"1944" Bantam Trailer - updated as Serial 6378 |
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MBrando45
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2017 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Posted: 24 Feb. 2017 at 12:53am |
Amazing resource here between this forum and the http://bantamt3c.com page, really awesome. So, I picked up this trailer in Seattle today from a guy who's had it since the early 60's, registration says 1944 on it with VIN DR517627T. He couldn't find the title today, so hopefully when/if he does that will provide some additional information. As you can see in the pics it has some pretty heavy paint on it, and I can't read the data plate. Any other clues I can start looking at for dating? Am I reading correctly that these went into production in 1943? It appears to be at least pre-10,000 due to the front frame ends being the angled style, and not the rectangle channel ends. Has the Fulton 0-6 coupler and spring hang rear shackle mounts. If it's really a 1944, any other clues? Has 10-Leaf spring. found on jeepdraw: "Changed to 10 LEAF Approx. OCTOBER 1944" Anyone know how to dissolve the paint off and find the etching underneath on the dataplate? Thanks for any help eye-balling this guys, I really appreciate it. This thing is pretty rough but it will tow nicely behind my very well used '45 Willys MB. Edited by MBrando45 - 25 Feb. 2017 at 12:02am |
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Rus Curtis
Member Joined: 25 Mar. 2010 Location: Alabama Status: Offline Points: 1733 |
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Welcome and nice trailer! There are several things that help you with date placement. There don't seem to be any records so using the parts you have and then uncovering the serial number to compare is your best bet for figuring out its year. As far as I know, we only have the existing trailers to gauge manufacture years and there are trailers registered in a year that doesn't match the serial numbers near it or it may have sat on a lot and sold the next year and legitimately be a later model. I'll offer my observations and assume none of your components had been swapped out. You have sheet vs. tubes for rear support. Your spring hangers are solid (no holes). Your casting is the late version (solid w/ square casting). No B/O light switch hole. These all make me think possibly a bit later than '44. Art has a lot of info, that others have contributed here and his T3-C website, on helping you date your trailer. You'll definitely want to be able to read your serial number. I'd guess that any paint stripper would work as the tag is metal - just don't get aggressive and go slow. The number is stamped and may even hold a bit of grime or paint in the grooves after you clean it. Using sand paper on it may remove some of the metal and add additional scratches or gouges making the number harder to read. Your plate is asymmetric indicating it may be an early year. You may want to remove the spring hanger and look for an ACM number (should be present through '45). Using a light hand, you may also want to remove some paint off the back to see what type "Bantam" logo you have. I have no idea where your wheels came from. Your coupler looks complete, congrats on that!
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Rus Curtis
Alabama 1954 CJ3B Bantam T3-C |
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Randy Snyder
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 20 July 2005 Location: Terre Haute, IN Status: Offline Points: 1566 |
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Civilian model trailer post WWII. Serial number on plate will help you fit it in with other trailers of same time period. Tube supports ended around serial number 18xx. Most likely 1946 or later.
Edited by Randy Snyder - 24 Feb. 2017 at 6:21am |
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'46 2A #13943
'46 2A #26236 '45 T3-C #436 |
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BENSH
Member Joined: 27 May 2013 Location: Central IN. Status: Offline Points: 1074 |
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Nice Find! When I got mine a bit of thinner on a soft rag cleaned the plate well and I was able to read the numbers enabling me to get a new title fairly easy. Good luck with it.
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1945 CJ2a 11495
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MBrando45
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2017 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Thanks for the replies, I was able to work on the dataplate a bit today. Paint thinner alone did absolutely nothing, so I heated it up with a heat gun and very very gently scraped the top layer of paint off. I was able to rub with a rag from there to get Serial 6378 to pop through. Edited by MBrando45 - 25 Feb. 2017 at 5:41am |
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Rus Curtis
Member Joined: 25 Mar. 2010 Location: Alabama Status: Offline Points: 1733 |
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Nice work! I know Art will want to add that to the database! You can study the pics of the two on either side of your number and notice the similarities of the components.
I think it would be safe to assume your trailer is a '46.
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Rus Curtis
Alabama 1954 CJ3B Bantam T3-C |
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MBrando45
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2017 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Still working on this one. I found a website in my state that is selling a set of these, but as you can see in the description, they don't know what they go to either, hahaha. Based on pictures I've found so far, I'm quite sure they are tractor tires, just haven't found the manufacturer yet. Guess it doesn't really matter since they don't belong on here anyway.
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