�assemblies
to be fitted to Ford, GMC, Chevrolet and Studebaker vehicles
however NAPCO is primarily associated with GMC and Chevrolet
pickups. From 1942 to 1956 4�4 GMC and Chevrolet trucks could be
ordered by the government and civilians with a NAPCO Power-Pak kit
and the kit could be installed later. The retail price of Napco
Power-Pak was $995. This option raised the price on a new two-wheel
drive truck from $1,548.96 to $2,796.96. The kit was shipped in a
crate measuring 80"x30"x26" weighing 1,410 pounds. In a matter of 3
hours with as little as 4 holes drilled in existing chassis a truck
would be converted into a "Mountain Goat", a "full sized truck that
will climb steep inclines with ease". One feature was the "shift on
the fly" rubber mounted�transfer case�with a dual-range option.
There were companies that installed these upgrades for the
previously mentioned manufacturers. Besides the four-wheel drive
units NAPCO also provided�winches, auxiliary transmissions, tandem
drive�axles, hydrovac systems, and�dump truck�bodies.
From 1956 to 1959 the NAPCO Power-Pak option could be ordered
directly from GM (an official�RPO�690 was assigned in 1957) and
factory installed on trucks with very few modifications to the
original�chassis. The 1955 4�4 NAPCO GMC or Chevrolet was a
$1250.00 to $1550.00 optional add on. The 1957 Chevrolet and GMC
3100 4�4 price was a bargain at $2549.00 compared to the earlier
add on kits. In 1960 NAPCO and GM parted ways when GM redesigned
the front suspension on their 1960 pickup line so that it wasn't
easily compatible with the existing Power-Pak kits.
Prior to 1955 NAPCO Power-Pak conversions were done on 3/4 and one
ton GMC and Chevrolet chassis. The Pre-1955?1/2�ton chassis used an
incompatible "torque tube" drive. In the fall of 1954 GMC and
Chevrolet changed the 1955?1/2�ton pickup and Suburban models to
the compatible�Hotchkiss drive.�Today these trucks are still
considered to be very versatile and durable 60 years later and are
considered to be collectible by NAPCO enthusiasts. SOURCE:
�WIKIPEDIA
NAPCO's Powr-Pak 4x4 conversion kits were typically sold to new car
dealers or commercial truck upfitters--businesses that install dump
or utility bodies, winches or snow plows. Armed with the Powr-Pak
kit, a shop could transform a truck from two-wheel drive to
four-wheel drive in just a few hours, with no welding and minimal
cutting needed. The front drive axle in the package was fitted with
tubes modified for constant velocity joints, thus allowing the
wheels to steer. The transfer case was a divorced unit, driven via
a shaft off the transmission, so it could be mounted without
altering or adapting to the stock powertrain.
NAPCO conversions date at least as far back as the 1947-'55 (first
series) GM light trucks. However, prior to 1955, only one-ton and
three-quarter-ton trucks could be converted, because half-ton
trucks used a torque-tube style driveshaft that wasn't easily
adapted to a transfer case. Once the torque tube was eliminated, in
the second-series 1955 trucks, it became possible to use NAPCO
conversion kits on half-tons.
Starting in 1956, NAPCO's Powr-Pak 4x4 was offered as a factory
option on GMC's, while Chevrolet began offering it from the factory
in 1957. The two were identical systems, other than the
availability of a V-8 and an automatic transmission on the GMC
trucks. (The Chevrolet could only be ordered with the 235-cu.in.
six-cylinder and a four-speed manual transmission.) This continued
more or less unchanged until the introduction of the redesigned
1960 GM trucks, when the automaker installed its own
four-wheel-drive system. Source: Hemmings Motor News
Build miles = 500
EXTERIOR�
-Original half ton Napco 4x4 V8!
-Chevy Green.�
-Original steel wheels and hubcaps. Full size spare.�
-New era correct Super Traxion 6.50X16 tires.�
-Rare overhead cab lights.�
INTERIOR�
-Newly reupholstered bench seat.�
-New Oak bed.
-Restored original dash.�
MECHANICAL�
-Professionally rebuilt 283 V8. Only 500 miles!
-Napco Four wheel drive.�
DISCLOSURE�
-Paint and body are driver quality. There are a few chips / bumps /
bruises and imperfections. Some rust on frint fender. (See detailed
pictures)�
For more details on any disclosure items please contact a sales
agent today at 1-877-422-2940.�
The cost
