1959 Chevrolet Apache Pickup

By 1959, Chevrolet had produced its seven millionth light truck, but Ford's Styleside pickups were very popular, forcing Chevy to up their game with the new Fleeetside. The Fleetside was heavily influenced by the Cameo Carrier of 1955 to mid-1958, which had brought a sporty element to Chevrolet's pickup line of vehicles. The Fleetside had the Cameo's modern styling in a more affordable overall package. They had 'jet pod' side sculpture, smart round taillights, quad headlamps, and bold grilles, along with the usual load ratings, wide tailgate, and double-wall steel cargo box construction. They were given a unitized cab construction, a wraparound windshield, a face-level cabin ventilation system, coil-spring seat cushions, and 18-inch steel wheels. The company's conventional narrow-box pickups continued under the 'Stepside' label.

The 1959 Chevy Fleetside had jet airplane-inspired trim pieces, missile-shaped items, and a prominent hood emblem. They were available with two-tone paint finishes which helped accentuate the bold new body design. Power choices included the 235 cubic-inch 'six' and 283 cubic-inch small-block V8. Buyers could select a three-speed manual with- or without- overdrive, four-speed, and Hydra-Matic. Chevy's Posi-traction limited-slip differential was a new option. The standard wheelbase size remained unchanged at 114 inches with 6 1/2-feet being reserved for the cargo bed. An optional 123-inch wheelbase saw the bed size grow to 8.3-feet. Ford, however, had a 9-foot bed option.

This particular 1959 Chevy Apache Fleetside has been given a restoration during 2014 and fitted with several upgrades including the black-and-white color scheme. It has a rebuilt 350 V-8 from a 1974 Chevy C-10 pickup, mated to an automatic transmission.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2015