Junkyard Gem: 1958 Studebaker 3E Transtar

The primary Studebakers in-built North America have been wagons made by German immigrant Peter Stutenbecker within the British Province of Maryland in 1740, and the primary Studebaker vehicles have been 1914 fashions. Studebaker grew to become a mighty truck powerhouse throughout World Struggle II, when near 200,000 Studebaker US6s have been shipped to the Pink Military to assist them crush the Axis. After the struggle, Studebaker continued constructing pickups; we noticed a used-up 1962 Champ final winter, and now at present’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-Collection pickup wasn’t a lot modified from its late-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 vehicles for the 1954 mannequin 12 months, and patrons of the 1958 3E may 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 switch 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 Nineteen Sixties, rated at 250 horsepower for the 1964 mannequin 12 months.

The transmission is a column-shift three-speed guide. Aftermarket swap adapters for an unlimited assortment of engine/transmission mixtures have been out there through the Nineteen Sixties and Nineteen Seventies, although this truck might have acquired a matched Buick Particular drivetrain mixture.

It had an electrically-actuated overdrive in some unspecified time in the future. These Dymo embossed labels have been very talked-about for automobile 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 subsequently larger 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 value restoring, although it nonetheless has some helpful elements to contribute to different vehicles.

For the 1960 mannequin 12 months, the E-Collection chassis acquired a cab based mostly 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 automobile manufacturing limped on for 2 extra years in Canada (humiliatingly, with Chevrolet engines).

Why would you purchase some other truck?