Body / Glass: Champ rear bumper

[NCDave51]

Has anyone found an aftermarket rear bumper to fit the 60-64 Champ? Painted/primed but not chromed.

I’d heard everything from the later VW Bus to Ford styleside bumpers, but I’d prefer to leave the license plate in the stock position, ie no recess in the bumper blade.

Thanks in advance.

[StudeRich]

In my opinion, not everyone's, the protruding Step Bumper, NOT flush Mounted is the best option and I would love to find one for my 8E7.

Like this or very similar, in Calif. they were made by "Safe-T".

Or this:
Champ Styleside Boxes have a built in (hidden) License Light and bracket below the tailgate that works perfectly as it was designed for this type of bumper. So those Left and Right Light holes are not needed on Studebaker's.

Nowadays, not too many Farmers use Pickups to dump Hay, Gravel, Grain or Sand and have a need to drop the Tailgate almost straight down requiring a flush Bumper or None.

[r1lark]

Look at repro bumpers for the first generation Ford Bronco. Someone recently posted pics on the forum about using these on a Champ but I couldn't find the post.

[jts359]

Here is our rear bumper from a early Bronco (repro), The brackets are from a 1955 sedan which go straight thru the rear panel. There is a support behind the bumper which is a lateral support from a 2007 Ford pick up bed in which the brackets are welded to and the bumper is bolted to it . The hanger for the license plate is just Aluminum angle and by turning the original license light 180degrees it lights up the plate pretty good , Ed

[rbisacca]

[NCDave51]

rbisacca: that is a gem of a document - I’d seen exactly this type of bumper in so many Champ pictures but always figured they were home-built or otherwise non-Studebaker. Thanks very much for sharing.

And thanks all for the replies. Gives me some good ideas to think on.

[jts359]

I forgot to mention I have a similar bumper to what you are looking for , You may have it for free , I had it on my Champ , I will post pictures if you are interested, You can pick it up in N.J. , Ed

[NCDave51]

Anchors aweigh! 7E7-17438 got a much needed “facelift” at her rear end.

Even though I had “notched” it to display the license plate more clearly (see an example “pre-notched” pic), this custom bumper finally had to go. I really disliked the massive look it gave the Champ.

As a significant PO, ”jackb” shared with me the story of how this Champ trailered other Studebakers around the Midwest show circuit many years ago, and a serious hitch was installed in this heavy-gauge steel beam of a bumper. With an angle grinder and SawzAll, she was detached with little grief today. Honestly, I probably just saved about 80-100lbs of dead weight back there.

Not sure if I’m even going to put one any time soon. I really like the factory look for now.

(Just a reminder everyone please wear your eye and hearing protection when using any cut off equipment - most of us here are very confident in the garage, but it just takes a split second to have a wheel or blade and do some serious and often permanent personal injury. Thanks.)

[StudeRich]

All I can say is that beefy Bumper DID afford some very good Protection for the rear of your Truck.

< Like Mine does NOT have!
I think it is interesting How much this one resembles yours, but with the License and Hitch recess.
Well, maybe except the HEIGHT!

[jts359]

Hi I glad you found a nice bumper But your warning about eye protection is something all of us should listen to , As someone who has had a piece of a nail removed from an eye I can tell you it is a scary experience , Wear your safety glasses ! Ed

[62champ]

This is the “stock” bumper that Studebaker offered. Is probably 1/3 the weight of the one you removed. Think it was just enough to keep from bending the closed tailgate at sub-10 mph reverse speeds.

[NCDave51]

Aside from mishaps like reversing into something and not having a step-up into the bed at the ready, I’m simply putting it back how my truck left the plant in late March 1962. Like the brochure shows, plenty of Champs like mine were built minus the bumper option. My only option originally was the 11” clutch.

The early Bronco style suggested in the above threads would be the likely one I’ll reinstall, if I ever decide to go down that path.

[Bud]

I used a rear bumper for a 79 Ford F150 on my 64 Champ . It was a new chrome bumper, I wanted chrome because the front bumper was chrome. The only catch was that the bumper had to be notched slightly to fit the contour of the bed which took about 15 minutes to accomplish. Bud

[tsenecal]

I like the look of the truck without the bumper, but personally would probably want some sort of protection back there. Another story about face shields, I just had a car buddy that had a cut off disc explode. He was wearing safety glasses, but about a quarter of the disc came off and lodged in his neck, cutting his jugular vein. He was alone, and ended up stinking two fingers into the wound and holding pressure there. The ambulance hauled him to our local hospital, then life flight to Salt Lake City. He kept those two fingers there for the trip, and they were extracted, along with the die grinder disc, during surgery. Ya'll be careful in the shop!