Rare R2: 1964 Studebaker Champ Pickup – Sold?

January 2, 2023, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

Entering the 1960s, independent automaker Studebaker was on the ropes financially.  With virtually all of its R&D money being spent on the upcoming Avanti, Studebakers’ engineers had little money left to update its already decade-old pickup truck design.  Desperate times call for out-of-the-box thinking, and the result was the Champ pickup that relied heavily on the company’s Lark line. Studebaker’s supercharged R2 289 cubic inch V8 engine was a desirable but rarely selected option.  We spotted this 1964 Studebaker Champ 3/4 Ton long bed pickup on Craigslist in November 2022 in Stow, Massachusetts (Boston). Besides featuring power steering and the rare R-2 supercharged V8, this Champ’s sliding glass rear window is a tell this truck features a deluxe cab with upgraded trim and a padded dashboard.

Once offered for $13,750, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is slightly below the five-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for Studebaker Champ pickups produced between 1960 and 1964.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the truck featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $11,900 and its #2 “Very Good” appraisal of $19,600 before factoring premiums for the rare R2-supercharged 289 cubic inch V8 and the deluxe cab.

Studebaker Launched its new Champ pickup in 1960 at a time when the company was hurting for money. Consequently, the company’s engineers had to devise innovative ways to save money to update the previous ten-year-old model.  Ultimately, this meant using the same chassis, dating back to 1949.  While an entirely new cab was out of the question because of cost considerations, engineers realized the company’s new compact Lark body was about the right size and shape to suit the purpose. The engineering staff took a four-door sedan, cut it in half behind the front doors, and modified the front half slightly to fit the truck chassis. The only new sheet metal stamping required was the back wall of the new cab as the addition of a full-width cargo box, the Spaceside, was made possible by tooling Studebaker purchased from Dodge. Minor modifications for mounting the cab to the 1949 vintage truck frame were also made.  Engineers also used Lark’s front-end sheet metal, but funds were allocated to give the Champ a new horizontal bar grille that delivered a “tougher” look.

This video posted on the Offbeat Motors YouTube Channel provides a nice history of the Studebaker Champ:

The limited pictures provided by the seller reinforce the seller clearly used this 1964 Studebaker Champ 3/4 ton pickup for sale for hauling duties.  The seller mentions their truck features a five-speed manual transmission, which we do not believe was available when new, so you’ll need to interview the seller about those details.  The next caretaker looks to have the choice between continuing to use this Champ pickup for daily hauling duty or restoring it to its former glory.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Restore or Drive As-is: What would you do with this 1964 Studebaker Champ 3/4 Ton pickup for sale?  Please comment below and let us know!