Vehicle Description
This 1959 Chevrolet Apache is a truck that needs no excuses. It
looks great, it packs a fresh 283 cubic inch V8, and it's still
practical enough to actually use as a truck. If you want a
do-everything hobby vehicle, you could certainly do worse than this
black stepside.
Today, honest vintage pickup trucks that are still ready, willing
and able to go to work are getting harder to find all the time.
Fortunately, this one is ready to rock and that's all original
steel that has never required major surgery, and the black paint
shows it off to great effect. Instead, it has been properly
maintained and lightly used for the past 53 years, and presents in
solid condition today. The doors open and close solidly, the hood
fits well, and the whole truck looks eager to get back to work. In
the bed, you'll find a proper-looking bed that's finished in basic
black, not polished like a dance floor, so you won't be afraid to
use it. There's also a good bit of chrome on the top-of-the-line
Apache, including the ornate grille, big bumpers, and those cool
emblems on the front fenders, all of which are in good condition
overall, although the rear bumper is showing its age.
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The interior has been very nicely finished, and shows you just how
basic these machines were when they were new. Forget luxury, these
were little more than tools and nobody in 1958 was buying a pickup
truck without needing to haul something. The seat features a new
tan cloth cover, there's a correct rubber floor mat on the floor,
and the door panels are finished to match the seat. The dash
features a single stylish triangular pod for the speedometer, along
with four smaller auxiliary gauges that are built right in, and
there's an auxiliary gauge under the dash. You'll also note that it
has the original "three-on-the-tree" 3-speed manual transmission,
something familiar to more than a few of us who learned to drive
out in the country. The big steering wheel makes it easy to wheel
the truck around and it's surprisingly nimble given its utilitarian
roots. The only notable upgrade is a new AM/FM stereo system that
has been nicely integrated into the original dashboard.
Pop that big hood and you'll be pleasantly surprised to find a 283
cubic inch V8, which was on the menu in 1958. Nicely detailed with
Chevrolet Orange paint along with Chevrolet script valve covers and
a chrome air cleaner, it looks right at home in the big engine bay.
It uses an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor to help build power, but
the overall look is very much in tune with the period. Underneath,
it's exceptionally clean, from the frame to the suspension. A fresh
dual exhaust system gives it a little bit of a growl, and there are
no signs that this was ever a rusty truck. Manual drum brakes do
their job properly and live inside a set of newer Rally wheels with
fat 15-inch BFGoodrich T/A radials.
Clean, honest trucks like this are getting hard to find, but
they're worth the search. Imagine driving it to work on nice days,
then hitting Home Depot or the local garden center on the weekends.
Just because it's old and cool doesn't mean it can't earn its keep.
This Apache is a solid, reliable, well-maintained truck that's
ready for another 58 years of work.
