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Ford Reveals the Maverick LoboThis Vintage Chevy Apache Keeps It Old School
This 1959 Chevy Apache resists the temptation to modernize, instead it’s been impeccably restored to its former glory.
Automotive Originalism
Restoring a classic can be a fraught business. There’s often a strong pull to modernize and upgrade once you’re already removing old parts and replacing them with new ones. Resisting the temptation to do an LS swap or an interior overhaul doesn’t have to mean a lesser vehicle at the end of the project. In fact, originalist restorations have become the exception rather than the rule for a great many vintage automobiles. Pour over listings for Ford Model As and you’ll see two or three highly modified hotrods for every one example that even vaguely resembles the original version. The same is true for classic Chevy trucks where engine swaps and body work are endemic among remaining examples. Finding one that looks as it did seventy years ago can be a tall order.
With an eye toward originalism, we sought out an unmodified example to best represent the Task Force generation Chevy pickup from the late 1950s. The 1959 Chevrolet Apache we found on Carsforsale.com was just what we were looking for, finished in stunning two-tone blue and white paint with matching interior and a polished wood bed floor. This unimpeachable restoration beautifully preserves the truck’s original styling and feel for a doubly transportive ride, both down the road and back in time.
Join the Task Force
Tucked in between the classic Advanced Design and the long-running C/K Series was a transitional generation of Chevy pickup known as the Task Force. The new Task Force series covered Chevy’s spectrum of truck offerings from the light duty 3100/3200 (short and long bed) to medium duty 3600 trucks while also serving as the basis for the Suburban Carryall.
The Task Force debuted in 1955 with major revisions from the prior Advanced Design. Among the changes was a new flatter hood, taller cab, a new grille, cowled headlights, and the industry’s first wraparound windshield. Chevy also added an optional 12-volt electric system as well as optional power steering and power brakes.
Chevy wasn’t done, either. Also in 1955, they introduced a variant of the light duty pickup called the Cameo Carrier. The Cameo Carrier featured a two-tone white with red accent paint scheme, an upgraded interior, and, significantly, a new “Fleetside” bed fashioned from fiberglass (the same fiberglass being used on the new Chevrolet Corvette). The move to offer daily-driver-friendly features presaged the slow but steady trend of making workhorse pickups more livable.
Both the Cameo Carrier and regular Task Force came standard with Chevy’s 235 cu.-in. Thriftmaster straight-six engine (123 horsepower) and column shifted three-speed manual transmission (a four-speed manual or Hydra-Matic automatic were optional). The Task Force also introduced a new “Taskmaster” 265 cu.-in V8 to Chevy’s trucks, and later added a 283 cu.-in. V8.
The 1958 Task Force saw major updates mechanical and otherwise. New naming conventions dubbed the light duty trucks as Apache, medium duty got the title of Viking, while heavy duty trucks were dubbed Spartan. The ’58 truck got a revised front end with a new grille and new quad headlights. Air conditioning was added as a factory option.
The Task Force did not last long. A new series, the C/K, arrived in 1960 and lasted through four generations and over four decades all the way to 2002.
Restored, But Not Modified
The short-lived nature of the Task Force generation makes it one of the more compelling and unique vintage pickups. The 1959 Chevy Apache we found, with its white and blue exterior and matching white and blue interior, was expertly restored to preserve the style and feel of the original. This example runs the modest but reliable 235 straight-six under the hood with the “three on the tree” three-speed column-shifted manual. The truck’s perfectly finished wood bed is one of its flashiest features. New radial tires are complimented by white hub caps.
The truck’s interior is a time capsule back to the 1950s. Like the exterior, the interior is done in white and blue. The V-shaped speedo and other gauges have been retained. Door cards, bench seat, and headliner are all expertly restored. The only modern update is the Bluetooth radio, itself dressed up to look like a 1950s radio, no visual anachronisms here.
As more collectors and restorers give in to the siren’s song of restomodding (restoring and modifying), originalist trucks like this 1959 Chevy Apache will become ever rarer. For a true slice of history, this Chevy Apache is a steal at just $38,995.
