Body / Glass: 61 champ grill, etc

[Randy Lorenz]

I am restoring a 61 champ that I found about 38 years after my Dad sold it. Someone has had it painted and changed a few things, I am trying to restore this truck to original as possible, I am just wondering if someone can give me some expert guidance. When I bought the truck it had a chrome grill in it and I am 99% sure it had a painted grill originally. I know at least that the chrome grill is not the original because it has 1963 written on the back of it.

So I am going to assume that the original grill was white and I know that the truck had the chrome trim on the front fenders.

My questions are:
1. If the grill is white were the front signal light grills white or could they have been chrome.
2. If the grill was white would the original front bumper have been white or could it have been chrome.

The truck had some kind of mirror on the passenger side front fender that as far as I can tell someone put it on because I can not find any other pictures of champs that have a mirror in that location (it was about 1/2 way back on the front fender).

For safety I want to put mirrors on both sides that I will likely purchase from Studebaker-International.

If the grill was white and it had the piece of chrome trim....would the outside mirrors have been white or chrome.

I appears that the mirror is only available in chrome but the arm & spacer & bracket are in available in chrome or painted.

3. What is the most likely scenario if the truck would have had mirrors on both sides.

I bought the rear taillight brackets from Classic Enterprises.

4. Should these be painted white or the truck color (Apache Red)

Thanks
Randy

[Skybolt]

Maybe the best way to go is to get a production order, that's if they are available for trucks. That would tell you what trim level and any other options that your truck came with.

From what I have seen though, the trucks that had painted grille had painted turn signal/parking light housings and bumpers, usually white.

Hope this is of some help as I am not that familiar with truck things.

Len

[Randy Lorenz]

Thanks Len I will look in to that.

Randy

[Commander Eddie]

Randy, I responded to your earlier thread with some photos.

[rbisacca]

Randy,
Is your truck a T4 standard or T6 deluxe? The chrome fender mouldings (spell check wants me to use moldings but Studebaker used mouldings) indicate it is a T6. Therefore, it would have had a chrome grille and chrome signal lamps. The mirrors were accessories so could have been either chrome or paint. I believe the tail light brackets were always black. I'm not sure but I think the chrome front bumper was an option on both the T6 and T4.
Hope this helps,
Bob

[Skip Lackie]

I do not have access to my parts book or truck data book right now, but will try to answer your questions from memory. Will be glad to be corrected if I am wrong. Can check my facts later in the week.

Champs were available in both standard (T4) and deluxe (T6) trim. The code is stamped on a plate on the passenger side cowl. The T6 trucks came with more shiny trim, including chrome grille, directional signals, mirrors, and other stuff. As I recall (could be wrong), chrome bumper(s) were not automatically included with the deluxe package, but could be ordered separately. And all of the T6 bits could be ordered separately for a T4 truck. Dealers routinely added this stuff at the request of owners or to improve the chances of selling a plain-jane truck.

You are correct -- the fender-mounted mirror is not correct. Those that SI sells for trucks are correct, and were originally available in both white and chrome.

The tail lamp brackets were originally painted black. I have seen some painted white, but doubt it they came that way.

Studebaker included somewhat different items in the T6 package in different years, so don't be surprised if the above was not exactly true for your year truck.

Edit: Agree with Bob's post above. We both typed ours at the same time, but he beat me to the punch.

[Randy Lorenz]

Hi Skip, Thanks for the response. The tag on the passenger side cowl says 6E-T6 so that would make it the deluxe model. So now I am reconsidering my thoughts that the grill was painted.
I knew that some of this could wind up being an either/or situation so I think that I will go with the following unless something comes up on the production order.

Chrome grill, chrome front signals, chrome outside mirrors, chrome front and rear bumper, black rear tail light brackets.

I don't think I could be proven wrong on any of the above choices (unless the production order dictates otherwise) could I?

Thanks
Randy

[Randy Lorenz]

Hi Bob, Thanks for the reply. Skip stated the same info as you and I responded to his post.

Cheers
Randy

[62champ]

Looks like everyone has got you the information you needed.

