Some build 'em, some buy 'em, and some think about it. Michael Taylor was pretty deep into riding motorcycles up until he got the news that he and his wife, Christi, were to be expecting a new baby girl into their budding family. Not wanting to completely give up his mechanical hobby, he made the switch from two to four wheels when he found this stunning Sunburst Orange Metallic '59 Chevy Apache for sale and took the bait like a trout on a night crawler.
Almost a year prior to this transaction, Nick Davis of Hot Rods by Davis in Haysville, Kansas, was looking for another project and happened upon this second owner, ex-farm truck in Oklahoma. He thought it'd be sweet redone with a nostalgia touch-and he was right.
With a little help at the shop from his father, Rob, and brother, Jeremy, they yanked the stock six cylinder drivetrain out and soon replaced it with a tried and true '70 350 Chevy combo after Nick freshened up the motor. During this time, all the stock suspension was removed and they were hard at work boxing portions of the frame as well as installing a TCI Mustang II IFS, complete with 2-inch dropped coils and spindles and 10-inch disc brakes from CPP. The rear was a no-brainer once they ditched the stock rearend, C-notched the frame, and installed a Ford 8-inch using CPP's 11-inch drum brakes and their dropped parallel leaf springs.
Next, Nick made a call to Larry and Ryan James at Flyin Eye Kreations in Wichita to smooth out the body and put it in suede Valspar Sunburst Orange Metallic, while the roof got a coat of clear with a touch of metalflake. Once Larry and Ryan were done with the '59 it was brought back to the shop where Nick stitched up a tan leather cover for the stock bench, while everything else was sprayed in a matte tan color to match. Turns out it worked real well to add some extra class inside the cab. A painted Flaming River tilt column topped with a Billet Specialties steering wheel keeps the truck going the right direction, while the tall, chrome Lokar nostalgic floor shifter is all hot rod.
The chrome grille and bumpers are a nice contrast to the suede, but Nick felt it needed something else so he had Rock Burris and John Foster pinstripe and letter the truck in two shades of tan that really helped set off this unique truck. Last, but not least, are the BFGoodrich Silvertown whitewall tires mounted on American Racing Torq-Thrust D wheels with as-cast centers.
And while the '59 was just another fun project for Nick, it wound up being just what the doctor ordered for Michael who now has a righteous classic truck to cruise around in with his family-looks like a win-win!