Client build · Original patina restomod
1959 Chevrolet 3100 Apache
An untouched exterior wrapped around a comprehensively rebuilt drivetrain, chassis, suspension, braking, and control system.
The build
What looks like a weathered original Apache is, underneath, one of the most extensively fabricated builds to leave Modern & Classic Performance.
The truck arrived with its original inline-six, manual transmission, original chassis, and no bed floor. Its surviving paint and patina were preserved beneath Poppy’s Patina clear coat while the mechanical foundation was transformed from front to rear.
The goal was not to erase the truck’s history. It was to retain every visible year of it while giving the owner the power, braking, steering, comfort, and serviceability of a modern custom truck.
- Engine
- Rebuilt iron-block 6.0L LS, LS3 heads, BTR valvetrain
- Management
- Holley Terminator X Max, custom wiring
- Transmission
- Built 4L80E, Circle D converter, TransGo shift kit
- Front chassis
- Boxed rails, Mustang II-style crossmember, rack-and-pinion
- Front brakes
- CPP Corvette spindles, C6 hubs, rotors, and calipers
- Rear chassis
- Boxed, step-notched, custom four-link and panhard bar
- Rear axle
- Ford 8.8 from a Cobra Mustang
- Exhaust
- Custom three-inch stainless dual system with H-pipe
- Wheels
- Custom-ordered 20-inch Detroit Steel wheels
- Interior
- Old Air Products AC, Holley Pro Dash, tilt column
The starting point
Keep the history. Replace the limits.
The Apache began as a completely original truck, down to its inline-six and manual transmission. Its worn turquoise paint, surface rust, and decades of character were too honest to cover. The body remained visually untouched and was sealed to preserve the patina.
Everything underneath it, however, was open for transformation.
A new foundation
Fabricated from the rails inward.
The front frame was boxed for strength before receiving a Mustang II-style crossmember, tubular control arms, coilovers, rack-and-pinion steering, and CPP Corvette-style spindles. C6 Corvette hubs, rotors, and calipers provide modern stopping power.
At the rear, the frame was boxed and step-notched to reach the intended ride height. A fabricated four-link with a panhard bar and coilovers locates a Ford 8.8-inch Cobra Mustang axle.
Built, not dropped in
Six liters, rebuilt from the inside.
The iron-block 6.0-liter LS was fully rebuilt and upgraded with LS3 cylinder heads, a BTR Truck Norris camshaft, BTR rockers, lifters, and pushrods. A BTR Equalizer intake and Chevrolet Performance two-piece valve covers give the finished engine a purposeful identity.
Holley Terminator X Max management controls both the engine and the built 4L80E, backed by a Circle D converter, TransGo shift kit, and custom one-piece driveshaft.
One-off fabrication
Every system made to fit.
Hooker cast-iron manifolds feed a hand-built three-inch stainless dual exhaust with an H-pipe. A custom aluminum fuel tank houses the internal pump, and the wiring, accessory drive, cooling, and control systems were laid out specifically for the truck.
The missing bed floor became an opportunity: a hinged one-inch square-tube frame supports weather-resistant composite boards and opens for service access to the suspension, battery, and fuel system. A hidden rear compartment was sized specifically for four folding beach chairs.
From the untouched paint to the hidden storage under the bed, this Apache works because the old and new were treated as one complete build—not separate layers.
Build gallery
Under the patina.
From its original inline-six chassis to the finished road-going restomod, this gallery documents the fabrication hidden beneath the Apache’s preserved exterior.