Last Thursday morning (4-14-2016) I headed out for Colorado to retrieve a 1961 Champ from Merv Mundorf, with my rusty and sometimes trusty F-150 and trailer. I say my F-150 is only sometimes trusty because the last time I headed West to purchase a Champ, I blew out a spark plug halfway from my destination (I turned around and headed back home on seven cylinders). Anyway, I was much more successful this time. 
After arriving in Colorado with plans to attend a local Studebaker club chapter get-together at an airplane museum in Pueblo, I was warned of a severe snow storm coming in over the mountains. I didn't want to stick around and get caught in the snow, so Merv helped me load up the Champ and I was soon headed North to South Dakota to outrun the storm. Drove in light rain nearly all the way until I arrived back in Minnesota, when suddenly the sun shined in the sky and the temperature increased 25 degrees. It may have been the warmest Saturday in Minnesota so far this year.
Sunday morning I tinkered with the Champ, got it running and backed it off the trailer. Later I drove it to my sister's house and back (without functional brakes) but had to drive with my head out of the side window being that the roof is caved in so far.
I ripped the carpet out Monday and much to my surprise, the floor appears to have no rust-through and is covered with factory red paint!
As for the caved in roof (a previous owner rolled it over off a steep mountain driveway in New Mexico), I have a rusty cab with a good roof to splice onto it. Easier said then done, I'm sure.
Here I am loaded up at Merv's place near Colorado Springs. Look through the clouds, directly above the house at the center of the photo is Pike's Peak.
I have a 1962 Champ to retrieve also, but will meet Merv halfway to get it.
Here I am back home:
I'll need to find a tailgate for it. I might replace the passenger-side rear fender as I don't like the looks of the spare mounted there:
First time I had the convertible out this year:
At first I had it running on a gravity fed supply of gasoline, but then it finally started pumping gas from it's own tank out of a ruptured rubber hose atop the engine. New hose and filter, and all is good:
Not having a windshield and driver's side window proved harmful to the interior, but at least the floor is in good condition:
After arriving in Colorado with plans to attend a local Studebaker club chapter get-together at an airplane museum in Pueblo, I was warned of a severe snow storm coming in over the mountains. I didn't want to stick around and get caught in the snow, so Merv helped me load up the Champ and I was soon headed North to South Dakota to outrun the storm. Drove in light rain nearly all the way until I arrived back in Minnesota, when suddenly the sun shined in the sky and the temperature increased 25 degrees. It may have been the warmest Saturday in Minnesota so far this year.
Sunday morning I tinkered with the Champ, got it running and backed it off the trailer. Later I drove it to my sister's house and back (without functional brakes) but had to drive with my head out of the side window being that the roof is caved in so far.
I ripped the carpet out Monday and much to my surprise, the floor appears to have no rust-through and is covered with factory red paint!
As for the caved in roof (a previous owner rolled it over off a steep mountain driveway in New Mexico), I have a rusty cab with a good roof to splice onto it. Easier said then done, I'm sure.
Here I am loaded up at Merv's place near Colorado Springs. Look through the clouds, directly above the house at the center of the photo is Pike's Peak.
I have a 1962 Champ to retrieve also, but will meet Merv halfway to get it.
Here I am back home:
I'll need to find a tailgate for it. I might replace the passenger-side rear fender as I don't like the looks of the spare mounted there:
First time I had the convertible out this year:
At first I had it running on a gravity fed supply of gasoline, but then it finally started pumping gas from it's own tank out of a ruptured rubber hose atop the engine. New hose and filter, and all is good:
Not having a windshield and driver's side window proved harmful to the interior, but at least the floor is in good condition:
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