T3-C Need direction |
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Lee D
Member Joined: 16 Feb. 2017 Location: Portal AZ Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Posted: 17 Feb. 2017 at 1:08am |
Just found a T3-C #9273, Arizona, surface rust, no rust through anywhere, licensed, good street tires (if you're a Buick) but original wheels. Seems to be in remarkable shape although it has been used. Dents are light to none depending on the panel, floor - slight bowing but otherwise straight. Here's my problem. I'm pulling with a highly modified XJ. Used to do the rough stuff but now my wife and I want get back into Jeep camping. I'm tempted to just do it right and restore this thing but I don't do parades. I'll use this thing. So, do I restore it original or do I Emron to match, and bedliner the thing. Almost a crime if these things are that collectible.
I've never posted before so having trouble figuring out how to drop in some photos. I'll go ahead and try posting this and see what happens.
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HCAT
Member Joined: 16 May 2013 Location: Pa Status: Offline Points: 403 |
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My opinion would be to restore it or preserve it. You got Bantam for a reason. They are very unique and look and operate the best as they were designed 75 years ago.
But.. I've seen some modernized Bantams specifically redesigned to do the modern camping thing and they are pretty cool too, just not as cool as an original. Bottom line is its your trailer to do want you want. Its still a Bantam and still interesting and cool either way. Just my opinion. Good luck and post some pics. WE love pics! -Dave |
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Dave
44 Willys MB |
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flatfender47
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 09 Jan. 2006 Location: Riverside CA Status: Offline Points: 645 |
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flatfender47
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 09 Jan. 2006 Location: Riverside CA Status: Offline Points: 645 |
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flatfender47
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BIG JOHN
Member Joined: 09 Aug. 2013 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 260 |
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My personal opinion...Sell it someone that will restore it and not abuse it. Find yourself a m-416 trailer and modify it for off-road camping. I've owned both and the m-416 is much heavier duty then the Bantam. Extend the tongue about 25-27" and you will go anywhere with it! The Fulton hitch on the Bantam isn't built for extreme trails! Again, just my opinion. Good luck
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BIG JOHN
1947 CJ-2A 1946 Bantam T3C trailer 2015 Chevy Silverado Z71 CC 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2004 Jeep LJ |
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48willys
Member Joined: 22 June 2007 Location: sw/ virginia Status: Offline Points: 1331 |
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Only a suggestion, but you could fix it up without doing a full restoration. Skip the bed liner, its hard to go back if you sell it or you do decide to do a full resto later. Go ahead and paint it however you like, if you are going to use it I wouldn't worry about the small dents. From your description it sounds like its a nice trailer and doesn't need much work though. The two things I'm guessing you want to change most is the springs and wheels, I don't see a problem with that, it should be a bolt in swap. The biggest point I'm trying to make is, whatever you decide to do, try not to do things that are going to be hard to reverse. Any original parts you decide to upgrade, save them and make sure to label them so they don't get thrown out later, they may be nice to have.
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1946 cj2a #28680
1948 chevy 3800 thriftmaster 1946-50's cj2a-3a farm jeep 1993 yj, aka the yj7 |
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Lee D
Member Joined: 16 Feb. 2017 Location: Portal AZ Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Wow, great suggestions, I'll try to respond here in order. Hope that's the right way to do it. Still learning.
