BSA Winter campout with 62 Champ

[53starliner]

I drove a Studebaker last weekend! We had a Boy Scout winter campout this past weekend here in NH. I brought the 62 Champ out of hibernation for the event, because no one else had a truck available to haul the gear. When we got there Friday nite, temp was 5 degrees. The truck sat all Friday nite, Saturday and Saturday nite. Sunday morning, when it was time to load up, the temp was -9 degrees. The Champ started right up. Another leader had a Geo Tracker that wouldn't start. I jumped him with the Champ. Needless to say, everyone was impressed! The dirt road into the camp was drifted over, but the twin traction made it with ease. Fortunately, the paved roads were dry, and the Champ is again asleep in the barn. The Scouts love my Stude, and a few are interested in the Auto Mechanics merit badge as a result. I'll bet we will have a few enthusiasts coming along. I've used the Champ on several scouting events, and I always get into good conversations because of it. I've had this Champ for some 30 years now, and it has over 300k miles on the clock. I've painted it three times, it's been to South Bend three times, Florida, Nova Scotia, Toronto, and York countless times. This is a drivers club! It is all the more impressive to drive a Stude in these temperatures...it gets noticed.

Fred

[okc63avanti]

Fred,

Great post and a great way to represent the SDC, thanks for volunteering for the Boy Scouts, one of the finest organizations in the world.

John


63R-2386 under restoration & modification

[Gary1953]

Aren't Boy Scouts suppose to be dependable?
Looks like you are helping to show them what dependable is.


Gary Sanders
Nixa, MO
President Toy Studebaker Collectors Club. Have an interest in Toy Studebakers? Contact me for details.

[stevel200]

I drove a '63 Cruiser when I was in college (still have it) in the '80's in Pittsburgh. I had the oldest car on campus, always got some ribbing about it. Until their Hondas and Toyotas wouldn't start in the cold. Guess who they called for a jump start? It never failed me!

[jackb]

another classic story to be told about cold weather starting....1993, Maine in January. Temp = 5 degrees I come out of the motel to find an elderly gentleman looking over my Champ truck...he goes on about what a deadbeat vehicle Studebaker made and how they went out of business because of, among other things, poor heaters and difficulty starting in cold weather....I told him that my Champ started every time due to a good tune up and daily driving. He insisted that, tho he never owned one, it was "common knowledge" that they were terrible in the cold weather and thats why you never saw them up north/and in Maine.......I hop inside, step once to the floor, and the Carter 4bbl starts up flawlessly. Kick it down to mid-idle and go back to the room to get luggage and fiancee....Come back out with the bags and find the old gent can't get his car started......He insisted on calling AAA and rejected me pulling out the jumpers from the truck....hehehe hahaha

[ozarkman]

When I was in the Boy Scouts back in the '80's, our Scout Master drove old '50's cars. He didn't trust the newer cars![:0] None of them were were Studes.[B)]

From deep in the Ozarks...

Fred