Lets see if I can stump Nate and some of the other old (like me) guys on the forum. Last Saturday night at the local car show a vehicle parked about 20 feet from my truck that I can't ever remember seeing in person. Who can identify it, make and year? We'll start with a picture of the engine compartment.
Ken has PM'd me with an answer that is the right make and only 1 year off of what the owner says this car is. As usual, I am amazed by his knowledge. I'll post another picture tonight with additional detail.
Whatzit I'm betting a '39 or '40 American Bantam ...... This is a SWAG of course but the grille sure looks pretty ! .
I should have known better than to challenge Nate. It is a 39 Bantam. I'll post more pictures from home tonight.
American Austin Bantams I assume all here know the " Bantam " is a rooster ? small but fierce , this is why they used this moniker on these tiny cars . Anyways , in 1931 (?) Austin of Britan decided to set up an Automobile factory in the Colony , & cash in on the burgeoning U.S. car market , they made pretty good is incredibly simple cars & trucks , a buddy of mine has a 1932 American Austin Bantam Roadster , I have a picture of me in it as he lets it sit so I pester him to drive it more often.... then he lets me go along .
'32 Austin Bantam Roadster O.K. then , you'll have to keep after me about it ~ I use it as my Avatar elsewhere , not sure if I still have a full size pic saved .
Yes, they designed the Jeep, but I understand that they built few. They were not a big enough company to supply the Army, who forwarded Bantam's design documents to Willys and Ford with a request for those companies to submit designs.
Bantams / JEEPS / GPWS Few realize that Brand 'F' made more WWII Jeeps than Willys ever did as Willys was also a small Company .
Speaking Of Non Truck......... And Austin Products...... Martin Swift passed recently so a bunch of us nuts took to the roads Sunday to honor him ~ I drove my '59 Metropolitan Nash Fixed Head Sports Coupe with it's mildly massaged 1500 C.C. engine , Borg Warner M-35 Slushbox tranny and my big brother drove my old 1980 Cadilliac S &S Victoria Hearse We drove up to Casmalia , Ca. where a little out of the way BBQ Joint named The Hitchin' Post opened early to feed us , we had much fun and I kept the Mighty Metro's throttle pinned pretty much the whole day , it still returned 35 MPG , not too bad for an unrestored old car . Now of course , I'm in terrible pain and missed two days of work but screw it ~ I'll prolly be dead or paralyzed soon so I'm having as much Road Fun as I can , now .
