Spotted a lovely 61 champ truck today

[t walgamuth]

I was walking the puppy an hour or so ago and spotted a nice tan champ pickup with the 53 style bed. I walked that way to have a look and the owner was out cleaning the bed liner. We conversed a while. He does not know a lot about Studes but it is a v8 with overdrive. Appears stock except for having lark turn signals. It has modern radial tires and possibly wider wheels.

I suggested he find this forum and join the Club.

[52-fan]

What do you mean by Lark turn signals?

[t walgamuth]

The little grill things next to headlights and turn signals looked wrong on the champ.

[studeclunker]

I'm kinda scratching my head on this. Do you mean that the front face had the round signals in lieu of the little chrome grilles with the angular signal lenses? Otherwise, the '61 had the same front end as all the larks did. Oh waitaminit, the Cruiser that year had the dual headlamps! Hey... now that would look cool on a Champ...

[StudeRich]

About the ONLY difference in the front panels of Champ Trucks from '60 to '64 would be the Amber Parking Light Lenses on '63-'64's and the '60 Lark Air Inlet/Parking Light Housings on ALL '60 Champ's only.

The '61 to '64 uses '59 Lark Housings with horizontal "Bars" instead of the '60 Lark Grille Mesh.

Some 3/4 Ton Champs, mostly non-Pickups could have had Class A round fender top mounted Turn Signals ordered like those on Transtars. But still would have to have Lark Air Vent/Parking Lights as usual.

A 1960 Champ.
Fender side Mouldings follow body line as do '62-'64's but have a concave dished in the center profile.
The advertised as a " '61" could be a '60.

[Ron Dame]

What do you mean by Lark turn signals?

More importantly, what kind of puppy? :-)

[t walgamuth]

More importantly, what kind of puppy? :-)

Black cockapoo. one year old. fun.

[t walgamuth]

I'm kinda scratching my head on this. Do you mean that the front face had the round signals in lieu of the little chrome grilles with the angular signal lenses? Otherwise, the '61 had the same front end as all the larks did. Oh waitaminit, the Cruiser that year had the dual headlamps! Hey... now that would look cool on a Champ... [ATTACH=CONFIG]36593[/ATTACH]

OK, the little grill below the turn signal light has vertical bars in addition to horizontal.

[StudeRich]

See Post #5, no mystery at all.

[t walgamuth]

So this truck has the 60 grills? Maybe it is a 60 model instead of 61.

[Warren Webb]

I'm kinda scratching my head on this. Otherwise, the '61 had the same front end as all the larks did. Oh waitaminit, the Cruiser that year had the dual headlamps! Hey... now that would look cool on a Champ... [ATTACH=CONFIG]36593[/ATTACH]

Ron, although the fenders would match up the front end panel had a different curve treatment on top so the early Lark hood would not match up there. also the 61 Lark had a different cowl so in order to put the 61 Lark front end panel on a Champ you would have to cut the 60 Lark hood in half to use the back portion & splice on the front half of a 61 Lark hood. Not saying it couldn't be done but ALOT of work, not a bolt on job for sure. And when it was all finished where are you going to put the air intake for the heater core, or the fresh air intake for the left side?

[StudeNewby]

Appropos of nothing, but I have always thought the "Lark design" of the Champ worked better on a truck than a car. Of course, I MAY be biased...



Nah.

[Commander Eddie]

See Post #5, no mystery at all.

Great looking truck. I have never noticed that style turn signal/vent grill before. Mine just has the horizontal bars that seem to be most prevalent. Were the ones on your truck on certain years only?

[studeclunker]

Well Warren, maybe it would be easier to cut a '62 two-door behind the door post and patch on the cab back from there. Been thinking of doing that anyway to get more leg room. The Champ cab is a touch cramped for my 6'2" frame. The main grille would fit... I think... Then again, if I cut it right behind the back window, it would give me space behind the seat for my jun... ah, tools n' stuff.

[t walgamuth]

Great looking truck. I have never noticed that style turn signal/vent grill before. Mine just has the horizontal bars that seem to be most prevalent. Were the ones on your truck on certain years only? [ATTACH=CONFIG]36612[/ATTACH]

This truck is the same color as the one I saw. My sighting had painted bumper though and white wheels.