1958 Chevolet Apache - Shortbed Stepside on 2040-cars

I offer for your consideration a very nice 1958 Chevrolet Apache shortbed stepside VIN # 3A58L104189.   The truck was manufactured at the Los Angeles, CA plant and remained on the west coast until I procured it in 2012; it has been garaged exclusively.  Ive been putting work and money into the truck for the past two years, my vision was to keep it looking pretty much stock, but wanted a modern powertrain for dependability and longevity.  The truck is a daily driver that runs great and is a blast to drive, and as you will see after reading below, has been built to provide years of dependable and hassle-free fun.  The list of new parts is very long, but I will do my best to hit the highlights.

The truck has a brand new (still under warranty) GM Performance Parts Crate 350/290 motor.  Less than 1000 miles on the motor.  Every component on the motor (distributor, intake, carb, starter, manifolds, etc) is brand new.  I opted for the Deluxe version which includes pretty nice chrome valve covers and air cleaner.  Ram horn manifolds are connected to a brand mew very nicely done new dual exhaust system which employ Flowmaster mufflers.  Given the motor does have a relatively aggressive cam, the truck sounds great.  Very throaty with a little lope, without being too loud.  Very happy with the motor so far (installed in April 2014); starts every time and runs strong.  The tranny is a TH 350 that has been recently rebuilt and performs wonderfully.   It was rebuilt by some local old time builders who were tickled pink to work on my “old school” TH350.  They took the liberty to add some old school tricks in their build so the truck shifts very crisply; if you are so inlined it will “chirp” second very easily.  The driveshaft and U-joints are brand new.  Finally, the original 10 bolt rear was torn down about two weeks ago and gone through carefully.  Both the differential carrier and rear inspection cover gaskets were replaced, as well as the pinion seal.   New rear grease seals and bearings were also installed.   The rear is now dry as a bone and poised to give years of trouble free performance.   So as you can see, the entire powertrain and driveline is either new or rebuilt.  I just installed a brand new all-aluminum Champion radiator which does a great job while looking good under the hood.   While driving, the oil pressure is high and the temp is low, which is just how I like it.    Given the above setup, the truck rolls down the highway comfortably at 60 MPH while revving around 2800 RPM.  

The electrical system is all brand new.  I rewired the truck last year with correct original style harnesses.  I also installed a NOS junction box so expansion is easy.   The only original electrical parts are the brake light switch and the high beam switch; they worked so I left them alone.  Headlight switch and ignition switch are new and correct.   Ignition switch includes illuminated bezel, which you don’t see often.  Even the correct glove box light works!   Everything works as it should, except for the cigarette lighter and dome light (both of which are correct and brand new, just not connected).   Truck has an electric wiper motor but it is not hooked up (I don’t take it out in the rain).  All gauges and cluster illumination work as they should.  The speedo reads with an accuracy of around +/- 5 MPH.  That was weeks of trial and error with different speedo gears to get that result.

As you can see from the pictures, the interior of the truck is gorgeous and clean and nothing short of a time machine.  I spent months restoring the interior.  I opted to go for a two tone red-and-white color scheme, which takes some styling cues from the Cameo trucks.  Every component of the dash is new so I wont list them all, just look at the pictures.   New steering wheel and horn ring/button.  The truck has the not-so-common optional Deluxe heating system, which was nut and bolt restored last winter.  It works perfectly; it blows heat like crazy and the three speed fan is quiet.  The Deluxe heater control is a nice (and expensive ) reproduction and adds an additional splash of chrome to the dash; all levers and controls junction as they should.  New correct rubber floor mat and jute pad.  New firewall pad also installed which gives the firewall/floor transition a nice clean and restored look.  23 inch Lokar Nostalgic shifter looks great and performs well.   I can say confidently that you will never come across a truck of this vintage offered at this reserve price that has an interior as complete and as beautiful as this one.  Ive seen Cameo trucks offered at double my reserve price which have interiors that do not compare to mine.  Just sayin…By the way, the fuel system is all new:  new tank, sending unit, filler neck. 

 A word or two about the doors:  New door panels, window regulator and door latch mechanisms, as well as door latch and window crank levers.  Vent window frames were removed and all new components installed.  All weatherstripping,  door channels  and division bar felt are new.  Drivers side door has new hinges; hinges on passenger side seem OK.  Doors are now solid and make nary a sound as you drive.

All glass, except for the rear glass (which is fine) is new. 

New shocks all around.  Complete break system was replaced last year.  New master cylinder, wheel cylinders, hoses, pads and drums.   When the brake job was done I opted to replace all wheel bearings with the new-fangled roller type, which were not cheap but the way to go, especially when using modern radial tires.  E-Brake works as it should. 

As you could probably guess from reading all the improvements, the truck drives like a dream with no rattles, weird noises, etc.  As you drive at 60 MPH on the highway, you get a sense that the truck could go for hours (and it would).   Very tight, very solid, Im very proud of how it drives.  Ive driven a number of these old trucks over the years so I’m qualified to say this one is above-average in terms of tightness and comfort from a driving perspective.  The truck is no slouch either;  it can get up and move quite nicely when the fresh crate motor is called upon to do so. 

The truck has a beautiful exterior; the shaved fender and hood emblems give the truck a longer and cleaner look than stock.  Floors are solid and recently painted.  The red color of the exterior and chrome deluxe trim really make the truck pop.  The truck was painted approximately 10 years ago but still has great shine as the pictures attest.  Hood does not have springs and needs to be propped up.  The truck does have small paint chips here and there and Ive tried to include these in the pictures.  The front left fender has a dent and there is a small crack on the driver side cab corner (see pics).   Overall, as the pictures show, the truck looks great; I get thumbs up all the time.  Bed currently has a sheet of diamond plate over plywood.  Original rims with correct hub caps with fairly new radials with tons of tread.  This truck was built to look great and be a dependable daily driver, not a show queen (although people at shows love it!) but with all the systems already taken care of, it isn’t far from the mark.  If you like the look of wide whites, Im including 4 old skool bias plys with wide whites on rims that are painted body color.  70’s style chevy dog dish caps are thrown in for good measure. 

Structurally the truck is in above average condition.    Small (nickel-sized) area of rust/rot in the lower cowls (see pictures).  Truck was in a dry climate for most of its life so no major areas of active rot, however the lower hinge pockets on both sides are deteriorating.  Frame looks good; the floor is solid and was painted last summer, it looks great.  Fender bottoms and cab to frame connection points look good. 

 Ive done my best to describe the condition of the truck.  I strongly urge you to call me and ask any questions you like.  Im an old truck fanatic so Im happy to “talk truck” and help you decide if this is the truck for you.  Better yet, come by and you can look her over in person and take it out for a nice long test drive over a variety of conditions.   Im confident that you will fall in love!  I can be reached at 203-417-6048 anytime.  I can take additional pictures/videos upon request; whatever you require to bid confidently.   The truck is garage kept in Westchester County New York.  Don’t let this one get away! 

Of course, the truck is also being offered locally so I reserve the right to cancel the auction at any time.  Truck is being sold as-is, all sales are final.  Happy Bidding!