1959 Chevrolet Apache 24490 Miles Copper and Beige Pickup 350 Cubic inch V8, EF

Description

Spectacular resto-mod done right. Show-quality restoration on the body, chrome, and interior. C4 Corvette LT1 V8, 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission, and A/C underneath. The best of both worlds that didn’t remove the truck’s soul. Wow!
This gorgeous truck wears an original color combination of Gothic Gold over Satin Beige, which, to most folks, would be “copper over cream.” Whatever you want to call it, the combination is just gorgeous and epitomizes 1950s style. The restoration on this truck cost well into six-figure territory, and it shows in the deep, lustrous finish that’s worlds better than new and modern paints give that coppery paint an iridescent glow that’s just spectacular. Masking is crisp between the colors and follows factory specifications where it wraps into the doors, and the finish is such that you can spend a long time looking this truck over and not see all the wonderful details. All the chrome is show quality and in fantastic condition, including the wide hood emblem, grille, and unique Apache emblems on the front fenders. The bed is beautifully finished with matching copper-stained wood planks and chrome rub strips, making it as beautiful as any of the other parts. Sure, it’s probably never going to work again, but it sure is pretty!
Inside, you’re greeted by a mostly stock interior that replicates the original 1959 feel of the upscale Apache. No bucket seats, no custom billet steering wheel, no digital gauges, just an honest bench seat and a giant steering wheel that makes it easy to maneuver. Unique textured upholstery on the seat and door panels works with the simple vinyl areas to create interest without looking over-done, just the way the GM designers intended. The matching copper-colored carpets on the floor are not stock (it probably would have had a rubber mat instead) but the expert tailoring and low nap make it look right in a pickup truck. The giant steering wheel was restored and sits on top of the original steering column, and yes, you’ll need a little more muscle than you think to wheel it around because the steering is manual, but I’m quite certain you can handle it—effort is remarkably light. The factory gauges are all operational as well, a neat trick with the upgraded powerplant under the hood. You’ll note it retains its original PowerGlide shifter quadrant, but if you shift by feel, you’ll realize there are now four forward gears instead of two, so pay attention when you’re putting it in gear and enjoy the invisibility that the upgrade offers. You’ll also note a factory AM radio in the dash with a low-profile A/C unit underneath that’s managed by original-looking controls in the dash, so it almost looks OEM. A nice upgrade done so subtly that most folks may not even notice.
Open up the giant clamshell hood, however, and you won’t find a 283 or a 348, but rather a nasty fuel injected 350 cubic inch LT1 from a C4 Corvette. With 300 horsepower on tap, it’s about double what the original engine might have offered, and it makes this gorgeous Apache something of a sleeper—it’s quick! It’s also as beautifully finished as the rest of the truck, with lots of chrome dress-up, an original radiator up front, and a reproduction Delco tar-top battery for effect. The hardware is all late-model GM, including the alternator, A/C compressor, and wiring, and you can see the factory ECM hanging on the driver’s side inner fender. It’s got a full wiring harness with fuses and an ALDL port so you can pull codes and diagnose it with a scanner. Of course, with EFI it starts instantly and idles properly even when it’s cold, and it has impeccable street manners under any conditions. No hassles, no questionable upgrades, no excuse, just modern tech making an old truck better on the road.
The part of that improvement is a 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission, ostensibly borrowed from that same Corvette. Look around some more and you’ll find a custom driveshaft with new U-joints, a burbling dual exhaust system with vintage-sounding mufflers, and a heavy-duty rear end with what we believe are 3.73 gears inside to make it a little punchy. The other hardware is still stock, including the leaf springs, I-beam front axle, and drum brakes, so it still feels like a 1959 Chevrolet Apache. That’s really the important part—its soul hasn’t been removed like in so many other resto-mods. Someone spent the long dollar on the underside, too, because the floors, cab corners, and inner step panels are completely rust-free and straight, the frame is satin black to really stand out, and the red oxide primer adds to the OEM vibe. Color-matched steel wheels with original hubcaps and 7.10-15 Firestone wide whitewall tires complete the illusion.
All the virtues of modern tech wrapped in a gorgeous vintage truck that still acts like a vintage truck. That’s resto-mod done right. Call today!
Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.