Wow, this is one clean-looking classic truck! It’s a 1958 Chevrolet Apache (Apache was the model designation for the lighter-duty 1958 trucks) and can be found for sale here in the Barn Finds Classified section. The seller has had it in the family since it was a year old and states that the 32,000 miles showing are the first time around the odometer! It’s located in Clinton, PA and the asking price is $20,000.
The 1959 Chevy trucks were an evolution of the “Task Force” models that had been introduced in 1955. Thanks to the GM Heritage Center, we can see from the factory brochure that the Chevy marketing folks thought enough of the Cardinal Red color that it was featured in the artwork. The seller tells us that the truck was partially restored around 25-30 years ago (it’s noteworthy that the truck was brought into the family as a parts truck for his father’s body shop) and only shows rust on the passenger door.
The seller no longer uses the truck enough and after fifteen years of ownership is willing to pass it on. They characterize it as a “strong runner” in addition to looking nice. For history buffs, I should tell you that the “Fleetside” full-width pickup box was introduced in mid-1958 and with the new dual headlights provided some styling punch for what had typically been a very utilitarian vehicle — far from the $50,000 and up luxurious trucks I see on the road every day.
The very functional 9-foot cargo bed contains some spares that presumably come with the truck.
Inside we see the three-on-the-tree shifter and a pleasant-looking bench seat; no need for a blanket to cover this one! I wasn’t sure at first I liked the two-tone effect of the different interior color, but it’s grown on me as I’ve studied the vehicle. Again, it packs a little styling punch for the casual observer — not a bad thing! In fact, in 1958, Chevrolet sold 157,911 under 6000 pound GVW trucks, which gave them almost a 32% market share (remember, that’s not including the largely similar GMC trucks).
This is the original 235.5 cubic inch “Thriftmaster” inline six-cylinder engine that left the factory with 145 horsepower and 215 ft-lbs of torque. I suspect with mileage as low as this truck has, it still has most of that power. Be sure and check out the detailed listing here and contact the seller if you’re interested!
Wow! You can just take that truck and park it at my place. I’ll take good care of it but don’t be surprised if it shows considerably more miles on it in a year’s time. look after it; use it; drive it. That’s my philosophy. I would use it and fix the little things that crop up, maybe detail the engine bay but above all, I would have fun with it.
Only thing better would be NAPCO 4wd equipment underneath!
Yarrr, matey, I likes it too. You can probably figure out what I don’t like, but again, try and find another like this, that doesn’t have some fire-breathing motor setup. Conversely, it’s a ’58 truck, made for 1958 roads, and while it’s clearly a “back roads” truck, at some point, you’re going to have to take a highway to get to the back roads, and that could be challenging. I’m not sure why a truck with 30K miles would need restoring, I think it’s got ( a lot) more miles, but it’s really sharp.
It need restoring due to the age, not the miles. Things weather over time.
9 foot bed. That’s what I’m talking about.
yea, rex, a far cry from the 2 foot box they have on these so called vehicles they call trucks today. To me capacity is why you buy a real truck!
Cheers
GPC
Suspect box is 8 foot. 9 foot boxes were used on 1 ton pickups, don’t think they were ever offered on 1/2 tons.
Personally I like the 2 headlight pickups (55-57) better, but wouldn’t kick this one out of my garage.
THAT’s a sweet truck! Always found the fleetside bed to have a better look than the step side, particularly with an accent color in the ‘condensation stripe’. The painted grille, bumpers and bezels look so right on a truck like this – that makes those few chromed bits sparkle even more
Clearly sporting the big ” V ” on front of the hood ,yet has a 6 under the hood.
One or the other is not original . Amber park light / turn signal lenses not original either. Nice looking old truck , just not ” all ” original .
The color is original, but is the paint scheme?
A T5 bolts right up to that engine with a readily available adapter plate, getting rid of the very low 1st gear and adding a 5th that will do highway speeds. (I did a ’59 with the same drivetrain setup) It requires shortening the drive shaft but that’s a fairly simple thing for a good shop.
yes s craig, go to your local friendly junkyard and grab a 5 speed out of an S-10 and go to it. I put one in a 53 chev sedan delivery behind a 348, and it worked great. Failed to break it. Will go behind your bellhousing. Good luck.
Cheers
GPC
When I look at the pics of this truck, it just
screams late ’60s to early ’70s with that
Midwest look that all so common back
then. Those skinny whitewalls and open
wheels were all the rage and they let you
know that this truck certainly wasn’t a
trailer queen. If she were mine, I’d definately show her the love she deserves. Oh sure, I might relent and have a decent radio put in. After all,
gotta have my tunes!
My dad had a ’58 Panel Truck & I enjoyed driving it as a kid! He was in the roofing/siding business & I drove it around the projects transporting materials when on school recess.
IMHO, I think for $20K there should be more chrome and there should be a few pics of the wood bed, if it still has one. Also agree with Bob, lose the “V”.
Nice truck but a little to much for a small rear window, if it had the big window i would snatch it up in a heart beat.
Looking at it closer 9ft bed no way they’ll get asking price.
Pretty sure that’s a 6ft box. Had a 59 short wide and it looked just like this. Google image search of long and short Fleetside seems to confirm.
This is one of the best looking body styles ever!! Don’t resto-mod it don’t put a V-8 in it!! Just drive it and preserve it the way it is!!!
Nice truck – – not a 9 ft. box for sure – – – bit much for this – – -probably $12k to $15k tops – – – but having said that someone will happily part with $20k because – –
I might – – but don’t need a truck in my life – – been there happily but have different taste many years later.