Many Barn Finds readers have previously reported a fondness for Studebaker pickups; now reader John L. has decided to sell his. It has some challenges but seems to be good base material if you want a truck to work on. The truck is located in Houston, Texas and if you are interested, you can contact John directly through the form at the bottom of the post.
We don’t have a lot of pictures of the Champ, but this one is a microcosm of its condition. A little beat up, at some point at least owned by an enthusiast (note the cool Studebaker license plate frame) but a basically sound Texas truck.
The current paint looks like it was a basecoat/clearcoat finish and the clearcoat has peeled in spots. Unless you like that kind of look, you’ll probably want to repaint the truck, however it looks like you have a relatively non-rusty body to work with. John describes it as a “1/2 ton Studebaker pickup, cab and bed in fair condition.”
I love the distinctive old school font on the tail gate! Again, this looks like some solid sheet metal.
When it comes to the interior, that’s where some of the challenges start. As John says, “Interior; no seat, but dash, steering wheel, gauges are in decent condition.” I’m starting to think restomod, but that’s me. You may want it to be dead stock. That’s the great thing about our hobby — there’s room for everyone!
Although the difference is maximized by the distance from the camera, you can still see how small the Champ is compared to the Ford truck (which John notes is also for sale, along with “an old tractor“). Unfortunately, there are two real catches with this project; there’s no engine or transmission included and there’s no clear title! Now some of you will view that as a blank canvas, while others will start searching for an original drivetrain. Either way, please contact John through the form below if you are interested!
Location: Houston, Texas
Asking Price: $5,000
Mileage: unknown
Title: Missing
Contact Number: (416) 788-4848
If you have a classic truck that needs a new home, please consider listing it here on Barn Finds!
Geez, seller is a BF reader, so he must have read some of the rants about people trying to sell vehicles without cleaning out the junk – and the importance of taking good photos. A little effort could go a long way.
True, but these trucks are rare enough I didn’t feel necessary to pull it out and clean it up. Besides I’m lazy. Lol
Oh yeah, glad to see it has the original Studebaker bed (1949 era ). But I still like it better than the ILL fitting outsourced Dodge bed used on some examples. I’m sure a Chevy power and drive train would work nicely if you wanted to do it on the cheap.
Not worth 5k with no engine, no title and no trans.
Good luck with that price….
@bob c: You’re right Bob. Most studes of this era and later were powered by Chevy engines. As a young motorhead,
I was shocked to find a 283 Chevy V-8
tucked under the hood of a Lark sedan
I’d been looking at on a used car lot in
the Spring of ’72. Dad and I were looking
for a cheap used car for my sister to
drive to and from school. Now for this truck, I’d choose a 3800 series V-6 and
a 700R4 tranny from a ’90’s S-10 or Blazer
Both units are lightweight, bulletproof, and do their jobs more efficiantly than the
old school stuff available today. What sold me on this option was watching Mom’s ’01 Buick LeSabre hit 200K original miles recently–a major milestone
for a modern American car in 2018. Sure,
we’ve kept up with the maintainance on
the Grey Ghost as we call her since we
bought her as a used car in 2007 with 85K miles showing. Not everything needs a 350 to make a good car better.
Thinking about doing this with a ’56
Chevy 210 sedan I found for sale not
far from my home. Looks like a fairly
straight forward upgrade that would save
me quite a bit when it comes to fuel costs when finished. Dunno…just sayin’.
“Bulletproof.” Yet another overused word in automotive circles, like, say, “iconic” or “patina.”
@Kenneth Carney
Studebaker didn’t start using the Chevy drivetrain until model year 65, after production was all moved to Canada. Any built before all used Studebaker built engines
I think in the early ’60’s, this was THE most unappreciated truck. I like it a lot, liked the Lark styling and would much rather have had this than the ’77 GMC I bought., just not for this price. Not that I don’t think it’s worth it, it certainly is, the GMC ( @ $1,400) was what I could pay. This is so cool, a guy in N.Wis. had one, not a stepside ( or whatever they called it) a full box, and I kept bugging him to sell it, but he said he’d never sell it.This is probably a 259 or 289 ( Studebakers own, not a Ford) and was a dynamite motor, new for ’61, and many chose that over the 6, also bullet proof. They had “hill-holder” clutches ( a feature Subaru latched onto when Studebaker went out), Overdrives, and automatics too. Also, the Champ had a feature that is standard on all pickups today, the sliding rear window. BTW, those tailgates are almost extinct. Champs are extremely hard to find, I’d love to have one.
Normally I’m a “keep it stock” kind of guy. But with the powertrain gone, it really is a blank canvas to do what you want, and what you can afford. So many possibilities!
Hey, Jamie – not just the license plate frame but the plate itself! 1SB C61 One StudeBaker Champ 1961. That was a personalized plate.
You are correct. I may have a couple of guys pull it out and clean it up, depends on the interest it gets. Btw price is firm. Unless someone wants to pay more of course.
I’m sorry to write this, really, but a regular BF reader should know there are other trucks (Stude and Big Three) out there for 5 bills that can be driven home or at least onto a trailer. I’m almost offended by that price on this “blank canvas.” Not even a milk crate to comfortably steer this truck onto the trailer?
Love the purple color and the fendered bed.
That’s not entirely true. I agree, many trucks come up for $5g’s you can drive ( btw, a “bill” in my days was a $100 bill) but rarely a Champ. Studebakers days were numbered in the early 60’s, and aside from the Big 3 in the Midwest, where these hailed from, we never saw a Champ. Considering the “drek” that’s come through here for a lot more, the seller is right in line, I think.
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/studebaker/champ/2104766.html