The time has finally come when trucks are getting the same respect as their automotive cousins, and it’s about time. Perhaps part of that appeal is that old trucks simply look great, with some groundbreaking styling and a wide variety of styles, shapes, and sizes to suit any taste. In addition, traditional body-on-frame construction, big engine bays, and oversized wheel housings all mean that a vintage pickup can handle any upgrades you’d care to throw at them, from bigger engines to wide-by-huge tires to comfortable interiors. Fortunately, this 1958 Chevrolet Apache pickup seems to have enjoyed all of those upgrades and more, with a great-running small block V8, a luxurious interior trimmed in leather, and a thoroughly updated chassis that makes it run and drive like a far younger vehicle.

The Apache is arguably the best-looking pickup of the 1950s. Chevy designers finally realized that making a truck attractive—you know, actually styling it—would lure buyers into the dealerships. The Task Force trucks that debuted in 1955 were as modern and stylish as the all-new Bel Airs with whom they shared showroom space and for the rest of the decade kept pace with automotive trends such as dual headlights, lots of chrome, and ever-increasing performance.

This particular Apache seems to have led a rather easy life and was treated to a comprehensive body-off makeover that addressed every single aspect of the truck. The original sheetmetal remains intact and completely unmodified, right down to the factory trim on the front fenders, but the reason is obvious: what are you really going to do to make this truck look better than this? The stepside bed gives it a sporty, performance look and the forward-canted cab and fender openings suggest speed, even with an upright pickup truck body. The paint is Viper Red and it’s about the most ideal shade of red you’ve ever seen, not orange, not pink, but a brilliant deep red that looks like a million bucks. Fit and finish are quite good with decent gaps all around, doors that fit well, and lots of hours invested in making it smooth and straight. A few stray pieces of trim might have been shaved, but it retains the classic Apache grille, wonderful fender ornaments, and the heavy chrome bumpers that so prominently tied the car and truck lines together. The bed is lined in oak with stainless steel rub strips and shows virtually zero wear aside from a few chips in the tailgate paint where it perhaps rubbed against the chains that hold it up, but it’s pretty minor. The chrome is excellent, the stainless grill is almost completely unmarked, and critical pieces like the hood ornament and taillights look great.

Anchoring the custom interior is a gray leather bench obviously borrowed from a late-model GM SUV. With a built-in center armrest with cup holders and storage, plus individual armrests for both driver and passenger, this truck is all-day comfortable. Plush carpets and lots of sound-deadening materials make it a very comfortable place to be and the gray carpets show almost no wear since the truck was completed. The original instrument panel shows more familial resemblance to the passenger car models, with the gauges being modern white-faced Auto Meter dials that fit neatly into a polished billet panel. There’s also a custom tilt steering column with a leather-wrapped wheel, a trick in-dash AM/FM/cassette stereo system that fits neatly in the original radio’s slot, and A/C vents neatly stashed under the dash where they stay mostly out of sight. Billet accessories include the pedals, steering column bracket, and a few knobs on the dash, while the rest of the details seem to be authentic 1958 Chevrolet Apache, including the door and window handles. Tinted glass helps the A/C keep things cool inside and new weather-stripping seals the cab up tight for quiet, comfortable highway cruising.

For power, this one relies on a good old 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 with all the usual upgrades. There's an Edelbrock 4-barrel carb up top and a set of long-tube headers to bolster its torque curve in all the right ways, and the result is one of the best-running small blocks we've ever featured. It starts as quickly as a fuel-injected engine, idles well right off the bat, and pulls the truck around without stuttering. It's got great throttle response and feels very smooth and polished, quite a feat for a vehicle that used an inline six and rigid axles when it came from the factory. The engine bay is nicely finished with more bright Viper Red paint, stainless hardware, and lots of polished aluminum, so opening the hood is definitely welcome. For reliability, there's a big aluminum radiator up front that has two big electric fans on the back side that look like they were borrowed from a late-model Corvette and the A/C system uses R134a refrigerant for easy maintenance in the future.

Looking closely, you'll also be able to spot the frame and the modified front suspension, which consists of A-arms and coil-overs up front, so it rides and handles extremely well. The entire frame was treated to a hammer-tone paint job that's both durable and kind of trick and the workmanship is excellent throughout. The transmission is a quick-shifting TH350 3-speed automatic feeding a 10-bolt rear end, and just based on seat-of-the-pants evaluations, we suspect it has 3.08 gears inside for easy highway cruising. The underside of the cab and bed were covered in spray-on bedliner material so it's both durable and easy to maintain and finish quality is impressive throughout. Obviously the build is pretty fresh because the chassis could be ready for show with an afternoon of detailing and it sounds fantastic with a pair of Flowmaster mufflers on a custom-made dual exhaust system. It's also got power rack-and-pinion steering and power front disc brakes, so it steers and stops quite well and those 18-inch Body Coddington wheels look fantastic wearing low-profile BFG rubber.

100% ready to enjoy, this very attractive Apache is a wonderful combination of comfort, performance, and yes, even utility if you're up to using the bed as intended. There's a lot more than the asking price wrapped up in the build, making this a great truck at a great price, and it's ready to drive and enjoy today.