'61 Champ joins our local scene

[Steve T]

Hi all--

SDCer Roger Hill last year acquired a sharp black '60 Lark VIII HT with red-and-black interior; a couple weeks back he surprised the Stude contingent at the Johnny Be Good's Diner cruise near Paris by turning up in another shiny black Studebaker he'd owned at the time for approximately five hours!



This is a '61 bigbox Champ V8, black with red-and-black interior, a very nice match for Roger's Lark and one reason he acquired it. The Paris cruise night often attracts multiple Studes, there being seven or eight there on the occasion Roger's new Champ broke cover. I've been taking my Lark out there too...she really shouldn't be running well if at all, but she's running like a top these days...

S.

[Milaca]

It looks very nice finished in black, a very uncommon color for these.

[jclary]

More pics please! The black color is complemented by the chrome, and the red pinstripe pops. Good thing it lives up north.
Otherwise, air conditioning would certainly be mandatory.

[62champ]

It looks very nice finished in black, a very uncommon color for these.

Have wondered the same thing myself - parchment white seems much more popular. Then again, when was the last time you saw a black R-series pickup...

[Skip Lackie]

Have wondered the same thing myself - parchment white seems much more popular. Then again, when was the last time you saw a black R-series pickup...

I don't think Studebaker ever offered black as a standard factory color of 2R/3R-series trucks. Obviously, any color could be ordered by special order. I think the first time black was offered on C-cab trucks was in 1957.

[Milaca]

For a work truck, black is a bad choice as it makes scratches, dents and dirt very apparent. But for a show truck, it looks great.

[62champ]

I don't think Studebaker ever offered black as a standard factory color of 2R/3R-series trucks. Obviously, any color could be ordered by special order. I think the first time black was offered on C-cab trucks was in 1957.

Thanks - a day without learning something new is a day wasted...truck above does look beautiful in black. Champ facebook page had some photos of a black Champ - owner's son posted photos and states it is the black R2 Champ that went out to California.