In the automotive world, timing can be everything. Ford got it right when it unveiled the original Mustang because it was a carefree car that was ideal for the swinging sixties. The 1939 American Bantam sat at the other end of the spectrum. The American market needed affordable cars during the depths of The Great Depression, and while the Bantam wasn’t particularly expensive, its sticker price was perilously close to larger offerings from companies like Ford, A flooded secondhand market loaded with bargain buys sealed the car’s fate. This Bantam is an essentially complete classic that would make a fantastic restoration project. It is located in Wylie, Texas, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set the BIN at $12,800, but there is the option to make an offer. I am continually amazed by the diversity of cars that Barn Finder Larry D is able to spot for us. Thank you so much for this one, Larry.
Isn’t it cute? The American Bantam was a tiny car, and the original version that American Austin launched leaned heavily on its British Austin Seven counterpart for design features. However, the vehicle’s styling was more in keeping with American consumer tastes. When American Austin filed for bankruptcy in 1934, a gentleman named Roy Evans purchased what remained of American Austin in 1935 and renamed it American Bantam. His first order of business was to loosen the technical ties with Austin and organize a restyling of the body. This car is a product of those changes, and it is essentially complete. The panels are straight, and there is no evidence of rust in the panels, floors, or frame. The Red paint it wears isn’t original, with a previous owner performing a color change from its original shade of Blue. However, there are traces of Blue visible in several locations around the car if the buyer wishes to perform a faithful restoration. All of the exterior trim is present and in a restorable state, while the class looks pretty good.
When reflecting on the failure of the American Bantam, it’s also worth noting that its diminutive size didn’t help its cause. It was barely larger than the legendary Austin Seven and was strictly a two-seater. That made its price seem less of a bargain, especially when so many people at this time were selling larger secondhand cars for significantly less due to the dire economic circumstances. This interior shot reveals the car’s original color, and while the seat back is present, the base isn’t. The Bantam represented motoring at its most basic, so there’s no provision for any luxuries beyond the heater that this car features. The wheel has no cracks, so the buyer could restore this in a home workshop. One positive that is worth noting is that both gauge clusters are present. The right one features the speedometer, and the other houses a fuel gauge, along with those for oil pressure and battery charge. If these had been missing, it could’ve represented a significant headache because the rarity of these little classics means that replacements aren’t thick on the ground. Most interior surfaces are painted, so whipping the interior into shape shouldn’t be a difficult undertaking.
Lifting the hood on the Bantam reveals its mighty 821cc flathead four-cylinder engine that would’ve pumped out 20hp in its prime. If the rest of the drivetrain is original, that power should find its way to the rear wheels via a 3-speed manual transmission. The car might only weigh around 1,261lbs, but its performance is all that you might expect from a car with such a modest power output. Under favorable conditions, it will run out of breath at around 40mph. That isn’t fast, but it was adequate in 1939. The engine bay also reveals what could be this little gem’s sticking point. It appears that it is missing the oil filler tube and cap, the distributor, and a few other vital components. Locating replacements could be challenging, but if a faithful restoration isn’t essential, I have seen an example fitted with a small Morris four. That may be an option worth investigating further.
The American Bantam, in several forms, remained in production from 1937 until 1941. During that time, a mere 6,000 vehicles rolled off the production line. It isn’t clear how many survive, but if you are the type of person who marches to the beat of a different drummer, this might be the car for you.
Haven’t seen many left hand drive of these cars. Friend had 3 of the earlier models, a sedan, a convertible, and a coupe like this one. He was 5’10”, I was 5’6″ and both of us in the cars together didn’t leave any room to move around. Removed an engine in one of the cars just by reaching in and pulling it out. Five horse power per cylinder doesn’t require a whole lot of cast iron. Nice to see one in good enough condition to restore.
I have a bantam roadster original body for sale. Have many other parts to go with it. My husband passed away and never finished it. Would like to sell. Can someone help with price.
Thank you
Lola Synol
We could auction for you. Here’s more info: https://barnfinds.com/auctions/about/
The Bantam was, as you say, a derivative of the English Austin Seven, however, the Austin Seven was a FOUR seater and I remember a day trip in my fathers car with four adults, my elder brother sitting on grandpa’s lap, me on Grandma’s and my baby brother on my mothers lap! And the a rear wheel came off! AA Roadside Assistance got us going again but it was quite an eventful trip.
You may be impressed with Larry D finding these for sale listings, I’m more impressed with Dennis Collins finding all these great cars for sale.
American Bantam is the company that designed the WWII Jeep. They did not have sufficient production capacity so it was Willys and Ford that actually built most of them.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_841492
I read, while the Bantam initially passed the military specs, it was the lightest and best fuel economy, the War Dept. like you say, was concerned it didn’t have enough capacity for combat, and Willys and Ford were awarded the contract. Bantam did get the order for 1/4 ton trailers pulled behind the Jeeps.
I read that Bantam tried to come to an arrangement with Checker to build their Jeep,but nothing came of it.
