The primary Studebakers in-built North America had been wagons made by German immigrant Peter Stutenbecker within the British Province of Maryland in 1740, and the primary Studebaker vans had been 1914 fashions. Studebaker turned a mighty truck powerhouse throughout World Struggle II, when near 200,000 Studebaker US6s had been shipped to the Pink Military to assist them crush the Axis. After the battle, Studebaker continued constructing pickups; we noticed a used-up 1962 Champ final winter, and now at this time’s Junkyard Gem is an instance of the Champ’s predecessor, present in a Wyoming self-service yard just lately.
The 1955-1960 Studebaker E-Sequence pickup wasn’t a lot modified from its late-Nineteen Forties 2R ancestors, however it did get a one-piece windshield and a secondary grille mounted within the hood.
Studebaker started placing its overhead-valve V8 into U.S.-market vans for the 1954 mannequin 12 months, and patrons of the 1958 3E might get a Studebaker 259-cubic-inch (4.2-liter) V8 rated at 170 horsepower and 250 pound-feet … however that is not the engine on this truck now. This seems to be an early member of the Buick small-block V8 household, most likely swapped in to interchange a Studebaker flathead straight-six.
The rusty block signifies that it isn’t an aluminum 215, so my guess (going by the valve covers and four-barrel consumption) is that it is a “Wildcat 355” 300-cubic-incher from the center Sixties, rated at 250 horsepower for the 1964 mannequin 12 months.
The transmission is a column-shift three-speed handbook. Aftermarket swap adapters for an unlimited assortment of engine/transmission combos had been obtainable through the Sixties and Seventies, although this truck could have obtained a matched Buick Particular drivetrain mixture.
It had an electrically-actuated overdrive sooner or later. These Dymo embossed labels had been very talked-about for automotive dashes a half-century in the past.
Within the mattress, we discover a flathead straight-six engine and different classic parts.
Studebaker made an extra-cheap model of this truck referred to as the Scotsman, however this truck had the nicer grille (you’ll be able to see the mounting holes across the headlight openings) and was due to this fact increased up on the 3E meals chain. Costs for the half-ton 3E for 1958 ranged from $1,595 to $1,936 (about $17,048 to $20,693 in 2023 {dollars}).
It is too far gone to be price restoring, although it nonetheless has some helpful components to contribute to different vans.
For the 1960 mannequin 12 months, the E-Sequence chassis obtained a cab primarily based on the entrance physique of the Studebaker Lark sedan, giving Studebaker a not-so-dated-looking pickup to compete with Detroit’s sleeker choices. The final 12 months for Studebaker pickups was 1964, after which Studebaker automotive manufacturing limped on for 2 extra years in Canada (humiliatingly, with Chevrolet engines).
Why would you purchase every other truck?
