FrankenChamp: 1963 Studebaker Champ Pickup
The Studebaker Corporation was not particularly good financial condition entering the 1960s, so when they decided to release a new light pickup, they created something straight from a Mary Shelley novel. It was called the Champ and was assembled by combining the chassis and cargo box of the previous 50s era E-series truck with the front half of the compact Lark sedan. Find this 1963 Studebaker Champ Pickup offered for $2,800 in Newark, OH via hemmings.
This particular Champ isn’t going to win any awards at the next Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but it will certainly get thumbs up at your local Shake ‘n Steak Concours d’Elcamino. The body wears a fine patina of age, but it could be a weekend good lumber yard runner.
Under the hood is a Studebaker 259 cubic inch V8 which made 180 horsepower with 2-bbl carb and 195 with the optional 4-bbl upgrade. It won’t be motoring nirvana when mated to the stock 3-speed manual, but it won’t be like towing a Moai with a motorhome either.
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Looks like a solid old truck for under three grand. You don't see many of these and that's a plus in my book