While best remembered today for their line of decals, the Champion Model Company of Cleveland, OH, started out with O gauge models, which included according to the Trade Topics column in the May 1941 issue of Model Railroader, “over 50 different O gauge reefer car sides …. nearly all … available in two or more changes of car numbers.” A few pages earlier in the same issue we find their advertisement:

The line included a 40’ wood boxcar, 36’ and 40’ (and 42′) wood reefers, and wood 45’ milk reefers. The body they shipped out with the kits is identical to those made by Picard, and was likely actually made by Picard, as they offered to make wood body parts for other makers. The kits had no metal parts, only a wood body with printed cardboard sides and cardboard material for the ends and roof ribs. They could be built up into a very nice car with a bit of skill.

It is much more common to see the sides as packaged for separate sale. I have the sense that this line of cars or car sides did not sell well and it was not advertised after WWII, but for sure a fair number of the sides were manufactured and got out to OO gaugers.

A final note being if you have these vintage cars or printed sides, keep them out of light and store them carefully. The ink is not as colorfast as paint and I have examples that have faded badly over the years.

Article updated 2021, please see my book for more on Champion OO.