Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi, I'm contemplating starting a tiny trailer, and I just ran across this ad that was published in a site that describes the American Bantam automobile. The American Austin Car Company was the company that produced the Bantam Reconaissance Car - the >original< Jeep - from concept to delivery in only 39 days. When it became clear in 1940 that Bantam could not produce enough vehicles for the coming war, the plans and contracts were given to Willys and Ford, and Bantam was given a consolation contract to produce utility trailers - the TC3 that are still in use.

But while I was reading the article, I saw this ad:

http://theoldmotor.com/?attachment_id=97169

Has anybody ever seen one of these Bantam trailers? Do they have a specific name?

It looks like a natural for a build. Check out the left side window. What does the front end look like? As a matter of personal interest, I grew up about a 15 minute walk from the site of the American Austin Car Company. This would be a nice project. (It would also be sweet to have a Bantam roadster as a tow vehicle!)

If there are any other photos, old or new, could you please point them out to me?

A little more looking and poking around has provided some clues.

Re the profile picture where it is hitched to the panel delivery vehicle, I know that the wheelbase on Bantams was ~75", and so that should make it easier to estimate dimensions. But more than that, I'd bet that the frame was probably very much like a TC-3 (but not so beefy), which is well-documented here:

http://bantamt3c.com/images/BantamT3C/m ... ATTERN.JPG

http://bantamt3c.com/images/BantamT3C/m ... rness8.JPG

Incidentally, Coca-Cola had a novelty fleet of Bantam 'tractor-trailer' delivery vehicles that measured less 17' in total length!

Hi Bob,

Interesting find! If you can't locate a pic of the front, just check out
some of the early 1920s-1930s TT pics and newsreel videos. To me,
it seems - I'd guess - the front is a 'shovel-nose' type with a bottom flare,
and maybe somewhat of a vertical center crease in it as well.

It also appears to be one of those leatherette covered TTs of its era.

It'd make a great build to tow behind any tow vehicle. Of course, having
an original American Bantam would be the ultimate for it.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

Hi again Bob,

The Bantam TD reminded me of a pic I'd seen of a home-built 1930s
Australian TD that is very similar. Just for curiosity's sake, here's a link:

See Reply #3: http://vintagecaravans.proboards.com/in ... hread=1994

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

HI Norm/mezmo,

That was interesting look at the vintage caravans from down under. For the 1937 "Reo", I just found another that looks very similar:

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/novel-ca ... -quarters/

Not sure if it is the same trailer, but the Bantam looks a lot like the Mobile phone maintenance man trailer. I can't find my picture I saves but if you can imagine the back of this truck as a trailer and a slope nose like in the link you posted in teh first post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw00oTferM4