Vehicle Description
There are a lot of ways to build a cool ride without spending cubic
dollars, and this 1-family owned, lifetime Southern 1959 Chevy
Apache pickup could be used as a how-to guide for doing it right.
Sure, it still packs its original six-cylinder engine, but that's
all part of the charm, and the upgrades it does have are smart so
it really needs no apologies.
The bright white paint on this truck is called Pure White, and you
have to admit that it looks fantastic in a subtle,
industrial-strength kind of way. The monochromatic look doesn't
overpower the basic goodness of the design, which is arguably the
first "styled" truck, and one of the best-looking of the 1950s. Fit
and finish are exactly right for a vehicle designed "for economical
transportation" as the door tag suggests, and the respray (the only
one it ever had) gives it a pleasing shine that will attract
admirers everywhere it goes. All evidence suggests that this was
never a rusty truck and critical areas like the cab corners, fender
edges, and the bed sides are solid. We like the single pinstripe
detail running down its flanks, just a little flair to add to the
truck's appeal but it doesn't go too far. The bed has been dressed
with a set of bed rails, a hand diamond-plate tool box, and a
spray-in bedliner, so you don't have to think twice about actually
using it as a truck. There's not much chrome left on this truck,
with the bumpers painted body color and the blacked-out grille, yet
it retains original-style block lettering on the tailgate and
Apache emblems on the fenders that are a nod to tradition.
Trucks were still quite basic back in 1959, but a few upgrades are
certainly welcome. The original bench wears a newer seat cover that
reproduces the original pretty closely, so it looks right. That is
the original steering wheel wearing a "necker knob" and placed
within easy reach of the 3-speed column-mounted shifter. Rubber
floor mats and plain steel door panels were standard fare for a
pickup, but somehow it doesn't feel basic. The instrument panel is
stock and the gauges were clearly inspired by the passenger car
line. Turn signals, a radio, and even the heater were still
optional in 1959, although this one does have a later
AM/FM/cassette head unit in the center of the dash and a heater
tucked underneath. Nevertheless, nothing spoils the honest goodness
of this truck; sometimes basic is good.
In a world full of Chevy trucks with "me too" small block V8s, it's
refreshing to see an original 235 cubic inch inline-six still under
the hood of this Apache. Certainly willing and able to work hard,
it has a great trucky sound and smooth torque that only six
cylinders in a line can deliver. It's wearing the proper corporate
gray engine enamel, an oil bath air cleaner, and single-barrel
carburetor, and it runs so well that you know it's been properly
maintained. The stock 3-speed manual transmission lives behind it
and spins the original rear end, so this truck will still haul a
load without breaking a sweat, and cruises happily at modern
highway speeds. Who says you need a crate motor to enjoy your old
iron? It's quite original underneath, but since it has lived in the
south all its life, there's nothing more than some surface scale on
the heavy iron parts. Suspension, brakes, and exhaust are all very
much as they would have been in 1959 and it's fitted with later
Rally wheels and white-letter radials for a sporty look.
This is just a rare old truck with a lot of character that comes
from both its age and style. One family owned, well-maintained with
believed to be low actual mileage, they don't come more solid than
this. Call today!