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1959 Chevrolet 3100 Stepside Apache


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Owned by Stetson Tuschhoff
"59 rolling iron"
Bolter # 19926
Fruitland, Missouri

Talking about this truck


 
23 February 2009
# 2542

From Stetson :

Here is a little information about my 1959 Chevrolet 31 Stepside Apache. This Chevy Task Force truck yet to have its plant information determined. The previous owner said that the owner before him used the truck in North Carolina, so maybe around there. 

The truck had been re-painted all the same baby blue color, which will soon be going. I'm leaning towards either blue / white, white / red, or whatever I can get my hands on, paint-wise -- mainly to protect the metal. 

That owner sold it to the previous owner some 20 years ago. The PO disassembled the engine, and took out all of the drivetrain.  He left the original engine parts in the bed for those 20 years, so a bunch of rusty engine parts is all that is left. They are cleanable. The tranny / driveline was stored in the cab. So all is forgiven.

The wood is in horrible shape, which is just fine. I may not put wood back there for a while, anyway.  Nothing I know of to haul. 

When I bought the truck, it was in Wisconsin. The previous owner told me one of the money / time / space equations had always been
off since he started a teardown.  Now I'm putting it back together as well as I can, hoping to leave it stock.

The truck has the original 235 ci Inline six motor coupled to the 3-speed on the column.  Eventually, (if I ever need to) I might exercise the idea of linking up a 5-speed tranny to the column. I have a very vague set of scribbles about how that'd work.  But ~50 as a top is all I think I really need. 

After I put in the new lights, replace the vent windows (busted out), put new brakes in and put the engine back together (which I hope to do in the 1 1/2 years before I'm sixteen), maybe It'll take me places.

The buying history of this truck was a little stupid on my part. I really liked these models, and I had long been perusing the Stovebolt site. I just forgot about the Swap Meet section of the forum!  Either way, the Apache found its way to me with about $810 and the help of eBay.  It had a few spots in sorry condition, but overall, I believe it was a great find. 

She currently resides in one of my Father's friend's fields, due to the fact I have no room for it.  I'll get some work-time in the summer.

I am also working on my great-Grandfather's 1954 5-window GMC grain truck / water truck (it has a huge water tank) I might just use that water tank to try some hydrogen experiments on the old engine!  My first task is to figure out why the hood won't open.  If anybody can help me get that hood open, that'd be nice.  It just sorta hangs about an inch above the fenders and refuses to go any further.)

Here's more info and pictures in my "journal" on-line.

-- Stetson




With a little elbow grease, I can see this being on the road in no time for this "Bolters" 16th birthday. ~ John Lucas, Stovebolt Curator 

-30-


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