The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk New guy-1959 Apache questions

Greetings fellow truck fans.

Long time lurker with a 1959 Fleetside Apache.

My initial question is what makes a truck deluxe? Exterior and interior?
My understanding is (a) the interior was chrome knobs and the deluxe heater control and (b) the exterior was chrome bumpers and grill, chrome cab trim, chrome windshield trim and the infamous bed side trim.
Would be nice to see a schematic.

We all know it is rather impossible to find the bedside trim.
I see that someone makes the end pieces as reproductions, but what about the long strips?

Are there any obsolete parts places or people that are worth a try to call for the bedside trim hunt?

welcome to the garage Grape, if you look around a bit you'll find a number of discussions about your query .... there is no such thing as a "deluxe" 59, there were various trim options, including a 'deluxe cab option' that was a big back window with the outside window surround and a few interior options, including the chrome .... the various external chrome bits were individual options available on any truck .... no schematic, but you could likely find a partial list of the options in various books, particularly a GM salesmans option booklet - don't recall if anyone here has that - some are also in the 55-59 assembly manual, listed as RPO's [regular production options] that could be installed at the factory

yes, the 59-only fleetside trim is unobtainium [long or short], no one repros the long strips, I've never heard of any NOS, but used sometimes [rarely] show up in the swapforum here or e-bay

Bill

Thanks Bill.
I have the assembly manuals, so guess I need to look through them again.

I looked for a long time for a truck with the bedside trim, but ended up getting one without it. I'm sure the next time a set comes up on ebay, my fellow forum members and I will make someone good money.

Wonder why no one reproduces the strips?
I would consider having some reproduced if I could get my hands on them.
Were they stainless or chromed metal?

the RPO's are the last section of the assy manual, not all listed, just the more complex, many of the options, especially trim, could be bought/installed at a dealer

the strips are SS, and they're not repro'd for the same reasons many things aren't - the extreme cost of tooling to make a part with very small demand, they'd need to be properly stamped unlike the end pieces which were repro'd by die casting and chromed - even those were a limited single run from what I've heard - and of course you'd have to choose which to do, long or short, if you choose wrong you could be sitting on $100,000 of SS for a very long time .... decent complete sets seem to sell for 1000$ up

Bill

I haven't seen any of the trim on ebay in a long time.

Guess it will be the unicorn that I chase.

Try Dan's Parts in Portland, Oregon...They've got good used parts as well as new..

I think Red58 is correct. When I hear Deluxe cab, I think big back window. All the trim items are an RPO of some sort I believe.

I call the extra chrome trim around the windows deluxe trim also, but it has nothing to do with a "Deluxe" package that I am aware of. It's an accessory. I also have a small window with the "Deluxe" Trim around the windows. It's exactly like the big window trim.

Hi Grape, Welcome! Look in the Parts for Sale Section-- Page 3 , halfway down the page-- I think that is what you are looking for--Glenn