Some fathers bond with their sons over fishing trips or camping weekends. Others find it on the sports field. For Durban airline pilot Mark Ovenstone and his son Connor, that bond was forged in grease, metal shavings and late nights in the garage. Their shared love for hot rods didn’t just build a car—it built a legacy.
Some fathers bond with their sons over fishing trips or camping weekends. Others find it on the sports field. For Durban airline pilot Mark Ovenstone and his son Connor, that bond was forged in grease, metal shavings and late nights in the garage. Their shared love for hot rods didn’t just build a car—it built a legacy.
Mark’s passion for American muscle goes back to the early ’70s, when his father, Peter, imported a 1967 Camaro from the States. That bowtie set the course for a lifelong obsession, and decades later, Mark found himself passing the same love for Chevy iron down to his own son. After years of watching YouTube builds, bingeing Hot Rod TV, and wandering the aisles of Cars in the Park, the pair knew they had to create something of their own. It had to be from the golden era, it had to be a Chevy, and it had to be something they could rebuild from the ground up.
Their choice was a 1957 Chevrolet Apache 3100, sourced from East Coast Automotive. When it arrived, it wore an offensive shade of purple and a tired 350/350 combo under the hood. Hardly inspiring, but that didn’t matter. At just eight years old, Connor was already lying under the truck, spanners in hand, helping Mark strip it bare before sending the shell to Speedway Auto. There, the Apache received the heart it always deserved: a Gen IV 454 crate motor straight from Chevrolet.
Of course, leaving it stock was never the plan. The big-block was fitted with domed hypereutectic pistons, Pro-Comp aluminium heads and roller rockers, and a stage 2 camshaft to wake it up. Feeding the motor is a Summit 750 CFM carb sitting on an air-gap intake manifold, with fuel supplied from a 70-litre underbed aluminium tank. Cooling is handled by an aluminium radiator with a high-flow pump, while custom 2.5-inch ceramic-coated manifolds flow into a polished 3-inch stainless steel exhaust system. Electric bypass valves give Mark the choice of cruising quietly or unleashing a thunderous V8 bellow that turns heads wherever it goes.
The drivetrain backs up the muscle with a bulletproof TH-400 transmission driving into a Ford 9-inch limited-slip differential. Suspension comes courtesy of a Jaguar XJS Series 2 front end and a four-link rear, all managed by air suspension. That means the Apache can slam into the weeds for shows or raise up to haul serious loads—something it has done more than once while Mark built two houses. Braking is handled by Jaguar ventilated discs up front and Ford Racing units at the rear.
Rolling stock comes in the form of Boss 338 wheels, 18x8J in the front and a serious 20x10J at the back, wrapped neatly in rubber that fills out the arches perfectly. The stance, combined with the deep black paint finished with a subtle blue pearl by Yugen Chetty at Macrites Panelbeaters, gives the truck a presence that’s nothing short of menacing. Under sunlight, the pearl flips just enough to make the Apache shimmer like it’s alive.
Inside, the build is every bit as custom. Designed by Mark’s wife Christy and executed by Shannon Naidu of Covertrim, the cabin was transformed into something both modern and comfortable. Toyota RSi seats, along with a matching jump seat, were reshaped and retrimmed in leather. Custom door pads, a bespoke steering wheel, and deep pile carpeting make the interior a welcoming place for daily use. Dakota Digital gauges give a clean readout of the vitals, and because this truck isn’t just about noise, a JVC head unit was paired with JBL 6.5-inch splits, two 10-inch subwoofers, twin Reference Audio amplifiers, and sound deadening throughout. A custom double-stitched enclosure and LED lighting kit finish the job, proving that practicality and style can live side by side.
For Mark, this Apache isn’t just a toy or a showpiece. It’s a daily driver, a workhorse, and a rolling tribute to his late father Peter—the man who introduced him to Chevys in the first place. And now, by building it alongside Connor, that same passion has been passed down another generation.
This 1957 Chevrolet Apache 3100 isn’t just black with a hint of pearl. It’s a story told in chrome, leather, and the roar of a 454. A father’s tribute, a son’s inheritance, and a reminder that the strongest builds are measured not in horsepower alone, but in memories made along the way.
