Mystery trailer

[cutterbug]

Spring is in the air and aluminitis has hit. Someone call the doctor, I've just bought another bomb. This one has me stumped. The title states "1955 Bantam". I've researched for quite a while now, and find nothing like this beauty in the history of Bantams. The title before the title I recieved was also listed as a Bantam??? The vin number is 1001. The aluminum can be shined to a mirror finish. The interior is birch would with moisture damage here and there...nothing that a year's worth of work can't take care of. It looks more like a 55 Crown...or 50's style Terry. Most of it is very solid and amazing for the year. Here we go again. Anybody recognize this style?

[masseyfarm]

Looks like a good find. Someone will ID it for you.
Dave

Originally Posted by cutterbug

Spring is in the air and aluminitis has hit. Someone call the doctor, I've just bought another bomb. This one has me stumped. The title states "1955 Bantam". I've researched for quite a while now, and find nothing like this beauty in the history of Bantams. The title before the title I recieved was also listed as a Bantam??? The vin number is 1001. The aluminum can be shined to a mirror finish. The interior is birch would with moisture damage here and there...nothing that a year's worth of work can't take care of. It looks more like a 55 Crown...or 50's style Terry. Most of it is very solid and amazing for the year. Here we go again. Anybody recognize this style?

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I have seen Bantaam trailers advertised in mid 50's Trail R News. You might also be surprised how quickly you can turn one of these around.

[overlander63]

I may be wrong, but Bantam made many two wheel trailers for the Army back in the 1940's and 1950's. This may have been an attempt to cash in on the civilian trailer market.

[cutterbug]

You are correct! All I could find were the small utility- type army trailers with the wooden bows and canvas covers. There is a whole history and site for these. I spoke with a person who is the Bantam expert. He had never heard of the travel trailer ...but said not to rule it out. I'll continue to research.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

do you own this trailer? Is it for sale?

[Aage]

It looks like Early AlCan Opener.

[72 tradewind]

I believe the Shady Dell R.V. park in Bisbee, AZ has one of these in it's "collection". Welcome to the Shady Dell!

[cutterbug]

I did check out The Shady Dell site. Thanks! It does resemble the Crown. I couldn't get a good view of the back. I do own this trailer. I'm not sure if I'd want to sell at this point. It has peaked my interest, and I'd love to know what it is. There is a Bantam nameplate on the door jam. The previous owner ordered one from the Bantam company. Anybody can order a name plate like that though.

[cutterbug]

Here are a few more pictures....Overlander....Do you have pics of the ad? I'm just stumped. Perhaps it is a rare Bantam travel trailer?The floor is amazing. It is the original faux brick red, and in beautiful shape. The old gas stove has been painted.

[Byams55FlyCl]

Originally Posted by cutterbug

Here are a few more pictures....Overlander....Do you have pics of the ad? I'm just stumped. Perhaps it is a rare Bantam travel trailer?The floor is amazing. It is the original faux brick red, and in beautiful shape. The old gas stove has been painted.

Beautiful!
Congratulations on your find!!

[lasgambler]

That is a cool stove!

[DavidsonOverlander]

Cool trailer! It looks similar in design to our 1954 Va-Ka-Shun-Ette. I'm not suggesting yours is a Va-Ka-Shun-Ette, but they look like they're from the same era.
Yours may be a Bantam, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone just needed to register the trailer with the state and not being able to find a serial number ordered a plate online. The Bantam plate might just happen to be what was easily available to purchase.
Try taking a wire brush to the tongue to see if you can find a serial number stamped into it. On ours it was on the top of the A-Frame on the street side just behind the jack.

It's hard to read in the photo, but ours says 1166 54, which we took to mean that ours was a 1954 model.

[NJtoNC]

wow, very cool! #1001, crazy! maybe a one off? prototype?

[Minno]

Kinda sorta looks like the Trotwood my parents owned when I was little. I was only 7 when they sold it though, so I don't remember alot of details. It must have been a late 50's model. Really nice looking!

Kay

[Ganaraska]

The American Bantam Co. of Butler Pa. manufactured the American version of the Austin Seven in the thirties. Later they redesigned the car and renamed it American Bantam.

They also invented the first Jeep. But the government chose a rival design and had it made by Ford and Willys. The Bantam company got a contract to build baggage trailers for the Jeeps.

This is a long winded way of saying your trailer appears to have been made by the same company, possibly as a post war reconversion project. #1001 may be a one off or prototype.

Or, maybe someone stuck the tag on there as a gag. But I am leaning toward the prototype idea.

Maybe some Jeep or Bantam historian has some information. I would treat it as a rare historical artifact until I found out different. I know there are Jeep collectors who would go nuts over a thing like that if it is real.

[NJtoNC]

The American Bantam Co. of Butler Pa. manufactured the American version of the Austin Seven in the thirties. Later they redesigned the car and renamed it American Bantam.

They also invented the first Jeep. But the government chose a rival design and had it made by Ford and Willys. The Bantam company got a contract to build baggage trailers for the Jeeps.

this was just on american pickers. they picked the rear of an american bantam and didnt know what it was.

[Savage68]

Originally Posted by overlander63

I may be wrong, but Bantam made many two wheel trailers for the Army back in the 1940's and 1950's. This may have been an attempt to cash in on the civilian trailer market.

I realize this is an old thread, but, there was a Bantam motor co. That won the design contest for the jeep, but they didn't have the manufacturing capability so Wally's got involved....