1958 Chevrolet Apache Fleetside: Front Range Runner
Photographs by Mike Harrington
When it comes to most classic pickup trucks these days, their duties as old-school haulers and farm vehicles are long gone. But with a change in duties has come a much more rewarding job for these time-honored rides– the job of performing like their more modern counterparts while carrying on their vintage aesthetics.
Brad Hoff’s 1958 Chevy Apache Fleetside is the perfect example. Gorgeous looking on the outside with more than a few performance additions underneath.
Having been in the business of auto body and paint for over 35 years, Hoff, owner of Brighton-based B&E Auto Body, knows his way around vehicles. With over 18,000 square feet of space to work out of, Hoff and his employees have grown B&E into a successful Colorado business over the last quarter of a century, as well as positioning it as the go-to repair and collision shop for all kinds of cars and trucks, modern or classic.
Though Hoff and his employees certainly enjoy working with their customers’ vehicles, especially when they’re classic projects, there’s nothing quite like owning your own beautiful vintage ride, which is exactly what Hoff has in this handsome ’58 Chevy pickup.
There’s no denying the classic aesthetics of this beautiful truck. While the idea of the build was to keep much of the truck’s classic look intact, little tweaks like realigned and fitted body panels, custom brackets, a custom fuel filler, and a flipped rear bumper give the truck a sleek customized look that no assembly line could be responsible for. Topped with a custom PPG white paint scheme with red accent pillars and badging laid by Hoff’s B&E Auto Body, this vintage truck is more than just a looker but a full-on attention-getter everywhere it goes.
Sticking with the vintage feel, the interior also features a number of custom yet simple stylistic modifications that let the truck’s refined vintage feel shine through, including Classic Instruments gauges, a ’56 Impala steering wheel with tilt column, and a Lokar bench-style shifter. Seating in the truck has been upgraded to more plush accommodations with a Glide Engineering flip-up and adjustable frame wrapped in custom leather upholstery with cloth inserts done by Javier Diaz. The old-school meets new-school upholstery was designed by Hoff himself. Finishing touches include custom airbrush artwork from Reeder Airworks, a custom seat back center area crafted by B&E Auto Body, and custom embroidery by Stichables.
Equally impressive to the custom yet subtle aesthetic changes to the classic truck are the performance aspects of the vintage Apache.
Under the hood, you’ll find a classic 383c.i. V8 topped with dual Edelbrock carbs, a Vertex distributor, and aluminum Edelbrock Performer RPM heads for superior performance in carbureted style. The beefy V8 also features STK manifolds and a custom dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers. All of this is backed by a Vern Wright-built 700R4 automatic transmission with a B&M lockup torque converter. Out back, a 10-inch GM Posi-traction rear end pushes the 383’s power to the ground with pavement-gripping American Classic whitewall tires wrapped around steel GM hoops with Cadillac hubcaps for a little extra flair.
Giving the truck an extra dose of performance is a full TCI suspension system, featuring tubular C-arms and coilovers up front and a combination of torsion, leaf springs and airbags out back. With TCI power rack and pinion steering, the truck “rides incredibly,” according to its owner.
While the truck rides like a dream, it also brakes like a dream thanks to disc brakes up front and drums out back, with the power for the brakes strategically located along the drivers’ side frame rail for a cleaner firewall. As you can see, every detail counts on this impressive ride!
Equipped with many performance upgrades, they all serve an important purpose, as the truck is not only taken to shows and cruises to display, it’s also driven daily! That’s right ladies and gentlemen, this ultra-clean, top-notch pickup is Hoff’s daily driver! How cool is that?
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