Cath Manuel is not one to shy away from a challenge – even if said challenge consumed four years of her life.
With no car mechanic know-how or body restoration nous, Cath lit on the idea of restoring to near-mint condition a 1959 Chevy Apache Fleetside with a long bed.
“I wanted to restore an old car and originally thought it would be a cute little sportscar, but when I saw the big old rusty truck for sale, I knew it was it,” Cath says.
Classic Pickup Supplies in Coolum imported the shell of a truck from the US. It was unloved, undone and the original upholstery was in tatters, but Cath saw her potential when she purchased the Chevy in 2020.
Christened ‘Sunshine Chevy’, she’s a left-hand drive with a “four-on-the-floor” four-speed manual stick.
“She needed a lot of work to get running again and drive comfortably, but the body was in good condition with great patina, which is one of the features I love about her and I was determined to keep that,” Cath says.
“The chassis, body and engine were all original, which is rare in these old trucks, so I wanted to preserve it all as much as possible.”
The original engine, however, wasn’t running, so Cath found a similar reconditioned Chevy Blue Flame that’s a few years older and has the same straight six-cylinder as the original one.
The mechanical restoration and rust repair was a labour of love, which Cath achieved with the help of some car-savvy friends. To start, it was fully stripped down and a few patches of rust were repaired on the body. After a wet sanding all over to preserve the patina, a clear coat was sprayed on to protect the original paint and patina and to prevent further rusting.
The reconditioned engine was dropped in and all the parts were repaired or replaced to get her started.
Cath wanted to keep true to the “old look” on the exterior but wanted the interior to have a fresh new look.
The interior was completely stripped and resprayed green and white to match the exterior colour (it was originally bronze) with a black gloss dash. All the original dash and interior components went back in, along with all new wiring.
Cath installed new carpet after first laying a sound deadener over the whole floor, a process which can be viewed on her Instagram.
The fuel tank was removed as it was leaking, so after the carpet was installed, Cath put in a new tank.
The bench seat was reupholstered locally with a Chevy kit Cath purchased from the States and put back in place, along with the door features, including the original window winders. New lights were installed, along with a horn and all new wiring, to ensure everything was working for the road-worthy inspection.
Sunshine Chevy even has the old window wipers and other features, which Cath held onto to retain the original look. The back bed was completely redone with red gum slats and new bed strips, which Cath says looks great and gets a lot of positive comments.
Cath says she’s grateful to everyone who helped and encouraged her along the way.
“At times I thought I’d taken on too much, but that’s something I like to do. I enjoy a challenge.
“I’ve learned so much about these great old trucks and can now manage some things for myself.
“I like the simplicity of the old cars and trucks. To look under the bonnet and identify all the parts and know what they do definitely fascinates me. They are very simple compared to modern cars but are more fun to drive.”
The distinctive, good-looking Chevy certainly attracts a lot of attention when Cath drives her around the Coast.
“When I stop and park her (which has taken a lot of practice) many people stop to have a chat and ask lots of questions,” she tells salt.
One comment, however, that drives Cath spare is “the truck will look great when you do the paint job”.
The patina is natural except for a few small patches that were repaired. Cath asserts the patina is one of the Chevy’s great features.
So, will there be a second project?
“I’ll definitely stick with Chevvies now. I’ve even got Sunshine Chevy logo as a tattoo, so I will keep an eye out for another one to restore in the future.
“But I now have a new interest in all things patina, so I’m planning a new project that I’d love to work on one day.”
With its long timber bed, Sunshine Chevy can be themed for any occasion photos, including weddings, couples or family photos and she can even be styled for celebrations such as Christmas or birthdays.
“I think she would suit a craft beer or local distillery if they were looking for a unique backdrop to showcase their products, or a surf company as we could fit so many boards in the back,” Cath suggests.
“The fresh, classic interior is great for photos of any product, especially clothing and accessories.”
Get in touch via Instagram @sunshine_chevy_59 or email cathmanuel@gmail.com