Photo: melodyann517/eBay
Are you looking to buy a classic pickup truck from the early 1960s, but the Fords, Chevys, and Dodges of the era are way too common? Well, if scarcity is high on your list, this 1961 Studebaker Champ has you covered.
Pickup trucks are not the first type of vehicles you think of when you hear the name Studebaker, but the now-defunct automaker built haulers for more than three decades. In addition to heavier-duty trucks, Studebaker also produced lighter models, starting with the very stylish Coupe Express of the late 1930s.
Introduced in 1938, the M-series lasted 14 years, while the 2R/3R hauler lasted from 1948 to 1954. In 1955, the company debuted the E-series, which became known as the Transtar in 1957. For a short while, Studebaker also offered the Scotsman, which became America's lowest-price hauler.
The Champ arrived in 1960, at a time when Studebaker was in better financial shape due to the Lark compact. The latter moved nearly 140,000 units in 1959, helping the company record its largest profit at $28.5 million.
Having sold fewer than 8,000 trucks that same year, Studebaker decided it was time to roll out a new hauler. However, the company allocated a small budget of $900,000 for the project, so Studebaker engineers were forced to use many of the existing to put together a brand-new pickup.
The Champ emerged with the same chassis Studebaker had been using in the old E-series, while the cab was pretty much half of a Lark four-door sedan with a new back wall and a unique grille with four horizontal bars.
The engine lineup was also similar to existing Studebaker automobiles. Inline-six choices included the 170- and 245-cubic-inch (2.8- and 4.0-liter) powerplants, while the V8 options were the already ubiquitous 259- and 289-cubic-inch (4.2- and 4.7-liter) OHV lumps.
Despite its unique appearance and relation to the popular Lark, the Champ was far from successful. Studebaker sold nearly 28,000 units through 1964 when the Champ went into the history books to the closure of the company's South Bend factory.
But even though it didn't survive for long and couldn't really compete with offerings from the Big Three, the Champ was a pioneering truck. Not only did it introduce the sliding rear window, which became a common feature on pickup trucks in the following years, but it was also among the first haulers to offer true car-like comfort. It was also the forefather of the modern midsize pickup truck.
Come 2024, Champs are a very rare sight. While capable and reliable, Champs tend to rust severely in the cab floor and front fenders, so many of these haulers have disintegrated over the years. Rust-free survivors are hard to come by, making this 1961 version a noteworthy find.
According to the seller, this hauler has spent most of its life in Arizona and is rust-free. Of course, "rust-free" doesn't include the small surface spots on the weathered body. The interior looks notably better, though. The Lark-sourced cabin was reportedly redone some years ago and shows minimal wear and tear.
The 259-cubic-inch V8, which came with 180 horsepower when it was new, is supposedly original and runs well. The truck features a rebuilt braking system, new joins, and a new transmission cooler. In all, the owner says he spent $4,000 in repairs over the last year and a half.
If this is the kind of truck you'd restore, the auction is at only $6,100 with just ten hours to go. The reserve is still in place. This 1961 version is one of 6,592 trucks built that year.
Introduced in 1938, the M-series lasted 14 years, while the 2R/3R hauler lasted from 1948 to 1954. In 1955, the company debuted the E-series, which became known as the Transtar in 1957. For a short while, Studebaker also offered the Scotsman, which became America's lowest-price hauler.
The Champ arrived in 1960, at a time when Studebaker was in better financial shape due to the Lark compact. The latter moved nearly 140,000 units in 1959, helping the company record its largest profit at $28.5 million.
Having sold fewer than 8,000 trucks that same year, Studebaker decided it was time to roll out a new hauler. However, the company allocated a small budget of $900,000 for the project, so Studebaker engineers were forced to use many of the existing to put together a brand-new pickup.
The Champ emerged with the same chassis Studebaker had been using in the old E-series, while the cab was pretty much half of a Lark four-door sedan with a new back wall and a unique grille with four horizontal bars.
The engine lineup was also similar to existing Studebaker automobiles. Inline-six choices included the 170- and 245-cubic-inch (2.8- and 4.0-liter) powerplants, while the V8 options were the already ubiquitous 259- and 289-cubic-inch (4.2- and 4.7-liter) OHV lumps.
Despite its unique appearance and relation to the popular Lark, the Champ was far from successful. Studebaker sold nearly 28,000 units through 1964 when the Champ went into the history books to the closure of the company's South Bend factory.
But even though it didn't survive for long and couldn't really compete with offerings from the Big Three, the Champ was a pioneering truck. Not only did it introduce the sliding rear window, which became a common feature on pickup trucks in the following years, but it was also among the first haulers to offer true car-like comfort. It was also the forefather of the modern midsize pickup truck.
Come 2024, Champs are a very rare sight. While capable and reliable, Champs tend to rust severely in the cab floor and front fenders, so many of these haulers have disintegrated over the years. Rust-free survivors are hard to come by, making this 1961 version a noteworthy find.
According to the seller, this hauler has spent most of its life in Arizona and is rust-free. Of course, "rust-free" doesn't include the small surface spots on the weathered body. The interior looks notably better, though. The Lark-sourced cabin was reportedly redone some years ago and shows minimal wear and tear.
The 259-cubic-inch V8, which came with 180 horsepower when it was new, is supposedly original and runs well. The truck features a rebuilt braking system, new joins, and a new transmission cooler. In all, the owner says he spent $4,000 in repairs over the last year and a half.
If this is the kind of truck you'd restore, the auction is at only $6,100 with just ten hours to go. The reserve is still in place. This 1961 version is one of 6,592 trucks built that year.
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