Vehicle Description
1960 Studebaker Champ Pickup
"Buoyed by the extraordinary popularity of the 1959 Larks, (139,024
built), Studebaker frantically tooled up a restyled line of light
duty trucks for 1960, its first since mid1948. The 1959 Lark front
end sheet metal and the front half of the 4 door sedan body were
grafted onto slightly modified �-ton and �-ton truck chassis and
beds to form the basis of a new line of trucks given the name
Champ. 1959's dreadful truck sales experience and a desire to use
what steel was available to build the fast selling Larks delayed
the production of 1960 model 5E Series trucks, which did not get
started until February 1960." Thx to
thestudebakerdriversclub.com
For consignment, a 1960 Studebaker Champ pickup truck that recently
was subject to a frame off restoration and has just 2,049 miles
since its completion, and was once owned, according to our
consignor, by a Studebaker factory employee.
Exterior
Two stage Inferno Red Crystal Pearl coats this truck, a lovely
color for this Lark fronted pickup truck that was intended to
compete with the Ford Ranchero and Chevy El Camino at the time. As
such, it has a relatively long bed which extends well past the rear
axle. That bed is lined with a fitted rubber mat and houses a
diamond steel toolbox that hugs the cab side of the bed, and all is
clean in the back. The rectangular grille is flanked by side
markers that mirror the horizontal bars of the grille on a smaller
scale and contour to the lines of the grille on one side and the
round headlights on the other. The hood also contours, this time to
the shape of the grille, with a slight rise in the middle capped
off by a hood ornament that resembles a thin trowel, and you don't
want to be on the wrong side of it on the street. Proper Studebaker
wheel covers are on the 15-inch wheels and a pair of cab roof
lights point to the outer corner of the top. The paint and metal
work are near excellent on the truck. A few imperfections we noted
include some bubbling on the paint, a ding, and some missing paint
with surface rust near a bumper.
Interior
With a conservatively styled exterior, we gain some flash on the
inside as geometric patterns of red and black vinyl along with an
aluminum panel that make up the door panels. The bench seat
presents with red stitched inserts surrounded by black vinyl and is
in great shape, adorned with red seatbelts. The standard steering
wheel is wrapped with aftermarket vinyl around the rim and the
vinyl dash pad before it shows looseness in the padding. Under it,
a body colored metal dash housing a small meshed gauge pod and
several knobs, all a working truck would need in 1960. A Sanyo
AM/FM/Cassette radio lives in the middle of the dash just above
Studebaker's "TT" emblem which indicated Twin Traction,
Studebaker's version of positraction. Ahead of the passenger, a
round mesh feature on the dash is home to a simple round clock. The
floor is covered with a low pile back carpet and the black
headliner above is clean and tight. A large rear window affords
great over the shoulder visibility and allows plenty of light in
the cab.
Drivetrain
Under the hood we find the clean and rebuilt 259ci V8 with a
2-barrel carburetor and rated at 145 horsepower. A 3-speed manual
transmission with overdrive backs it up and is shifted on the tree,
sending power to the rear axle with a Dana 44 and 4.09 gears. Drum
brakes occupy each corner.
Undercarriage
Super clean underneath with minimal surface rust and no leaks. The
dual exhaust comes from the engine and meets a pair of Smithy
mufflers before finding their way out the back through straight
pipes. Leaf spring suspension is used front and back while we
observed no leaks and no grease build up.
Drive-Ability
We hopped inside this good looking truck and enjoyed the simplicity
of the cab as we rolled onto the tarmac and put it to the test. The
V8 puts out more than enough power, at least with an empty bed, and
the truck tracks joyfully straight and runs without hiccups. Two
non functioning items were found; the horn, which activates the
relay, but no sound is produced, and the brake lights. Beyond that
all functions were operable. While Classic Auto Mall represents
that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we
cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of
your purchase.
If you think Corvette owners are fanatical, wait until you meet the
Studebaker club. This group of orphan enthusiasts represent an
incredible knowledge base and resource for all things Studebaker.
It's a well loved brand that has its fandom, a branch of which had
their meet here in Morgantown not long ago and demonstrated a
loyalty you don't often see in defunct marques. Enter that world
with this fine 1960 pickup, fully restored, and ready for a new
garage home.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
