Hello again and welcome to another Hooniverse Truck Thursday. Being the automotive experts that you are, I doubt that the Studebaker Pickup is unknown to you, except I found three rather rare ones, but I’m keeping the third as a surprise, as you will have to make the jump to see it…


Here is an ultra rare 1937 Studebaker Coup-Express J-5 Pickup, and all I have to say about this truck is WOW. It was one of the first trucks that tried to combine passenger car comfort with the utility of a pickup. According to the listing:

It was Created utilizing the Dictator Passenger Car Frame, Running Gear, and Cab. It is powered by an L-Head Six Cylinder Flathead Motor, and mated to a 3spd Manual Transmission with Centrifugal Overdrive. The All Steel Bed features a Corrugated Floor Design, and Double Wall Construction.

The All Steel Cab is Fully Insulated and Lined. Appointments include Variable Ratio Steering, Three Passenger Leather Seating with Adjustable Back, Full Car Instrumentation, Locking Glove Box, Warm Air Defroster, Ash Tray, Arm Rests, Vent Windows, and Interior Illumination. Additionally, this Coupe-Express is optioned with Radio and Clock. The ’37 Coup-Express was a milestone vehicle in the history of Studebaker, being its first mass produced Pickup.

Asking price for this unique truck is $48,495! Let me know if you think this truck is worth the asking price, and take a look at the listing in Hemmings here.

Almost as rare, here is a 1961 Studebaker Champ Pickup that has received a cosmetic restoration. It is equipped with a V-8, probably Studebaker’s own 289, but the listing doesn’t say so, as well as an Automatic Transmission. According to the listing:

Very Nice Restoration – It’s not everyday we see a Studebaker Pickup. This one is a very nice cosmetic restoration. Body and paint are extremely nice. Frame off done at Lafayette Auto Body. This beauty will turn heads wherever you go.

The original asking price for this Red and White machine was $24,995, but it has been marked down to $21,995. Is this Truck worth it? See the listing in Hemmings here.

Now for the Surprise. Here is a customized 1953 Studebaker Starlite Commander Coupe that has been reworked as a Go Kart Hauler, originally in 1958. This thing is beyond breathtaking, with a modified 1955 Studebaker President 259 CID V-8 with period correct accessories. I’ll let the listing do the talking:

A 1953 Studebaker with an Est. 200+ hp modified 1955 Studebaker President 259 cu. in. V8 engine, vintage Stu-V intake manifold with dual Stromberg WW carburetors, Borg-Warner/Studebaker T86 three-speed manual transmission with overdrive, independent front suspension, live rear axle, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

– First built and customized in 1958
– First shown at the 1959 Oakland Roadster Show
– Painstakingly restored by DIck Steinkamp and featured in numerous magazines
– Displayed again at the 2009 Grand National Roadster Show
– Invited to appear at the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show to join an elite gathering of the most historically significant customs in the world. “Customs Then and Now”

This stunning 1953 Studebaker coupe-based vintage show car was first built in 1958 by Lee Talbot and Sam Chakries and first shown at the 1959 Oakland Roadster show, known today as the Grand National Roadster Show. Combining the aerodynamic Studebaker frontal design of the early 1950s with a pickup bed, similar in concept to the Ford Ranchero or Australian “Utes” of the era, the Kart Hauler was literally designed to haul the fast go-karts that were popular during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The resurrected “Kart Hauler” includes a faithful reproduction of the popular late-1950s/early-1960s Rupp Dart “A Bone” go-kart. Features include twin West Bend 820 engines with 13,000-rpm redlines, an Airheart hydraulic brake and period-perfect wheels, tires and upholstery.

Asking price for this Minty Fresh Stude? $65,500, and it is negotiable. See the listing from Hemmings here.

What a great way to start the New Year with a Studebaker Truck Thursday… Let me know what you think.