Studebaker Champ
The Studebaker Champ was a light duty pickup truck produced from 1960 until 1964. The chassis was the same light duty truck chassis that had been built since 1949 while the cab was adapted from the Lark automobile line. The Champ featured a sliding rear window from the beginning. That is a popular light truck feature still in use today. The Studebaker Champ was the first light duty truck to be rationally-sized yet still a rugged pickup, something Dodge later claimed as a “first” with their mid-sized Dakota, which was introduced as a 1987 model, nearly 27 years after the Champ.
The Champ owner had the choice of 2 six cylinder or 2 V8 engines. Transmissions included 3,4, or 5 speed manual or a Borg Warner built automatic. The use of the Lark body as a starting place for the cab allowed for a wide comfortable bench seat and nicely styled interior. These were features not common in trucks of the era. Power steering was never an option available on the Champ.