BF Auction: 1964 Studebaker Champ

Seller: Matt L andfield (Contact)
Location: Corona, California
Mileage: 77,586 Shown
Chassis #: 17312051719
Title Status: Clean
Engine: 289 cui V8
Transmission: 3-Speed Manual Column Shift W/Factory Overdrive

With a 1958-1960 C-Series Dodge cargo box, there was hardly a more unique-looking pickup than the Studebaker Champ. It was a quirky look, but it allowed the company to get through the final years of production. The slightly ungainly late-50s Dodge pickup box, which Studebaker nicknamed P2 and officially called a “Spaceside” box, was the only one offered to buyers after late 1961. This truck is located in Corona, California, and is being listed exclusively here as a Barn Finds Auction!

Studebaker used the narrow fenderside box, nicknamed P1, on the 1960 and early 1961 Champ pickups. It was a box, or bed, (tomato, tomahto) that was a carryover from the 1949 trucks. I like the look of the smaller stepside-type box myself, but I would not kick a mid-1961 or a 1962 or later Champ pickup with a Spaceside box out of the driveway, to misquote a longtime Barn Finds reader, commenter, and truck scholar: Geomechs. I could see Dave Kindig or Chip Foose modifying this box to melt into the cab lines, and I think that would be fun to see.

The ’58-’60 Dodge pickup bed details are impossible to miss here, despite the embossed STUDEBAKER tailgate. The Studebaker Champ was only made for model years 1960 through 1964, and, sadly, production ended by the end of 1964. In fact, most of Studebaker’s factories in the U.S. would end. Production moved to Canada for a couple of years after that for cars. There were said to be a few 1965 Champ pickups made in South America, in case any of you wanted to track one down for major cred points at any Cars & Coffee event.

I’m almost certain we had a couch with similar fabric when I was a kid in the 1960s and 70s. I believe the paint color is Desert Tan or possibly Parchment White, or maybe the box/bed is white, and the cab is tan? It’s so faded that it’s hard to tell, and the seller doesn’t show a photo of a data plate, so it’s hard to know. The interior needs a lot of help. There are visible rust holes in the floor, and the seat and door panels are pretty much gone. This truck has a three-speed manual with a column shifter, but a four-speed would have been available, along with a BorgWarner automatic.

Those yellow valve covers are so great. I love that Studebaker used yellow on their V8 engines. This engine is Studebaker’s 289-cu.in. OHV V8, which was rated at 210 horsepower and is backed by a three-speed manual with overdrive and a column shifter sending power to the rear wheels. The seller says it, ah-hem, “runs like a Champ,” Ha. Bonus points for a good dad joke! This truck doesn’t smoke, overheat, or make strange noises, unlike 74% of Barn Finds writers and/or readers. You’ll likely never see a power steering pump on a Champ, as it was never offered from the factory, unless an owner added it later. This one is wearing new tires, brakes, a new fuel pump, and a new water pump, and this looks like a really nice project truck for anyone into pickups that aren’t from the big three. Please check out the photos and get your bids in on this Barn Finds Auction!