I bought my first Bantam going on 30 years ago, an M100 someone had butchered a tailgate onto and replaced the tongue with one hinged at the axel so it would dump. Not pretty but, man that thing worked great. Did a little homework and love for the round fenders was born. Retired and moved, liquidating lots of stuff so did without for a while. Next up was an M416, original but for ball coupler conversion which I liked a lot. I've lost more than a few brain cells with pintles knocking them loose many many years ago. Not for everyone but like I said, the rough stuff's behind me now. All of your comments are well taken and have helped push me off the fence. Out of well deserved respect for Bantam's contribution to the war effort and carrying on into the post war civilian market and with this one as straight as it is I was pretty much leaning towards keeping it original and so that's what I will do. I will forgo the bed liner and settle for paint. Scuff and shoot the exterior with some of the Imron left over from doing the Jeep. If the next owner decides to do a full restoration they won't have to undo anything I've done. Meanwhile I'll enjoy the luxury of a tail gate (I'm old) and this thing already handles like a dream. Hard to improve on stock wheels and springs other than having to carry two spares. No rea$onable way I see to match the XJ. So, if someone has a slick bolt-on install for suspending a spare under the front of the bed I'd like to hear about it. A water tank's a great idea but the spare's more important to me and keeping bed space open for whatever I happen to be doing that day. Still not seeing how to drop photos into this discussion so will again leave that for later. Thank you all for your help thinking this through. Lee |
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canorisa
Member Joined: 27 Sep. 2009 Location: PSL, Florida Status: Offline Points: 373 |
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Lee D: I'm agreeing with every body here on their opinions. If this trailer you just got looks that good to begin with you should preserve it and do as little mods as you can. These trailers are going up in price and who knows maybe you can resell it later for a great price.
I did mine with a full restoration. Didn't hold back. My only mods were the hitch, the chains and the rubber block I added to the landing leg. I'm using M416 chains so that it would be long enough to reach the Jeep but I still have the original chains for my Bantam. Easy to go back to them. I did that so that I wouldn't have to modify the original chains. Good luck with your project/restoration. And see if you can post some pictures of the trailer. We love pictures! Here are some pics of my trailer before and after restoration. |
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Once a Marine!, Always a Marine!, Semper Fi! - Combat Wounded Vet, Desert Storm/Desert Shield - Persian Gulf 1992
E-mail: canorisa@msn.com 1940's Bantam T3-C |
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Lee D
Member Joined: 16 Feb. 2017 Location: Portal AZ Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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I think we're all on the same page when it comes to preserving the trailer. I probably won't go to the extent you did but I'll try hard to not screw it up for the next guy.
Nice restoration, the color reminds me of why I got the M416 that I essentially traded for my T3-C. Wildland fire, a half hour from the station means by the time I'm back with a brush truck or tender things are likely out of control. Tone the others out to bring the real stuff and meanwhile as first responder do what you can with what you have. With the Bantam it will be a lot easier. I'll build a slide-in tank, pump, red line, a few tools. Safety being foremost, well within weight limits, if the wind's down and I can get in close enough right after the lightning touches it off it's a non-event. I know, I know, been to enough refreshers to know this is not according to Hoyle but you do what you got to do. Still figuring out how to do photos. FAQ's suggests admin has to enable this so I'll go bark up that tree. |
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LuzonRed47
Member Joined: 11 Apr. 2007 Location: Plymouth, MI Status: Offline Points: 841 |
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RE: Bedliner applied to vintage Jeeps and trailers
I cringe whenever I read that someone on this forum is even contemplating mucking up their Jeep or trailer with bedliner. That stuff isn't really any more durable than a good epoxy primer/urethane top coat paint job, it's difficult to keep clean/traps dirt and it makes future re-restorations a far greater chore. For your newly acquired TC-3, spend time properly prepping the cargo bed for paint, shoot it with epoxy primer and a quality color coat and you won't look back. |
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CJ2A #140275 "Ziggie" (purchased new by my dad in 1947)
ACM #124334 CJ3A windshield, Warn Overdrive 1953 Strick M100 trailer Serial #18253 |
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Lee D
Member Joined: 16 Feb. 2017 Location: Portal AZ Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Great feedback. OK, I'm convinced. Bed interior will get pretty much the same treatment as exterior. Prep, primer, probably imron to match the jeep. Still deciding on how extensive the prep will be.
Thanks again to all. |
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88 XJ w/factory FI upgrade
46 T3C 98 ZJ 01 F250 4by etc. |
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