1940 Studebaker Champion

Dual Cowl Phaeton by Derham

Built for Frank Tracy Griswold II of Wayne, PA., Millionaire, race car builder, driver, and accomplished machinist.

Griswold's claim to fame was on October 2nd, 1948, winning the first, 4 Lap 6.6 mile 'Round the Gorge' Watkins Glen Junior Prix. The Griswold car also proved victorious in the 8-lap Grand Prix. The winning car was a blue 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B, one of 30 built. Griswold was the first to introduce Alfa Romeos to the United States. Griswold participated in the Indy 500 during his racing career.

The Studebaker is one-of-a-kind Derham-bodied custom, built for Mrs. Griswold for her 21st birthday gift. Phaeton-style bodies were no longer available from the factory. Griswold purchased a 1939 Studebaker Champion 4-door sedan and contracted Derham Body Company of Rosemont, PA, to fabricate an aluminum body from the cowl back; it was completed in 1940.

An unusual feature about this car is the fact that they used a Champion model instead of a top-of-the-line President or Commander. The car was equipped with a Magneto fabricated at the Griswold MFG. Company.

by Dan Vaughan

Custom Coupe

The Champion was Studebaker's best-seller in 1940. Studebaker's successful 1939 Champion featured only minor improvements for 1940, including sealed-beam headlights and an interior hood release. Over 60,000 Champions were built in 1940. Power was supplied from a 6-cylinder inline engine displacing 164.3 cubic inches and offering nearly 80 horsepower.

Production of the Studebaker Champion began in 1939 and continued for nearly twenty years, ending in 1958 when it was replaced by the Studebaker Lark. The Studebaker Champion was a very important model because, at the time of its introduction, the Studebaker Company entered receivership. The Great Depression had taken its toll on the company and nearly forced it out of business. The success of the Studebaker Champion would determine the future of the Studebaker Company.

This was a new model for Studebaker. The design was new and did not borrow from any of its sibling automobiles; it was simple and clean. It was the work of Raymond Loewy. The selected amenities and components were appropriate. They had been chosen after doing research into what the public most desired in an automobile. Thought and planning continued into the automotive components, which were rather advanced from an engineering standpoint. Under the hood was a pushrod engine that provided suitable power to the very lightweight automobile. It was given awards by Mobilgas for its superior fuel economy. During World War II when fuel was rationed, the popularity of the Studebaker Champion was highly sought after.

The Studebaker Champion carried a sticker price of just $660 at the close of the 1930's. This very low price made the vehicle even more attractive and would go on to become one of the best-selling models for the Studebaker Company.

A new design was being prepared for 1947. In 1946 the Champion carried the same bodyshell as those of the pre-war Champions. They were designated Skyway Champion models.

A very low-priced Champion model was introduced in 1957 called the Champion Scotsman. The vehicle was void of any extra amenities and all that was left was the bare essentials. The purpose of the vehicle was to give customers a low-cost alternative and to better compete with the larger Automobile Manufacturers who were offering the same type of vehicle at a very low cost.

by Dan Vaughan