Great Racer: ’41 Studebaker Champion
It is appropriate that one of the owners of this sweet little car felt compelled to enter it into the 1st Great American Race. You see back in the day the Champion was indeed a champion – in fuel economy. The mantra at Studebaker in 1938 was “weight is the enemy”. We wonder if Colin Chapman worked there? Because it was light and powered by a stingy 78hp inline 6, it was a consistent winner of the Mobilgas Economy Run. Today’s featured Champion has an unbroken chain of ownership beginning in Nebraska and ending up in Colorado. It was restored back in 1983 and it still looks pretty good although some things could need to attention. But it runs well and everything is in working condition. Raymond Loewy had a hand in the design of this model and we like the suicide doors. The interior is perfectly 1940s with really nice period details like the electric shaver looking radio speaker grill. The 3-speed manual transmission is column mounted and that is no surprise. The seller was correct to leave the 1st Great American race sticker on the doors. So if you buy this one for the asking price of $7500, you will certainly be granted space in the next Great American Race now sponsored by Hemmings Motor News. Click here for the Buy It Now listing.
Car has now returned to Nebraska. It is now in the Dodson Collection on the farm at Venango. Work is being done to make the car more road worthy, and it is still for sale.
Can’t believe it is still availble. Very cool car.