The 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee has generated significant buzz for its supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi engine, producing an impressive 777 horsepower. This powerplant is a nod to Stellantis' truck brand's rich history of high-performance vehicles. The legendary 1999 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning comes to mind, with only 360 supercharged horses in its stable. However, the birth of the supercharged pickup can be traced back even further to the 1963 Studebaker Champ.
Studebaker's pickup was a result of the company's efforts to stay competitive in the market, which led to some innovative compromises and experiments. The Champ would be an example of both, with its appearance being updated with body parts from its Lark sedan. This approach allowed Studebaker to maintain its production line while still introducing new features.
Studebaker had already begun making a name for itself by supercharging its cars during the previous decade. In 1963, it finally brought that technology to its pickup truck, but unfortunately, the company closed its U.S. operations in December of the same year, and the final Studebaker ever built came off the production line in 1966.
The Champ was only built twice, and neither were sold to the public. One was used by the same Studebaker division responsible for engineering the superchargers themselves, and the other is believed to have ended up at an Indianapolis Studebaker dealership. Both trucks featured Twin-Traction rear diffs with different gear ratios.
The 1963 Studebaker Champ had a unique setup, with one truck riding on a 112-inch wheelbase with a short box and the other on a 122-inch setup with a long box. Options beyond the Avanti Jet Thrust 289 Engine with supercharger were slim, but the one retained by Studebaker did get a radio.
The motivation behind the Champ's creation followed the pattern laid down in the late 1950s with Studebaker's performance-oriented Golden Hawk line. The formula included a 289-cubic-inch V8 and a McCulloch supercharger that combined for 275 horses and 333 pound-feet of torque in the cars.
The exact output of the powerplants in the supercharged trucks isn't readily available, but it is worth noting that the Ford F-100 at the time topped out with 160 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque from its naturally aspirated 292-cubic-inch V8. This innovation predates the iconic Ford SVT F-150 Lightning by nearly three decades.
The Studebaker Champ's legacy extends beyond its own production, as it paved the way for future high-performance pickups. Its innovative design and engineering continue to inspire modern truck enthusiasts and collectors alike.
This innovation predates the iconic Ford SVT F-150 Lightning by nearly three decades.
