- Seller: Matt L (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 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!
Bid On This Auction
MikeM bid $1,600.00 2026-04-14 09:00:13
dudleybeyler bid $1,350.00 2026-04-12 14:01:22
trkman bid $1,050.00 2026-04-08 09:48:50
Morley bid $800.00 2026-04-07 12:41:34
I want it!
Don’t be afraid to bid on it, the reserve is very reasonable!
” This truck doesn’t smoke, overheat, or make strange noises, unlike 74% of Barn Finds writers and/or readers.” Hey I resemble that, and my wife will second that for sure.
Neat old Studebaker. I liked the way they (and AMC) did more with less than the big three. I also liked the early stepside Stude boxes better. I think the earlier boxes were double walled too.
Ha!
Hey Geezer, you left out “drinks” I bet it drinks like a fish! Now I resemble that statement!
And also available with a 5 speed overdrive !
You know, Studebaker did the best it could with what it had. Although my favorite Stude will probably always be the M50, as I get older, I appreciate the later trucks more than I did. They were well made and that 289 makes them go like “Jack, the Bear.” The box does look a little out of place, but to take some of my late mother’s good advice: “Don’t criticize unless you can do better.” Close quote.
Give it the right paint job and they look just fine.
You’re absolutely right, take someone like Chip Foose to narrow the box by about three inches then maybe squeeze up the lower panels from the bottom to blend in a little better and you’d have a classy pickup. I’d prefer a fenderside box, but just the same, I wouldn’t be afraid to drive one of these anywhere. And I’d park it on my driveway!
I could not agree more than I do with everything you said, sir.
Whew, 90 minutes later, how’s this Photoshop version? I brought the top of the bed down a bit, brought the bottom line of the cab straight across to the bottom of the bed, redid the top contour line a bit, etc… It was one of the tougher exercises that I’ve done, but I think it’s halfway decent, maybe?
You got it! A little modification like that makes a world of difference. Very well done!
I got to see a Studebaker Champ while visiting Bremerton Washington. This one was Red exterior with Black interior. I wish I could’ve talked to the owner about the truck.
Excellent job Scotty !!! you are undoubtably the Photoshop Champion on this site !!! How about making it a Studebaker pickup/ convertible ! LOL
Great work SG.
While Scottys rendition looks nice, wouldn’t have mattered, not many wanted a Lark inspired pickup truck. They weren’t exactly busting down the doors for a Lark anyway, and in ’64, the final year for these, only about 2500 Champs were sold, making this extremely rare. Even more rare was the Transtar, for larger trucks. I looked up a “stepside” Champ, using a an older Studebaker box, looked just as odd. I suppose there wasn’t much one could do, as Geo mentioned, it was the end of the line anyway, and a sad end to one of the most influential US trucks made.
RE: Seat covering material. That was that itchy blanket covering the couch at your great grandmothers house you were forced to visit now and then, while all your friends played baseball,,,
But most trucks of today and the past few years look remarkablly like the front of these poor old Studebakers – Toyota anyone ?
Studebaker closed its doors in late December 1963. I own a ’64 Champ that was built three days before that happened, possibly making it the “youngest” Champ still on the road. It’s the 3rd-to-last V8 3/4 ton, with 90k documented miles. I’m the 4th and 6th owner, and I only had to pay twice what I sold it for to get it back.
In 1968 my father bought a 1960 one with a blown motor. He took a 354 Hemi out of a 56 or 57 Chrysler New Yorker. We installed it with the torqueflite. He grafted the push button selector onto the dashboard. I had just got my drivers license and surprised a few muscle cars at traffic lights. What fun!
Finally got one out of a wrecking yard – it ran great and had that 5 speed overdrive in a 1/2 ton just like my 1 of 2 built V/8 5 speed overdrive 1956 2E7….here at Pate Swap Meet 1998
Got a 1962 Champ out of a wrecking yard…..the 1956 was at a car lot…..
What I like about the Studebaker Champ is how similar the front end looks to that of the 1959-61 Lark. The only obvious difference seems to be the grille on the front of the bonnet (hood) and the bed behind the cab of the truck. If I bought one, I’d keep as much as original as possible, while also upgrading what needs to be upgraded. While comfort is important, durability is imperative, fuel economy is important. Serviceability is important.
Talk about a truck that looks like it came out of a miscellaneous parts bin! Lark sheet metal in the front, Dodge in the back ( I never did figure that out until I read about another Champ on BF), and strange thing is it doesn’t look that bad especially since its maker was on a shoestring budget. Like most BF readers though, I do like the “stepside” version more. This unit seems to have an extensive collection of rust, and if I had another more solid Champ, this one would be a parts mule.
The joke is that decision happened over a poker game between Stude designers and Mopar Parts distributors at one of the Exners places withe the bean counters as the card dealer. Heard it at a Stude meet. 🤔
This Studebaker was definitely built to run with the V8, 3 speed and an Overdrive. Scotty, I really like what you did with the bed, it looks great. But part of the ‘draw’for me is the mismatched bed. I have always had respect for what Studebaker did with a shoestring budget. I know that this Studebaker would really pop restored. Great write up Scotty!!! Hope this rare workhorse gets restored.
I’ve got a 60 champ with the step side box ,,BUT gonna change that and put on a Dodge box and make it flow together, plus a few other changes,,and the 8 Ft box is going on my (hope to get to it this yr) 49 street rod stude . Also have a 63 or maybe 64 champ with the Dodge box ,,has only 15,000 farm miles on it V8 4 spd but its rough. I have never liked them and a few yrs ago they started to grow on me and now think they are pretty neat,,wish they would have put the 64 front end on them in 64
It’s a damn shame that Studebaker was about to discontinue production after this.
I hope whoever buys this Chump and makes it a Champ once again, by cleaning it up and repainting the exterior and redoing the interior. I’d also upgrade the mechanics, installing a small displacement (2.0-3.0 litre) Turbo Diesel engine under the hood, among among other things.
A rare factory option was a 4-53 Detroit.
Cool! It’s too bad Diesel isn’t a popular engine option.
A 4-53 in a Champ? I knew that Stude installed diesels in larger trucks but I wasn’t aware of light trucks. However, I won’t argue. I remember the 3-53 being available in GM 1-ton step vans but that’s as far as I know. The one in this pic showed up at a show-N-shine a few years back. It attracted a lot of attention. I think it was running a 4-53…
Hopefully there’s a diesel, maybe a turbo diesel small enough to fit under the hood of a Champ.
Had time to double check my comment last night, 3-53 Detroits were available in E series pickups,(I saw one at the ATHS show a couple of years ago), but the production numbers were extremely low, 40 or less?
What displacement was this engine? 3.0 litres? 4.0 litres?
Tacoma car nut, a 3-53 is 159 cubes or 2.6 liters and a 100hp, trouble is it weighs almost a 1000# or twice what an SBC weighs. Jeep offered a couple of diesel engines that might work.
C’mon guys, you can do better than $1600.00 for an extremely straight mainly rust free driving project!
I don’t know exactly how much it’s worth. I’d be willing to pay around $2,000 for a running and driveable example. It might be worth more than that, it might be worth less than that.
@ Jim Randall: Okay. I was thinking maybe a Duramax LWN 2.8 litre turbo diesel or similar diesel engine, and a compatible automatic gearbox.