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09 November 2012
# 2984

 
  Owned by
Mike Harris
"58ApachePilot"
Bolter # 33679
Junction City, Kansas

 

1958 Chevy Apache 3100 Stepside

 

More pictures of my old truck

Join the discussion about this truck

 

From Mike :

Hey everybody!

The story of my 1958 Chevy Apache begins 30 years ago when I was five. My cousin and I were exploring all of the old trucks up on the hill at my Grandparents' ranch in Northwest New Mexico. After dinner, I asked my Granddad, "Who owned the "pink" pickup with the wooden thing in the back up on the hill?" It was made very clear to me that my Granddad did not own a "pink" pickup, but he did own a brown one with a stock rack in the back.

Nothing else was ever said about it except for my Granddad's best friend, who would ask me every time I visited how the "pink" pickup was.

Fast forward 23 years and I was stationed in with the Army in Calorado Springs. My Grandfather had passed away and I was visiting my Grandmother back in NM. My Uncle stopped by and we got to talking about trucks. He said that he received several inquiries about selling the brown "pink" truck. I asked what he said, hoping it was "not for sale." He surprised me when he said, "Can't sell it because it isn't mine."

I said, "Of course not, it's Grandma's." That's when I found out that my Granddad left me the "pink" pickup in his will. The pictures in the Photobucket link above were taken hours after that conversation in 2006.

The picture on this Gallery page is from the location "my" truck sat for many years! It was right next to a 1956 Stovebolt that belonged to the Uncle. That '56 became my cousin's first truck after he restored it to running order. That truck was my cousin's project ever since he was 15 years old. My Uncle still has the truck and there are still a bunch of old Chevies (cars and trucks) "up on the hill."

I guess I was just destined to be a Bolter.

Included in the historical information that I was able to find was that it was built in Kansas City. My Granddad and his best friend went to Aspermont, Texas to buy trucks. Both of them wanted the brown one with its white top (apparently two tone was pretty swanky in 1958), which my Grandfather won on a coin flip.

The engine is no longer the original and I have a picture proving that the truck was still being used on the ranch in 1975.

The stock rack was the raffle prize from the grand opening of a western store owned by some family friends in Colorado. The metal plate welded into the back of the bed was to provide support when a horse was transported since the horse had to be jumped to get it in.

The letters etched under the bowtie on the steering wheel center cap are my Uncle's brand from his construction company in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Three years after the big news from my Uncle that the truck was mine, I was finally able to pull it into my buddy's shop in St. George Kansas and we began work. My truck holds a special place because my buddy had a 1952 Chevy 5-window that he was working on. We spent alot of time working together on both trucks.

When I got back from Iraq, my buddy was moving and about to start a new job. He needed me to move my truck. So, we hauled the truck to my house and rolled the chassis into the garage.

That was the last I saw him as he was tragically killed last year in a helicopter crash flying as a civilian medivac. His wife was expecting at the time and some friends are going to finish his '52 for his new daughter.

I am a novice and this is my first project, so I've been in the forums seeking assistance. I pulled the engine and transmission out. The engine was seized so removing the flywheel is going to be a blast.

I have it down to the frame and axles thus far. The frame has one small rust hole that is the size of a dime. I am trying to get it sand blasted and powder coated. Then I will start putting the truck back together. I will keep it basically stock but with the standard upgrades (seat belts, move fuel tank from behind the seat, etc.) I will keep the the stock rack but restore it,

In tearing down the truck, I found my Grandfather's first repair on the truck. Apparently, on the left front shock mount, the top of it broke off. Well, he just welded it back on. Not a restorer. But a collector! There still is a 1933 1-ton dually with a Lincoln welder on the back still at the ranch..

So for me, I'll be flying an Apache during the day, until my Apache is ready to cruise!




Mike


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