Clown car, let’s all go in on it and have it shipped to the White House
I think you mean ship it to Mar A Lago. That’s where the clown is.
Thank you John for redirecting the clown car, appropriately.
That’s not a clown, but a murderous grifter.
I would chop the top and install a wankel motor.
Speaking of bad timing, the Grand Prize has to go to the Edsel.
You definitely would have the only one at cars and coffee.
The great grandfather of every bloated AWD SUV clotting up our streets and highways today!
Had there been no Bantam, no Jeep. No Jeep, well you get the rest .. .. ..
It is getting harder and harder to find sites that stick to the subject at hand without someone putting in their two bit political comments. I hope that it doesn’t continue here.
I have a ’32 American Austin and it really isn’t that hard to find engine parts. There are a couple clubs devoted to the cars and the members are quite helpful in getting and keeping these cars running.
I ran a drill bit through the side of my head and into a piston (long story short) and was able to find a replacement head with matching pistons – along with a spare engine and transmission for later use LOCALLY… so, don’t let the production numbers scare you away from these tiny cars.
The Austin 7 engine was also used by Brough Superior to power 8 of their motorbikes with 2 rear wheels (assume for sidecar use).Seven are accounted for and one sold at auction a few years back,needing TOTAL restoration,for £320,000.
If I’m not mistaken, the American Austin engine is a mirror image of the Austin 7 engine… Everything was reversed for use in the US.
Great comment. The clubs are very supportive with easy membership dues. Many of the bodies for both Austins and Bantams went on hot rods and race cars, leaving the rest of the parts still out there. I just found a complete engine at the nearby car swap meet a few months ago, and know many club members who have spare parts at reasonable prices.
Wow, sorry. I try to keep my head out of the way when I’m drilling things.
…cylinder head. ;-)
Sorry, not the ‘head’ or ‘cylinder head’… Cylinder Block.
I had to drill out all the bolts that hold the water necks on (both on top of the head and on the side of the cylinder block. Lost concentration for a second and managed to run the drill bit in too deep and through the very thin cylinder wall and into the piston that just happened to be in that exact position…
If it was a reversed Austin 7 engine it may be the same as a BMW Dixie…………..
Very similar in appearance but I don’t think parts are interchangeable.
Gasser
No please.
Needs an add-on trunk and a continental kit, aside from the obvious.
To the best of my (inveterate-reader-of-car-trivia) knowledge, the one improvement Bantam made to the engine was giving it a center main bearing. The original had just one at each end (!!!).
I remember as a kid seeing at least one of these on a street in my small Illinois town. That would have been around 1946-7; I was an early ’41 model myself, and a car freak from maybe five on.
That’s absolutely correct and they used to race them, hill climb them, auto cross them, and they still do but whether they are still two main bearing engines I have no idea, My 1962 Ford Cortina 1200cc POS had three main bearings but the centre bearing would rumble from about 500 miles after replacement but it would never knock so I just drove it until it was sold on.
An astonishing number of competition cars ran 2-main Fours and I think 3-main Sixes back in those days; I assume that static and dynamic balancing would be critical here. I know that makes a huge difference in lots of the three-bearing Fours we were all driving back then. A friend’s TR3 was ordered in “Factory Competition” spec, and it was the smoothest, quietest TR I’ve ever known. For us in Alaska, we knew that Crankshaft Engineering, I think in Seattle, was where those who could afford it would send their MG and TR crank assemblies for full balancing.
While I have not had my ’32 to ‘redline’, I understand that the crank starts to ‘sing’ and that’s how you know it’s time to back off. :-)
drop an 1147 from a Spitfire in it and do wheelies…ok maybe not on the wheelies…but it would be spirited driving with a similar family powertrain. OR…find an 850 from an early Bugeye for something thats a lot closer in size. Course, then you’ll need to uprate the brakes, then uprate the…..
I know… HYABUSA!!
No. That would really make it a clown car, with a clown for a driver.
Resale red from the BHCC dealer of the south.
I just watched the coffee walk episode when Dennis went and bought these cars like 10 mins ago lol cool find and story and way better than most other things to watch.
@Neil: That’s maybe better than a tachometer, since you don’t have to be looking at anything to get the warning. And it beats the heck out of “Ka-BLOOEY!”
There’s an article in the current English “Classic and Sports Car” about a guy whose business is restoring Roll-Royce cars but who collects and restores Austin Sevens as a hobby. Phil Hill was another restorer/aficionado – as he was local, I kept hoping he’d show up at a Car Night, but he never did.
I’m never been a fan of these old cars but this one is kind of cool in it ugly way
What a wonderful car. I would love to have one.
I had a bantam convertible and a restaurant in butler named after the bantam . I also had the original negatives of the first keep being built day but day by the bantam in house photographer.
I still have his name badge and very few other things. I sold the negatives to the now deceased owner of New Castle Battery manufacturer in New Castle Pa.
I sold my bantam and it was shipped to U.S. Virgin Islands.