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The year 1959, when “The Battle of New Orleans” and “Mack the Knife” topped billboard charts, was the final year for the Chevrolet Task Force truck series. Its light-duty model, dubbed the Apache, sported a wide grille, quad headlights and bold styling. Under the hood would be either a base 235ci inline-six or 283ci V8 engine.
While the truck went out of production, an ongoing love affair with it has never ended. For Luke and Madison Underwood, the Apache fit their needs perfectly – he needing a project (and he got one!); she wanting a unique prop for her photography business.
The couple found one and traveled to Raleigh, N.C., to buy it. The seller had been using it for his daily drive, so they knew it was operational. “When we got to the seller’s house, we noticed a tree stump stuck in the bed,” relates Luke. The seller explained that when he bought the truck, it had been abandoned, and the tree was growing through the bumper and the bed.
He also told them he named the truck Tetanus for being covered in rust, while still running as one rough, rugged truck. These owners just refer to it as the Apache.
The Work Part
Once home, the restoration work began. “When we took out the stump, the tailgate fell off, and we discovered the stump was the only thing holding the bed together,” states Madison. “The bed was rusted out, and the wood was rotten, so Luke rebuilt and rewelded it and replaced the wood portion with diamond plate steel.”
It had the original 235ci inline six engine, which Luke swapped out for a SBC 350 engine. He installed a new transmission out of a Chevy S-10. It’s still a manual shift, which they both love, but now instead of the column shift, it shifts in the floor. “Luke made the shifter in the floor out of rebar that was lying around the shop, and he crafted his own cross members to hold the motor and transmission,” she adds.
The “shop” happens to be one of their businesses, Nomadic Camper and RV Repair near exit 109 off I-81. [nomadiccamperrepair.com]
This model is the stepside, which means the fenders are outside the bed. Luke is big on durable and long-lasting, so he replaced the interior floorboard with diamond plate.
The Fun Part
Madison uses the Apache for many of her photo shoots, adding seasonal or theme décor for the specific time of year or celebration. “I told Luke he could do anything he wanted with the truck except touch the paint! We intentionally preserved the patina look, which appeals to most of my photography clients. It’s nostalgic, and when parked in a field with a theme, it creates a sentimental aura of natural simplicity.”
One cool thing is the bottle opener in the bed, in case they get thirsty and buy glass bottled drinks just for the fun of opening them. The couple has taken the Apache to a few car shows, which always draws attention, and out for a bite to eat in Floyd from time to time.
This handsome, light-duty, patina-preserved, pick-up truck filled Luke’s need (for a spell anyway) to renovate something mechanical and body-wise. For Madison, it’s a powerful marketing tool and super fun prop in her professional photography business.
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Madison Underwood
Photos by Madison Underwood
[facebook.com/memoriesbymadison]
