In the 1950s and 1960s, Studebaker had a smaller presence in the truck market than its major competitors. From 1956 through 1963 (skipping 1959), Studebaker sold ½-ton, ¾-ton, and 1-ton pickups under the Transtar nameplate through 1958. The roots of these trucks dated back to 1949, so Studebaker did what they could to freshen them up every year. This 1958 Transtar has a V8 engine and is mostly in original condition. Located in Poland, Maine, this workhorse is available here on craigslist for $9,200. T.J. keeps us busy finding tips like this!
With the refresh of 1958, the Transtar gained an aggressive new fiberglass grille. These trucks were offered with an inline-6 or V8 engine, of which the seller’s example has the latter. It’s probably the 259 cubic inch version that was also used in Studebaker’s V8-powered automobiles. The new Champ trucks replaced the Transtar in 1960 and they would continue in production through the end of calendar 1963 when Studebaker closed its South Bend, Indiana manufacturing plant.
The seller doesn’t provide many details about this truck and most of the photos are of lower resolution which doesn’t help much either. We’re told of late this truck has only seen duty during the summer months and stays inside the rest of the time. That has no doubt helped protect this survivor from the perils of Mother Nature in New England.
Besides the V8, this pickup has a manual transmission with overdrive, something that would help the engine not work as hard once it gets up to speed. The odometer reading is 82,000 miles and we’re told it’s in good enough condition to be driven home today. One downside is that the title is missing, so you’ll have to determine how to work around that with the DMV in your state.
I like Studebakers, trucks included. I’m not a fan of that grill however. A few years back my wife and I made a cross country road trip and the Studebaker museum in South Bend was one of our stops. If you haven’t been and you have the opportunity, you should go. Great museum
Mama mia, you know what is great about this site, among other things, it’s the authors who choose what they want to write about, and thank goodness, there are writers here that even know what a Studebaker Transtar was to even have enough interest. My back aches from a very different “Transtar”, but before IH coined the name from the defunct company, Studebaker, as mentioned, used Champ for the pickups after 1960, and Transtar for the heavy duty trucks until ’64, I read. Champ, Transtar, whatever you call them, they are as rare as hand signals. I think dealers had Transtar tow trucks, and maybe Studebaker car carriers had Transtars, but for the most part, sadly, Studebaker was the last on the list of potential sales, and that’s a shame. Ironically, they were some of the best trucks made. Great find here, no, better than great, outstanding find. Thx Russ.
As usual, no love for the tipper!
Thanks Jack M. for the great tip. 👍👍
Thanks Big Al, but T.J. gets credit for this one.
Yes – I have the first year Transtar – a 1956 1/2 ton ordered with the rare 5 speed overdrive – two 1/2 ton’s were ordered this way and the other one survives as well.
This grill was first introduced in 1957 for all the trucks and carried thru the 1959 and then onto the big rigs as the 1960 Champ took over the 1/2 and 3/4 ton small units.
Stude had been doing the bolt on grilles going back to 1954 with just a minor update to 1956 then to the fiberglass 1957 up grille.
Yes the sweepside bed for the Champ was bought from Dodge as they had the new bed for the Dodges with Stude keeping the 1949 bed for the stepsides.
57 and 58 serial number starts with 3E7 for a V-8 1/2 ton truck. 1958 Model year production for all trucks was 7085. The Spaceside box, a discontinued Dodge unit, did not arrive until 1962. Source is Cannon/Fox book and factory shop manual
Thanks for the brief history I the Studebaker monikers. Especially confirming that yes IH also used the Transtar name on their trucks.
IH used it after Stude – much like my little 1964 Studebaker Daytona’s name was grabbed by Dodge in the late 60’s……..
Ford took the Starliner name and Dodge also took Challenger.
Isn’t that a newer outsourced Dodge bed? I thought the Transtars were still sporting the 1949 vintage bed with the pontoon fenders during this time.
Bob C I think you’re right about that being the wrong box. But they weren’t outsourced, Stude bought the old tooling for the ’59-’60 (I think) Dodge box and used it as an option from ’61 to ’64, with an agreement to make replacement parts if needed. I could be wrong about some of the details, but if so some one will correct me.
Correct Bob….but yes they still used the 1949 stepside bed until the end of production on the 1/2 and 3/4 Lark pickups….
I know nothing about the box, but… the first photo it appeared something was a little off with the fit, especially the front of the box where it meets the cab. I assumed it was a box from another truck.
RE: “Yes – I have the first year Transtar – a 1956 1/2 ton ordered with the rare 5 speed overdrive – two 1/2 ton’s were ordered this way and the other one survives as well.”
Is 5 speed overdrive documented in the shop manual? I would love to see one. I have a 56 1/2 ton with the 224 V8 and 3 speed overdrive (2E7-12). If my memory is correct, in 1948 there were both M series and R series (C cab with small rear window) produced. And then the E series (large rear window) started in 1955? And wasn’t the bed slightly different in size (width?) when they changed from the R series to E series on the pickups? My dad had a 47 M series and much later a 63 Champ pickup. I never thought those Dodge beds looked right on the Champ pickups.