The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 1959 Chevy Apache Suburban

Hello everyone, this is my 1959 Chevy Apache Suburban. A friend of mine dug it out of Delta, UT last year and brought it home. After a short while, and the generosity of his awesome heart in ended up in my possession.

The Suburban is a SPEC paint code vehicle. Meaning it was a special order vehicle, and was purchased and in use by Delta High School through most of the first chunk of it's life. In the seventies it was picked up by the second owner who had it running until it was last registered in 1979. From then it sat in the same spot until my friend purchased it. Some air was put into the 35+ year old tires, which surprisingly are still holding air almost a year after being filled. (Though they are in no ways road worthy.) and the thing was loaded onto a trailer.

My friend got the truck running, and changed out the brake lines. It wasn't really charging the battery at all, so we swapped in a newer alternator, and with some fidgeting got that working beautifully. We got all the lights wired up and working as well. I had to clean out the gas tank, but it's been a pretty decent running vehicle. (Though I don't actually drive it yet, as I still need to get it registered, and get new tires on it.) I plan on replacing the Rochester carb with a different one, as the Rochester is being difficult on me, even after a rebuild. The burb will start up and run fine. It'll warm up and idle fine once the choke is pushed all the way back in. But the second you try to put on the gas pedal it chokes out and the thing dies. Not sure what's going on there. It doesn't have an air filter at the moment. Could it, sucking too much air in, cause it to die? I don't know. I'm still pretty inexperienced with carbs.

Anyway, here are some pictures of it. Body work is pretty shot. I'm still undecided on if I want to really go all in and fix it up, or just keep the character it's developed over a rough life.

Welcome to the Bolt!
I love that Suburban.
There's plenty of good advice here. Keep us posted on your progress.

Very cool, Ben!

Reminds me of the 1956 panel truck that Skip and Wes used to drive on the TV show Rescue 8 that I loved as a kid.

Can't wait to see what you do to it.

John

Ben, for the dying out problem, check the vacuum advance, distributor may need attention, carb might be fine .... rust in the usual places I see

Bill

Hi!

That's a very nice truck you got there. My father was surfing the internet when he found this page and your truck. I'm his son and he asked me to join this site so that we could contact you. We live in Sweden and we own a similar truck that you do, a yellow Apache 1959. It would be nice if you could send us some more pictures of your truck and ofcours you'll get some pictures of ours. Maybe you can contact us by email; ericsonjohn@icloud.com?

It would be fun to get to know you!

John and Anders - Sweden

Hello all I just had to join you guys I have been looking at this site for the last couple of years as I have restored a lovely 1959 Chevy 3100 Apache. So now I have got the bug I bought another couple of trucks from the usa but I have sold them. Then I came across the beauty that had been brought over here to the UK I plan to restore it as it was as it has a great deal of history. I am just wondering if anybody can tell me where I can get a picture of it in its former glory so I will be able to recreate it as it was. I know I have got a lot of work to do but I am up for the challenge. The only changes I plan to make is to adapt it for my daughters wheel chair all the very best Andy. :wave:

Welcome Andrew. You probably should have started your own thread. Maybe the moderator can move your post.
To answer your question, look through the gallery on this site. Lots of trucks there, and I'm sure some of them are just like yours. I'm sure you'll get plenty of ideas.

Thank you Rich I just thought it would be good to let every body now I have bought this actual school bus over here in the UK I pick it up tomorrow so will make a new a new post when I get it home all the best Andy.