One item - according to information I have seen, Studebaker never offered chrome bumpers, front or rear, on the Champ trucks - from the factory they were white in the front and I believe silver for the rear. This is not to say that dealers did not take bumpers, send them out to have the plated and mounted on a vehicle.

When you get the opportunity, make sure you enter your information in the '61 Champ forum registry and congrats on finding a vehicle that was sold off so many years back.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...forum-registry

[rbisacca]

I just rechecked my parts books and sure enough, no front chrome bumpers are listed for the Champ. But strangely, chrome bumpers were listed as ( spec. equip. ) on the 3E & 4E trucks. Even stranger, a rear chrome bumper is listed for the 7E & 8E models.

[StudeRich]

No Chrome Bumpers for '61 Champs, also NO Black Tail Lights, all trim not Chromed on a T6 were Off-White, the Standard slightly Yellow White, Including Bumpers and the Mirror Brackets.

I would never put a Chrome Bumper in the Rear, but many have added Chrome front ones and no one will complain, they look good.

I have a lot of Champ Truck Pics, but every one of the narrow Bed, P1 Beds have been Restored and the Tail Lights repainted Black or body Color, which explains WHY so many here THINK they are correct.

Your Head Light Rims on a T6 would be Chrome and it should have a Sliding Rear Window.

[62champ]

Here is a rear end that might have gotten it right - and it is a '61 to boot.

Wonder if the listing for the 7/8E rear chrome bumpers are the leftovers from the C-cabs.

[Randy Lorenz]

Thanks for the great info, every bit helps with doing this right the first time. I do have the chrome headlight rims and a sliding back window.

Is the off-white you are referring to called parchment white?

Would the rims be the same white as the bumpers, and mirror brackets?

Putting a white bumper on will make it much easier since I don’t have a bumper yet. Now finding a back bumper may be a little harder. Anybody have a suggestion where to try and find one?

Thanks
Randy

- - - Updated - - -

Nice, thanks for the picture, it helps a bunch.

[StudeRich]

Yes, "some" Parchment Whites are close enough.

[Skip Lackie]

I do not have access to my parts book or truck data book right now, but will try to answer your questions from memory. Will be glad to be corrected if I am wrong. Can check my facts later in the week.

Champs were available in both standard (T4) and deluxe (T6) trim. The code is stamped on a plate on the passenger side cowl. The T6 trucks came with more shiny trim, including chrome grille, directional signals, mirrors, and other stuff. As I recall (could be wrong), chrome bumper(s) were not automatically included with the deluxe package, but could be ordered separately. And all of the T6 bits could be ordered separately for a T4 truck. Dealers routinely added this stuff at the request of owners or to improve the chances of selling a plain-jane truck.

You are correct -- the fender-mounted mirror is not correct. Those that SI sells for trucks are correct, and were originally available in both white and chrome.

The tail lamp brackets were originally painted black. I have seen some painted white, but doubt it they came that way.

Studebaker included somewhat different items in the T6 package in different years, so don't be surprised if the above was not exactly true for your year truck.

Edit: Agree with Bob's post above. We both typed ours at the same time, but he beat me to the punch.

Can confirm some of the above and add a bit more info after consulting some of my books. Deluxe T6 trucks came with chrome/stainless grille, park lamp housings, w/s trim mldgs, fender trim, hub caps, gas cap, vent windows. Plus bunch of other stuff, like sliding rear window, dome lamp, padded dash, two arm rests and sun visors, etc. Front bumpers were painted off white. Rear bumpers were optional, (technically only painted, but the chrome one will fit because it was the same one as used on C-cabs). Directional signals were optional, either painted or chrome. They don't seem to have been tied into the T4/T6 differences, but most C4/T6 trucks I have seen had chrome signal housings. Outside mirrors were optional, whether painted, chrome head only, or all chrome. I suspect most people who spent the extra money to get a deluxe truck probably went ahead and spent another few dollars to get chrome signal housings and mirrors.

I have no definitive info regarding the tail lamp brackets, but I looked at three original Champs, both T4 and T6, and they all had black tail lamp brackets. With the P2 bed, almost none of it shows anyway.