Garys Fish's 1958 Chevrolet Apache Pickup
Sometimes, you stumble upon a truck tucked away in a barn that demands attention. Such was the case for Gary Fish. It all began when Gary sent a picture to Bobby Schumacher, proprietor of Vintage Fabrications, expressing his quest for a ‘58 Apache to transform into a unique custom truck. After scouring the area, Bobby located a ‘58 Apache just north of his shop, approximately an hour away. Taking precautions, Bobby loaded his truck and brought along a trailer, ready to seize the opportunity if this find aligned with Gary’s vision.
Arriving at the farmland where the truck was stored, the farmer revealed that his Apache had been sheltered in the barn for quite some time. Despite being a long bed instead of a short bed, Bobby found the truck in remarkable condition after a thorough inspection. Bobby promptly contacted Gary, shared the discovery, and transported the truck back to his shop.
With the barn-find truck at Bobby’s shop, it underwent a meticulous cleaning to remove years of accumulated dust from farm work. The truck’s condition astounded everyone, surpassing all expectations.
Gary resolved to transform this project into a formidable 4×4 truck for his Colorado ranch, seeking an updated chassis/suspension and a robust diesel powerplant. Bobby embraced the idea and sought to realize Gary’s dream. He reached out to his acquaintance, Nick Baggs, who possessed a ‘97 1-Ton dually project with a Cummins engine already installed. Following negotiations, Bobby secured the updated chassis and potent diesel powerplant. As a bonus, the project chassis came equipped with a 6” lift kit.
Preferring a short bed, Gary instructed Bobby’s team to trim down the 1-Ton chassis by 64”. Subsequently, the chassis was sent to Goachers Street Legends for painting. Meanwhile, the interior received attention, with Bison hide covering it to imbue the truck with a distinctive “Rancher” style that matched the furnishings in Gary’s Colorado ranch home.
With the painted chassis ready, the truck underwent reassembly, and a set of 20” Detroit Steel wheels wrapped in robust BFG All Terrain tires were added. This imparted a rugged appearance and the capability to tackle any terrain Gary might encounter in Colorado.
