This 1960 Studebaker Champ Pickup is a super cool, sporty 1/2 ton
that you don't see at every car show. In 1960, Studebaker was in
serious financial trouble. It's 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, Studebaker's 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-Studebaker's 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 you're 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!
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