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1946 Bantam T3-C #9466

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Robert Bills View Drop Down
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    Posted: 02 June 2009 at 5:55pm
Hi, I'm the new guy here, although no stranger to Bantam trailers.
 
Here are some photos of my Bantam T3-C.  My father purchased the trailer from a local citrus rancher, the original owner, in 1966.  It was painted yellow at the time, to match his CJ-2A.  I repainted it to match our '66 CJ-5 V6 (my first attempt at auto paint, done in the vacant lot next door).  
 
Our Bantam was used for family camping and by my scout troop for hauling wood to campouts.  After I graduated from college in 1972, and purchased the family CJ-5 from my father, I used the trailer several times (the last being a trip to Pismo Beach for the sand drags during the summer of 1974).  The trailer disappeared shortly after that and I assumed that my father had sold it.
 
Sometime in 1999 or 2000 I received a phone message from my father asking me to pick up the trailer.  My dad had stored it under a tarp in my brother's chicken coop for 26 years because he thought I might want it someday.  Amazingly, the chuck box and all of the camping gear was still in it, in perfect condition.
 
I got around to restoring it in 2006.  It is painted "Sebring Red" to match my current jeep, an '83 CJ-7.  (It was originally red, as I discovered when I sanded off the blue I had sprayed and the yellow painted by the original owner.)  I fabricated a "shoe" made from 2" receiver tube to accept multiple couplers without destroying the original hitch casting (the original Fulton hitch, safety chains, springs and wiring harness are stored so that the trailer can be returned to 100% original), mounted a horizontal propane tank, added a 15 gal. water tank, onboard battery charged by the tow rig with lights and a 12v ARB fridge, refinished the chuckbox, and added a custom Can-Back "covered wagon" top.  I also added a rear receiver for a bike rack and/or to mount a rear stabilizer leg.  The tail lights are from a 1950 Pontiac (installed by the original owner, a hotrodder and jeeper).
 
I consider my trailer a "resto-mod."  I have all of the original parts (with the exception of the nearly unobtainable Arrow tail lights and license plate bracket), and performed all modifications without cutting or welding the trailer itself so that it can be returned to all original.  All of the modifications are "retro" in style and designed to make my trailer more functional for it's intended use - as a jeep camping trailer and field kitchen.
 
My last project was to find a "clear" 1946 California trailer plate and have it approved by the California DMV (actually a 1945 plate with a 1946 metal tab - accurate for a 1946 trailer).  It took a while to find a decent plate at a fair price.  It took even longer to get the plate approved by the DMV (an adventure in itself), but now I have the correct plate for my trailer and official verification/authentication from the California DMV that Bantam T3-C serial number 9466 was manufactured and first sold in 1946.
 

Robert Bills
Orange County CA
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bkreutz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bkreutz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 June 2009 at 6:24pm
Neat story, (and trailer tooBig smile) Your tale of the California DMV brings back memories of the one time I had to deal with them. After that, they took top place from the Army as "Screwed up bureaucracy". Months of paperwork and a bunch of money to register a 3 rail dirt bike trailer that somebody gave me. (made in Oregon, no serial number on it, such a deal).LOL
Gale

47 CJ2A 142857
47 Bantam T3-C 16271


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocnroll Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 June 2009 at 7:45pm
And the neat thing about those taillights is that not only are they a nice looking, simple design, they are also being reproduced in both LED and non-LED styles for the hot rod market.....(so, if anybody likes that option over the Model As)
 
 
 
'47 CJ2A PU
'48 CJ2A Lefty

"Common sense is not that common"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 48cj2a Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 June 2009 at 12:02am
Welcome Robert, glad to have you join us!!
 
Yours is one of the best looking trailers I've ever seen and nicley modified for the trail or camping.
 
 
Art C USAF (Retired)

47 CJ2A #134955 Project
48 CJ2A #206759
62 L6226 Station Wagon #58167 10900
45 T3-C #191 Project
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dmeyerrph Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 June 2009 at 5:19am
Robert - I like this forum better than the other one - you don't get every email - only ones that you post to, plus pics are cool.
 
Dave


Edited by dmeyerrph - 03 June 2009 at 5:20am
Dave - Retired LTC USAR
T3-C SN 2524
2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JL Sahara
M1 Garand
30-40 Krag

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Doug Timme Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 June 2009 at 12:00am
That is a nice looking trailer, nice color tooWink
 
Doug
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Roger B View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roger B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 June 2009 at 6:40am
Robert,
 
Very nice trailer!Thumbs Up
 
Roger
1946 CJ2A Serial # 22728 Harvest Tan in parts

1947 CJ2A Serial #101548 Luzon Red Only 16000 km

1947? Bantam T3-C Serial # 20006
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Robert Bills View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robert Bills Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 June 2009 at 2:42am
Thanks for the kind responses.
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rrivera1833 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep. 2010 at 2:45pm
Robert, your jeep is the inspiration for my trailer build.  I am far from where you are but thanks for the motivation.  If you have any more detailed photos on hand that you would be willing to send my way that would be greatly appreciated.  roberteladiorivera@gmail.com

Awesome trailer!
2nd LT Rivera/ SSgt Rivera USMC

48 CJ2A
T3-C Bantam #655
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Windingdown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr. 2013 at 1:10pm
Hello Robert-- What a great job you have done retrofitting a usable top for your TC-3 trailer! Would you share some information on the frame I assume you made for your trailer. I have a TC-3 myself and if alright with you would like to copy your idea.
 
Thank You
Don Ross
D.E.R.
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Robert Bills View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robert Bills Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr. 2013 at 2:49pm
The trailer frame is original.   The rear receiver assembly is bolt-on, as is the "shoe" over the lunette casting for the front receiver.

As for the top, it was custom made by Can-Back when the company was still owned by its founder.  I needed a flat surface to mount the top, which I fabricated from flat steel and rectangular tubing that fits into the stake pockets.  Everything unbolts and lifts off to reveal the original tubing on the top of the trailer tub.   The inspiration was a photo from a Bantam ad showing a canvas "covered wagon" top.
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
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