Couldn't stand it and dragged another home on Tuesday...

[studeclunker]

Well, I dragged home another Champ on Tuesday. It's a '60 (according to the pink) with the Dodge box. Judging by all the international Orange peeking out in the engine compartment and the bed, I'd say it might be an old Cal DOT truck. Paid about two hundred-fifty more than I would have liked to... Ah well, it's only money (choke, choke, gaaaaasp)!


I was pretty worried how this one would tow with the A-frame. Ed doesn't like the thing and wanders all over the place. However this one followed like a gem and was no trouble to tow at all. Not even on the corners! It's here in Oak Run and I think it might go up to my friend Katchi's to hurry up the job on it. Besides, all my supplies, oil, brake fluid, etc... are there and not here. So, I might do that. In the meantime today I'm headed to FLAPS to get new battery cables. The ends are shot and the ground is sparking. Found out yesterday that the fuel pump works... Doof that I am, I walked away and got involved with something else leaving the switch on. Nothing was working at the moment so the brain fart didn't register. It sure did when I came back and the truck stank of old gas! It had sprayed gas into the open intake and literally filled it to the top with gas. I think the plugs will have to be pulled and the engine turned over, just in case it filled a cylinder or two as well. truly a moment of brilliance... Ah well, at least it got most of the old gas out of the tank.

[studegary]

I believe that it was January 1961 before the "Dodge" box was introduced. Unless the box was changed, that would make your pickup at least a 1961 model.

[candbstudebakers]

I don't see 61 front fender trim on this truck but who knows after all these years.

[studegary]

I don't see 61 front fender trim on this truck but who knows after all these years.

I see that the seats are also changed. I guess that it is a 1960-1964 Champ with various parts, like possibly the bed, changed. If the title matches, it most likely is a 1960 with an assortment of other parts.

[StudeRich]

I don't see anything about which Engine it has, did I miss that?
A '60 non-V8 would be a 170 or 245 Flathead, and the V8 could be 259 or 289.
Trans. Type?

It does have '60 Parking Light/Air Vents and '60 Fender Mouldings. Also APPEARS to be a Deluxe Cab by the Chrome Pk. Lts. and Headlight Rims, unless those were added.

Can't really tell about the rear window if a slider or not.

It is highly unlikely that a CalTrans Truck would be a Deluxe Cab.

[62champ]

Other than the ID plate having 5E on it, the other easy way to tell if the cab is from a 1960 is to look at the rear window area. Above the rear window, on the piece of sheet metal that goes up to the roof, there might be three indents in that panel - that only happened in 1960 - 61 through 64, the panel mentioned was smooth.

Here is an example of a '60.

[studeclunker]

I could wish for one as beautiful as Studemack brought home last year, but I always seem to bring home the Stude-clunkers in lieu of the Stude-beauties. This old fellow has a few things to recommend him. First he has the 245 six with an overdrive tranny. I was told this truck originally had the 170 and the previous owner wanted a slightly larger engine. Yeah, unfortuneately, the Dodge box, replete with black and orange paint inside. I have a feeling the chrome on the front was added. I plan to rob one of the chrome grilles off my current Champs for this.



Clicking on the VIN tag will reveal that it is a 5E6. The other picture shows the three indents. The seat is indeed a late addition. The P.O. was just a smidge above 5' and put blocks under the seat. I can't even get in the truck at this point (LOL)! When I try, my head is well above the roofline and I must bend double to get in. Now, the lady I work for (a bit shorter even than the P.O.) loves the seat! In fact, she loves the truck! I suppose the Dodge box is likely an addition, who can tell? Now if this is a late-year model, Studebaker being what they were, I wouldn't put it past the company to have been the ones to yank the original bed and drop this one on. Anything to get one more truck out the door, you know. I'd prefer the original-type box, but this will do till a donor can be found.

So far I've found a few disturbing things about this truck. First, the radiator has a lot of stop-leak showing in it. Secondly, the sparkplugs have a lot of black smudge on them. Did I say a lot? Let's say caked on! Not good, that... The engine turns over very freely and appears to be in decent shape (aside from the two scary conditions afore mentioned). The OverDrive is disconnected. The in-line fuse is good. So, I don't know what's the issue there either. And like I mentioned in my previous post, the Fuel pump works like a champ! I was very glad to see the solid rear window. I'd rather not have another slider. So far so good. We'll see if I can get it to fire this evening.

