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Beater Classic? 1963 Studebaker Champ

While many of us dream about immaculate classics uncovered from barns, storage units or fields, not everyone can afford either the price of one of those cars or can store a classic that can’t serve a daily purpose. For those folks, this 1963 Studebaker Champ pickup might just be the answer. You can find it here on eBay. You’ll have to go to Correctionville, Iowa to pick up the pickup!

As you can see, there’s plenty of corrosion and probably body filler to go around. We’re also told that glorious white paint was applied with a paintbrush. Yup, there’s a reason bidding hasn’t exceeding $1,000 yet as I write. But let’s look at the positive side. It does still look like a truck, and the Champ has some interesting styling that set it apart even in the day.

Sure, it’s a bit tweaked here, or at least the bumper is. But it’s a face you can love, right?

Sure, the bed is a little rusty. But there’s enough bed here that you can still use it, right? I think it’s solid enough to hold just about anything my modern Dodge can–and three monthly payments will buy this one completely!

Sure, it’s not an ergonomic wonder. And yes, the seat could use a new blanket. But what if it actually sells for around what the bidding is at now? (yes, I know it hasn’t met reserve yet — that doesn’t mean the seller can’t accept a bid lower than the reserve) And for those of you that love manual transmissions, that’s a third pedal I see!

We’re told that the 289 V8 (NOT a Ford, this is a Studebaker engine) turns over but doesn’t start, and that it’s been sitting for a while. I’m betting it wouldn’t take much to get this truck pickin’ up again — what do you think?

Comments

  1. Avatar Joe Haska

    Just for grins, it would be fun to buy it for $850, and take a budget of 5K to 7.5K and see what you could do? Then advertise it and see if you even break even. It cold be called, “The Studebaker Truck Challenge”. Actually I am sure I have done dumber things.!

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  2. Avatar Dick Johnson

    Three monthly truck payments? Only if you put 40K down and finance the rest for 172 months. New Frods and Chebbys at 85K? I’ll stick with real trucks like the Stude. Of course, the Stude doesn’t have a knob on the console to help you hitch up your cigarette boat automatically.

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  3. Avatar Rjf

    My dad gave me a 63 stude 3/4 ton pick-up in high school with a straight 6 and four on the floor top highway speed was about 55 lol but you couldn’t kill that thing unless you were the almighty rust angel which did finally take its toll from Indiana winters

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  4. Avatar Chris Londish Member

    Come on old rusty is a good buy and one of the coolest P/ups on the planet

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  5. Avatar That AMC Guy

    Always liked these, rarely see them. The bed doesn’t line up with the cab because it was originally designed for a Dodge pickup. (Studebaker saved a some $$$ by buying the existing tooling.) You can also see the front bumper does not quite line up with the indent in the bodywork where the bumper would be on a Lark.

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    • Avatar Bill Pressler

      But I think for the most part, the styling worked! It seems to me that the styling of the bed actually matches the Studebaker cab better than the ’59-60 Dodge cab it was originally designed for! Studebaker supplied Dodge with all replacement beds as part of the deal. Stude did design a new front piece and tailgate, of course.
      I grew up on Chevys but I don’t think there is anything very handsome about similar-year Chevy or GMC trucks.
      Stude advertised it as the lowest-priced pickup in America, and you got a full-width rear window standard, had an exclusive optional sliding cab window, could be had with an exclusive five-speed, and was much-more upholstered inside (headliner, door panels) than cheaper Big Three trucks of the period. Amazingly, since the rating of the truck was the same as Big Three trucks but the truck itself weighed less, Studebaker advertised it as being able to haul more than other trucks!

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  6. Avatar Ken Carney

    I could put this truck to work right now! Been looking for a beater truck for
    my BILs to haul scrap in for quite a while now. If she turns over, it’s a cinch
    that she’ll run just fine when all the mechanicals have been properly dealt
    with. Just learned recently that there’s a ’53 or’54 Champion 2-door sedan
    snoozing in a garage at the house next to mine. After talking with the owner
    of the property, I’ve found out that the car was built by his late FIL in the mid
    ’60’s as a hot rod running Cadillac power. With this truck and that sedan,
    I’d have a really fine pair of Studes…and enought to keep me busy for the
    rest of my retirement years! Just sayin’…

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  7. Avatar Dave Mc

    My Gramps had a “Rutabaggie pickumup”
    That’s what he called it.

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  8. Avatar James Burdzinski

    Please Don’t Bid against me
    My Dream truck !

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    • Avatar Jamie Palmer Staff

      So be sure to let us know if you win the auction!

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Rube Goldberg Member

    Why is this truck still here? Has interest in the hobby deteriorated to the point, a Champ pickup isn’t immediately snapped up? Especially like this. These were great trucks, from a great car maker ( see ’64 Commander post). Even though Studebaker used top notch mechanicals, it was too late for the Champ. Studebaker was losing ground fast, and I don’t think it mattered what Studebaker made, the handwriting was on the wall.
    Very rare, even then, we never saw Studebaker trucks in the midwest. I inquired about one in N.Wis. and the guy showed it to me, but would NOT part with it. He made that clear. Great find, if this was in Colorado, it would be mine.

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    • Avatar Steve R

      This is an auction without a BIN option. I’m sure it will get some bids, whether or not it makes reserve is another story.

      Steve R

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  10. Avatar Todd Zuercher

    Correctionville! Sounds like a nice place to be from.

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    • Avatar Rube Goldberg Member

      What could go wrong in “Correctionville”?

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      • Avatar John L

        Correctionville sounds like a pseudonym for a prison.

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  11. Avatar Brent

    Cool — a padded dash! Wonder if Studebaker was the first truck with one?

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    • Avatar Rube Goldberg Member

      That’s a good question.( thought someone might know by now) I read, Tucker was the 1st car with a padded dash, but no mention of trucks. I agree, it had to be the 1st truck with one. Safety was dead last on the agenda for most other truck makers at the time.

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  12. Avatar 68custom

    neat truck and the price is right. plus the V8/4 speed combo are how I would want mine. hope its next owner enjoys it! needs to slap a paxton blower on there!

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  13. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Pretty good deal in my book. Hey James Burdzinski, I hope you are headed toward Correctionville! Ended: Dec 30, 2017 , 7:00PM
    Winning bid:US $1,500.00
    [ 13 bids ]

    Like 0

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