Tag Archives: Shakespeare County Raceway

Jet Pods – Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside

Today’s featured pickup is a 1959 Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside which replaced the Chevrolet Cameo Carrier as GM’s sporty pick up.

Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

Like all ’59 Task Force models this Apache 31 Fleetside features subtly updated four head lamp styling featuring a narrower bonnet/hood badge to the ’58 Task Force models. The Apache Fleetside pickups were marketed with the strap line, “These are the best-looking truck cabs that ever came down the road!”

Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

Like the ’58 Apache’s power came for either a 3.9 litre / 235 cui Thriftmaster in-line six or 4.6 litre / 283 cui Taskmaster V8, this particular example is officially registered with a 6 litre / 366 cui motor of yet to be determined origin.

Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

Styling queues on ’59 Apache reflect mans technological advance into the space age following the launch of Sputnik the worlds first satellite in October 1957. Regular GALPOT readers might remember the front wing / fender Apache logo on the ’58 Apache featured last week resembled a jet plane, for ’59 the Apache logo resembles a rocket emitting red flames.

Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

The big styling feature that differentiated the ’58 Cameo Carrier from the ’59 Apache Fleetside was the rocket shaped “Jet Pods” incorporated into the cab width bodywork which ran into the round tail lights.

Chevrolet Apache 31 Fleetside, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

Like the narrow width cargo box Apache 31 the Fleetside was built on a 114 inch wheel base chassis with a six and a half foot cargo box.

Thanks for joining me on this “Jet Pods” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

Black Sheep – Chevrolet Advanced Design

On the 28th June 1947 Chevrolet customers were able to replace their AK Series pickups with the new Chevrolet Advanced Design pickup for the first time.

Chevrolet Advanced Design, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare County

The Advanced Design was built in 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton sizes with three straight six motor options, 216 cui / 3.5 litre, 235 cui / 3.9 litre or 261 cui / 4.3 litre.

Chevrolet Advanced Design, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare County

Today’s featured vehicle seen at Shakespeare County Raceway on 2011 and 2012 is known as Black Sheep and is run by Squadron Racing with a 5.7 litre 347 cui motor.

Chevrolet Advanced Design, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare County

Officially this vehicle is registered as being built in 1946 however since Advanced Designs were not built until 1947 we know the officials made a clerical error, the split screen means this vehicle will have been built latest for the 1953 model year.

Chevrolet Advanced Design, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare County

The absence of Thriftmaster or Loadmaster Logo’s suggests the vehicle was built earliest late in 1949.

Chevrolet Advanced Design, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare County

The push button door handles suggest this vehicle was most likely built in 1952 when the push button units replaced the turn down door handles and when a 90 mph speedometer replaced the 80 mph speedometer that had been used hitherto.

Chevrolet Advanced Design, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare County

The Chevrolet Advanced Design and its sister GMC variants kept General Motors at the top of the US Pickup sales league from 1947 until March 1955 when the model was replaced with the Task Master, three examples of which I’ll be looking at on Mondays in the weeks ahead.

Thanks for joining me on this “Black Sheep” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

Hydraulic Brakes – Ford One Ton Pick Up

1939 saw Ford introduce numerous changes to it’s pickup range including the introduction of hydraulic brakes which most manufacturers had adopted many years earlier.

Ford 1 Ton Pickup, Shakespeare County Speedway

From the front the ’38 Ford Pickup’s were identifiable by the new oval grill, this feature was carried over into 1939. It would appear the grill on this vehicle is a ’38 type distinguished by the V8 logo below the mascot which doubles as the bonnet and hood release. The short base of the ornament on this vehicle indicates that it too is a ’38 item.

Ford 1 Ton Pickup, Shakespeare County Speedway

The brake master cylinder can be clearly seen attached to the front bulkhead on this particular vehicle.

Ford 1 Ton Pickup, Shakespeare County Speedway

Gone is the original 85 hp flat head V8 the motor under the bonnet / hood here is officially quoted as being 5.3 litres / 323 cui.

Ford 1 Ton Pickup, Shakespeare County Speedway

1938 saw the introduction of the 1 ton pick up to partly fill the gap between the 1 1/2 ton and half ton market segments in 1939 saw the introduction of the 3/4 ton size to cover all the pickup size bases.

Ford 1 Ton Pickup, Shakespeare County Speedway

By 1939 Ford was offering it’s truck in seven different colours, not sure if canary yellow would have been one of them but if you do please chime in below.

Ford 1 Ton Pickup, Shakespeare County Speedway

Amongst the options offered to ’39 Ford pickup customers were radio, heater, and passenger side windscreen wiper.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hydraulic Brakes” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share