[62champ]

Well - looks like Studebaker is the one who put the engine in there. 5E6 is the 1/2 ton with the 245 - if it was a Champion it would have been a 5E5 - V8 was 5E7. Not too many of those trucks around and the OD makes it road-able...- good luck.

[studeclunker]

Okay, I'm so pickled tink it should be illegal!!

Yeah, so the story about putting a bigger six in was a lie too? Hmm... all the better in this case. I like the engine and the trans even more! This old fellow looks more and more like a winner all the time. About the only thing he doesn't have is a hill-holder.

After putting new plugs and air filter in the truck it STARTED AND RAN!! I was even able to drive it up and down the driveway. Okay, yeah, it stalled three times. But it ran!

It's going to be a little while before I'd trust it on the road though. Brakes are kinda important and the old fellow has none. I do mean, pump the pedal all you want and n-o-t-h-i-n-g! Gotta figure out what's going on there. Or more precisely, what isn't. Also, no tail lights, turn signals or running lights. Still, I'm thrilled to death!

[62champ]

Good to hear - now you might be lucky enough to find a short narrow bed that is in good shape and go back to how it was originally shipped. Those '60s were the first year for the Champ and have a lot of 1 year only features - including the last appearance of the big six - already almost thirty years old (IIRC) by that point.

Good luck and keep us posted (and lots of photos ).

[studeclunker]

Been looking for a few years now for a long-bed version. Now I'll just stick with the short version I think.

Here's a few more shots of the new Champ. I've gotta come up with a name for him...



The engine looks nicer in those shots than it does in person. Still it seems to be in decent shape. No smoke at all when I first started it. The plugs the truck came with looked like they were the originals. Need still to do an oil change and I might swap out this radiator too. Don't like it, the thing's just nasty. Might also take it down to a mechanic friend of mine and beg him to help me with the brakes. That way I'll have it ready for the horse show at the end of May. Was thinking of taking it for the volunteer thing in two weeks... that might be pushing it a bit though. I'd rather more time to sort out all the wrinkles on this thing. Like why is the Overdrive disconnected and so on... The seller appears to have lied through his teeth on this thing, so I'd rather proceed rather cautiously. Still, so far I continue to be pickled tink with it! So, no complaints, really.

Oh, speaking of no complaints; I found those cool floor mats behind the seat. Nice huh?

[StudeRich]

Well we know the old guy knew about Studebaker International by the floor mats.

It has a Great Step Bumper on it that is for the correct P1 Bed it came with.
Dealers normally upsold the usually no bumper Trucks, to a good Local Mfg. Bumper like the Calif. "Safe-T" Brand.

I can tell you from experience with the '60 5E6 Long Bed that I still have that Dad bought New at the Dealer he worked at, when the original buyer chose to upgrade to the 245 they did the right thing, that Engine is way more than a slight increase in Torque, that thing is a Torque MONSTER!

[studeclunker]

Torque Monster eh? LOL,that's what dear old Dad used to call them. This truck (if I get the right bed for it) is exactly what he wanted in 1960 when he went shopping for a truck. Mummie Dearest though told him, "NO STUDECLUNKERS under ANY circumstances. Thou shalt buy a Chevy!" And being the all American wearing-the-Pants-in-the-family manly man that he was, dear old Dad did exactly what he was told. He bought the Chevy and was never happy with it! I'm tempted to have this truck repainted (when I come across that rare thing called money) a dark green with a white top just like Dad would have wanted. In the meantime I like the blue.

[studeclunker]

Well, I wasn't successful in getting the old fellow to run after setting the firing order correctly. Runs like a top since my friend (and professional mechanic) Katchi tinkered with it. Boy did he crow like a rooster when it started up! Seems they set the firing order same as a Chevy and it was only firing on two cylinders. I think he likes this old truck. In between his many other projects Katchi has been tinkering with the old fellow. Seems the front brake shoes were improperly installed and he corrected that. Looks like the P.O. did a brake job recently as the shoes and associated parts don't even look much used. Drove it regularly from the Sacramento area and back... yeah, right. Ah well. Looks like it'll be another two weeks or so before I can drive it. Maybe I'll borrow the movie camera and figure out how to post video to the 'tube. After all that gets done though, I have to look into doing the windlace and door seals. They flap around a bit in the door frames at the moment. First though I have to get all that cat hair off the seat...

[t1003nl]

You can never have too many Champ trucks!

I wish I could find them that solid here in Michigan!

Nice find - enjoy!!