HIGH STANDARDS

In a time when being inundated by unsolicited advertisement from every direction is the new normal, it’s refreshing to see good old fashioned ‘seeing is believing’ influence ring true again. There is no replacement for good, solid craftsmanship, which is especially true when it comes to custom automotive fabrication. While narrowed advertising campaigns through mainstream outlets such as magazine promotions and radio/podcast spots can help drum up business, there’s no better method of selling available services than having an impressive, tangible sample of goods offered to win over a potential customer.

Marvin DuBose of Lampassas, Texas first took a chance on Cimtex Rods, a local hot rod restoration shop just North of Austin, with the build of his wife’s ’64.5 Ford Mustang. Darrell Cimbanin, co-owner and president of Cimtex, along with the rest of the team delivered an amazing car for them at the end of the project. “My wife Kimmie and I were extremely happy with the Mustang, so much so that we told Darrell that one day we would bring them another vehicle for them to build”, Marvin says. “After seeing the results that the staff at Cimtex were able to accomplish, we felt safe to trust their expertise to give that same treatment to our old Chevy Apache. We found the truck years ago, and my son drove it all throughout high school. Our goal was to surprise him with a totally transformed truck with the best of everything—including lots of horsepower!” 

With a plan laid out for the project, Darrell and company checked the DuBose family Apache into their facility and got right down to business—working from the ground up. Given the ’59 was already a 4WD model, Marvin wished to maintain its off-road worthiness while increasing ride quality and reliability. To do this, the crew at Cimtex suggested running with a full Roadster Shop chassis system and topping it off with coil-overs up front and air shocks out back to boost the truck’s ride height up four inches. Beefier sway bars were bolted on at both ends, as were full 14-inch Wilwood big brakes to bring the much taller Apache to a dead halt when necessary. To complete the look of the Chevy’s newfound aggressive stance, a set of Fuel Offroad wheels and Nitto Ridge Grappler all-terrain tires were thrown into the mix. 

The next phase of the build was to add some modern power to the heavily upgraded rolling chassis. The mill of choice was a 2019 LT4 crate engine with an accompanying 8L90-E transmission—both included in a GM Connect & Cruise powertrain package for ease of installation and compatibility. All guesswork is removed from the equation with these kits, as GM takes care of matching up all the components needed for a successful and headache-free experience. Once the LT4 and transmission were test fitted, Cimtex did their thing inside the engine bay by fabricating custom valve covers and air cleaner, as well as a 2 ½-inch exhaust system to pair with the Hedman headers that were also added. The firewall was then shaved, and bead rolled paneling was then created, painted and put into position to create an ultra-clean environment all throughout the bay. 

With the truck now moving under its own power (with 460hp to be precise), the Cimtex crew was then ready to move onto the next chapter of the project, which was to clean up the Apache’s exterior. The objective here was to let the ’59’s natural charm shine through front and center, so no real body modifications were necessary except for the shaving of the door and tailgate handles. From there, a custom set of side mirrors and LED headlights were brought in to modernize the appearance of the 65-year-old pickup. Once those additions were finalized, Cimtex handled all the necessary bodywork to prep the surfaces for Will Trammell to spray the pewter paint color that Kimmie chose special for the project. The grille, bumpers and various accent pieces were painted black to add some contrast to the paint scheme. 

The build was picking up steam and nearing completion, but before the book could be closed on the Apache, the interior still needed a comprehensive overhaul. Even though the truck’s exterior has taken on a rough and rugged utilitarian persona, a sophisticated revamping was planned for the cabin. A distressed leather-wrapped bench seat and door panels were designed and sewed together to sharply elevate the confines of the cab. The freshly restored dash was then complemented with Dakota Digital gauges and a Vintage Air climate control panel to easily adjust the in-cab temperature according to the weather. An Alpine amp and speakers create well-balanced sound, which is always a welcomed feature for cruises around town and abroad. 

In the 2 years that Cimtex had the Apache in their care, they were not only able to knock decades of wear and tear from its overall condition but extend its lifespan indefinitely into the future. Every major system from the chassis to the drivetrain were swapped in with brand new, state-of-the-art components to last another 60+ years on the road. 

“Seeing the truck brought back to better-than-new shape and enjoying how much people like the truck has definitely been a huge upside to having it restored”, Marvin states. “We knew the high level of work Cimtex Rods brought to the table, and we couldn’t be happier with the excellent craftsmanship that was poured into our old Chevy truck.”