Fully Restored Half-Ton: 1962 Studebaker Champ

The Champ was the last pickup produced by Studebaker, and it ran between 1960 and 1964. A light-duty model with its roots in the Lark compact, the Champ was discontinued when Studebaker withdrew from U.S. auto production mid-way through the 1964 model year. This 1962 edition is a half-ton pickup that has been painstakingly restored, powered by a Studebaker V8 engine. Located with a dealer in Rogers, Minnesota, this truck looks like it belongs more in a museum than out in the working world. It’s available here on eBay for $29,997.

Studebaker truck sales were practically nil by the end of the 1950s, so the success of the new Lark compact provided a much-needed infusion of cash. Some of that was directed to the truck division, which came up with the Champ the year after the Lark was born (1959, 1960). When you park a Lark and a Champ next to one another, you can see the Lark’s styling cues are apparent in the truck, which went largely unchanged until the end came. While an inline-6 was standard, the seller has the optional 259 cubic inch V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor and automatic transmission.

Finished in Apache Red with a two-tone interior, this 1962 Champ looks brand new, and the odometer reads just 37,000 miles. We’re told it’s had the same owner for the past 25 years, which helps explain its babied condition of late. Though it’s in Minnesota now, we understand that this Stude spent most of its life in the South, which may have contributed to its solid condition. During the restoration, the floor of the bed was coated, and stake sides added (a nice touch).

Nice Studebakers are hard to come by these days, and a truck version is even more scarce. These vehicles were often worked hard and then discarded, but that’s not the case here, making for perhaps the nicest one left anywhere. Would you drive the truck or tuck it away for future posterity? Thanks for the cool tip, Curvette!