Champ with 64-66 front end.

[StudeDave57]

Glad to hear it!!! I look forward to your report.

[1962larksedan]

I like the OP's Stude truck but the curvy bed does clash a bit visually with the 1964-66 car style front half.

[sals54]

I've always thought if a 64 "cab" was to be used, the longer 2 door sedan would be a great donor. More leg room, (6' 2" 235 lbs) doesn't fit too well in the stock cabs as it is. I'm not sure the proportions would be perfect, but the fit would be right on.

[Da Tinman]

I like it a lot! slap a set of mid 60s chevy stepside fenders on it and you'll be good.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=65+chevy+stepside&qpvt=65+chevy+stepside&FORM=IGRE#view=detail&id=A8499CD9D5644BDF14BD13F20FCE0FBD06B50103&selectedIndex=21

[StudeRich]

Sal I also thought about how cool that would be to use a 2 Door Sedan front half, but then I realised why the Wagonaire is a better fit to not only match the length of the Champ Cab but the main reason is the extra tall roof should come close to fitting the Cab Back Wall and gives more headroom.

I suppose anybody with a Torch could make just about anything fit but this Truck looked REALLY Good at the Portland International Meet even though it looked a bit oxidized and dirty like any everyday driver, it was Stratto Blue.

It has a real Truckers tuff look about it, with the more square front clip and it has the good heater system that can actually Defrost the windows!

[Warren Webb]

I have long felt that Studebaker should have updated the Champ like this. The original Champ was nothing but a 60 Lark 4 door sedan on a truck chassis with minor modifications to the cab. Now if they had done the same thing to the 63 body think of the savings that would have led. Stamping the different fenders, cowl, inner structure & as this one shows, even the dash cost additional money they didnt have. The savings in numbers would have helped. Perhaps even more have the Champ assembled along with the car line. The truck plant could have been cut back to only assemble Avanti contributing to even more savings. I remember seeing a prototype 1 ton Champ. So then kill off the big trucks (that didnt amount to significant numbers anyway) and lean things to make the break even lower.

As the car line was updated so too the Champ would have received upgrades & making it more saleable, at no substantial cost in tooling.

[ole 64]

Got the Phantom home last week and took a few photos. Have plans to change interior color, new dash and steering wheel. Truck sits too low so have ordered new front coils and will cut them conservativley. For the rear, will add some leaf springs to get the correct rake. (higher rear-lower front) The truck appears to be a 64-66 four door with the rear half of a Champ T-cab very professionally grafted on. The bed is a P-1 stepside that has been channeled to get the correct body lines to match. The engine number appears to be a 64 full flow with automatic transmission. The front brakes are disc and the rear is a 9 inch Ford.

[StudeRich]

Interesting Fuel Filler door in the rear of the Bed, it must have a brand "X" rear Tank.

[stude1964]

Neat truck! I remember a guy from NY who came to York back in the '80's. He put a '64/6 'cab' on his rusted out T Cab. It looked pretty good w/the fleetside bed.
Rob in PA.

[stude1964]

I also liked the late Lark 'gauges' in the dash as opposed to the original idiot lights of the '59/'60 variety.
Rob in PA.

[junior]

cool pick up, good score...but too low in the front? those word don't exist in my vocabulary lol lol. why not just hike the rear ever so slightly, like maybe just enough so the top of the rim is even with the top edge of the rear fender lip and see how she looks before changing the front ride height...just a suggestion. regards, Junior.

[candbstudebakers]

As per my original post here are 4 pictures of my 60 being converted to a 64 using the front sheet metal from a 64 Daytona hardtop. still looking for one of it painted and done.

[scott.rodgers]

Wayne,

Nice score! This is the same car I saw for sale a few years ago - purple interior and all. I wanted it then, or at least one done in the same way. As you learn more about your new purchase, post the details on how it was built - was it a cut up 4 door or Cruiser with a Champ cab rear welded on, etc. Inquiring minds want to know!

[mbstude]

'Course that Champ for sale reminded me of this one...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20554[/ATTACH]

There was a truck nearly identical to that one at a Florida SDC meet almost a decade ago. Looked just like that, but I remember it having a Hawk front bumper.

[ole 64]

I had it on a lift today to do some brake repairs and got a chance to look underneath real good. Appears the front coils had some heat applied to lower the front. The rear has only two leaf springs. Interesting note is that there is an x-member so I am thinking -convertible or Avanti frame. It does have disc brakes up front. I passed this info along to Jamie Mcleod and he thinks it may have been a Wagonair. The wheelbase is 111".

Matthew, I think you may be right. I have some pictures of the car when it was in Tennessee(I think). The P.O. I got the car from said he drove it to work in SC one day and a contract worker there inquired about it. He said it was a car his father built some years ago in Alabama. All this is heresay but I would love to know specific details.