1960 Studebaker Champ

This 1960 Studebaker Champ Pickup is a super cool, sporty 1/2 ton that you dont see at every car show. In 1960, Studebaker was in serious financial trouble. Its merger with Packard in the mid-50s had proven to be a failure by 1958 when the last Packards rolled off the lines. To keep the company going, Studebakers designers and engineers had to be thriftier than its Big Three competition. Studebaker actually had a nice success when it introduced its compact Lark in 1959 and that success (and profits) allowed the company to revitalize its lagging truck division. Enter the Champ-Studebakers brand new light-duty pickup that debuted in 1960. Like Studebaker had done with Lark, the company was able to repurpose and adapt parts from its existing product offerings (in this case the Lark) and turn it into a brand new vehicle. While the 4 bar grille gave the new Champs a brawnier look, the front ends and cab came from 59/60 4 door Larks. Additionally, Studebaker was able to repurpose the dashboard and other interior amenities from the Lark, further saving costs in the design and manufacturing process. Perhaps the most significant feature on the Champ was the sliding rear window which was a novelty at the time but then seemed to find itself in many pickup trucks in the future. However, due to production delays and ongoing steel strikes, Studebaker was not able to lift its struggling truck division and less than 5 years later the company was out of business. Powering this 60 Champ is a 259.2 Cubic Inch V8 engine paired with a single 2 barrel carburetor that pushed out 180 horsepower when new. The 259 V8 is hooked up to a 3 speed manual transmission that is shifted using a column mounted 3-on-the-tree shifter. Being that these were typically work trucks and that those buying Studebakers were a bit thriftier than a typical Chevrolet or Ford buyer, many of the Champs were pretty spartan; however, this one does have a few nice options. Dual side mirrors help get you in and out of tight spaces. This Champ is equipped with an auxillary oil filter and painted rear bumper, both of which were add-on options back in 1960. The exterior on this E7 Champ has been refinished in beautiful Sherwood Green. Riding on Radial Tires on Steel Rims with Baby Moon Hubcaps, this 60 Studebaker Pickup has a great look and even better ride. The interior on this stock T6 Deluxe Cab Champ is in great shape! The bench seat has been reupholstered in two-tone tan cloth and vinyl. This truck is equipped with seat belts as well. The dash, door panels, and steering wheel all appear to be in their stock configuration and are in nice shape. The dash is equipped with a 120 MPH speedometer, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and AM radio. Whether youre looking to purchase your very first classic pickup truck or you want to add to your existing Studebaker collection, this 1960 Studebaker Champ Pickup would make a wonderful choice. Give us a call today!