need ideas to build a cap for 1943 bantam

[gpwpat]

Hello,

I am converting my restored 1943 Bantam into my excursion trailer. I need some inspiration on how to build a lid for it. my canvas tarp does not keep out the rain, or the dust. Also I need to mount a roof top tent.

But here is the catch. I restore WWII jeeps, for a hobby. my trailer must remain origional and un molested. I don't mind drilling a few holes to mount hinges and gas struts. But I am not cutting anything. This trailer is to origional to cut up. and I use it to show with my WWII jeep. also I enter the anual WWII jeep trailer races, here in CA. so it must float too. Bet you didn't know they were amphibious.
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/500/medium/62trailer_race_1.JPG

The trailer just needs to get more functional use behind my 07 jeep.

please post pictures if you have any of how you built your lids. Since I don't and won't have a tailgate. will I be able to open it up to get access to it with tent deployed? Should I hinge on the side or from the front?


http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/500/medium/62024_21.JPG

[Grim Reaper]

Lots of great 1/4 ton build in the trailer forum here.
http://www.ih8mud.com/
Also some good info here but more on period restoration but you can find good parts links.
http://www.g503.com/forums/
I always like this guys build/
http://www.muttmotorpool.com/M416_camper.html

[endo]

Just to put in my .02
There are lots of ways to skin this cat, the links above will give you several ideas however I am of the opinion that it would be a shame to take a restored trailer and modify it in any way. That thing is beautiful. I would find a m101 cdn that was in fair shape and modify it so that it met all of your needs instead of going halfway and with what you currently have. There now you have an excuse to buy another trailer.:arabia:

[Grease Cruiser]

Just to put in my .02
There are lots of ways to skin this cat, the links above will give you several ideas however I am of the opinion that it would be a shame to take a restored trailer and modify it in any way. That thing is beautiful. I would find a m101 cdn that was in fair shape and modify it so that it met all of your needs instead of going halfway and with what you currently have. There now you have an excuse to buy another trailer.:arabia:


I concur. Why even drill holes in your restored trailer? If you have the means, get another one to modify. I have a 44 MBT that is not quite original. The previous owner(s) modified it but not too much. I can't decide wether to keep it somewhat original or just modify it extensively. I would like to do both and keep that military look. Good luck and keep us posted. I am always looking for some ideas on what to do with mine.

[gpwpat]

Thanks all for the links.

Yes I agree I will not be modifying my trailer to much. With the pictures I have seen from the Ih8mud site I have figued out a way for my cap to sit on the top of the trailer, support my roof top tent. the only holes that I will be drilling is to install a few footman loops. my topper will be held on with webbing straps from a wwii jeep so it will no be out of line with what could have been done by a few Gi's Don't worry I just needed a topper to mount my roof top tent until I figure out how to build a roof rack for my modern jeep.

but having a top on my Bantam will also allow me to bring the roof top tent when my club goes on vintage jeep excursions.

I will post pictures of how it turns out.

don't worry the trailer will not be molested. a few 1/4" holes are easy to remove. I can weld up holes in sheet metal in my sleep. I have welded up countless holes in my jeep and trailer when I restored them.

[offroadchef]

also I enter the anual WWII jeep trailer races, here in CA. so it must float too. Bet you didn't know they were amphibious.



where are these races held?

[BajaXplorer]

Check Post #97 on this thread. Possibly some variation? This framework could be held in place by a few good size screws (or bolts) through the trailer walls into the 2"x6" frame. Very little damage to restored trailer.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=109913&page=4

BX

[OverlandZJ]

Just to put in my .02
There are lots of ways to skin this cat, the links above will give you several ideas however I am of the opinion that it would be a shame to take a restored trailer and modify it in any way. That thing is beautiful. I would find a m101 cdn that was in fair shape and modify it so that it met all of your needs instead of going halfway and with what you currently have. There now you have an excuse to buy another trailer.:arabia:

I also agree with endo, i sold my 51 M100 vs modifying it. A few years in the business put me in that mindset. But if you can accomplish your goals with "reversible" or "field type mods" i say go for it.

I'm curious how you'll get it sealed well with the rounded top rails of the WWII vintage trailer?

Beautiful GPW there Pat!

[endo]

Well if you insist on doing it here is what I just did,
12 holes in the top rail 3/16 ant 2 holes in the tub 3/4 if you come up with another latch idea then you could skip the 2 big holes

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6653

If you want some detailed pictures let me know


ENDO

[ntsqd]

My thinking is that with the existing tie-downs on the trailer that you don't need any new holes at all.
My granddad built a utility trailer out of 2.5t side boards and some DC3 tires (now long gone). When the big move from SoCA to Central OR came along he built a cap for the trailer out of 1by clear Fir and 1/4" plywood, and then glassed the whole thing for water-tightness & structural rigidity. It has a 'register' step on the mating lip such that it fits down over the rails of the trailer. 4 tie straps that pick up the similar lashing points on the side boards has the cap secure to any movement.

[atavuss]

where are these races held?

it looks to me to be at the MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) Tower Park Marina meet in April. there is also a meet in the fall at Tower Park although the spring meet is larger and has more vehicles and vendors there.
I have a M274A5 mule and go to the spring meet with it.
I also have a original and unmolested 1946 1/4 ton Bantam trailer that I want to put a top on but don't want to modify it.

[Grease Cruiser]

Hey gpwpat,
Not to hijack your thread but I have a question for you as you are into restoring military jeeps and trailers. I have a 1944 (or is 1945, can't remember) Willys MBT trailer. It is missing all of the markings except for the serial #/ production date tag on the front of the trailer. However, it does have a unique emblem that I would like to know what it means. It is a yellow hourglass shape, more like two equilateral triangles. One is in the normal position and the other is stacked on top of it but upside down. They are on each side of the trailer in front of the wheels.

I can get a picture of it but I don't have any at the moment. Just curious if you have come across this emblem before? Thanks, and any help is greatly appreciated.

[gpwpat]

Yes the picture is at the tower park meet in Lodi Ca. Great event in the spring. A bit slow in the fall.

I do not know of the maarking I can look in some of my books though.

My tent is showing up tomorrow. So I will be fabricating my topper this weekend. I will post some pictures. No trailer will be harmed in the making of this top.

What rating of gas spring will I need? 2- 200lb jobs?

only thing this top will not be anchored on at all. only gravity will hold it on. I will probably add a latch to the opening side. so I will tack weld a bracket to the inside of the trailer. as for the hinge side It will be the angle iron pivioting around the round top rail of the trailer. but I will need to anchor it to the trailer to keep it from hopping off. I may use strap, cable or chain to attach to the existing outside anchor loops. That should work. The top will be painted OD green with a big white invasion star.

only mods to the trailer will be 2 brackets welded inside the trailer to anchor the gas springs. and one catch for the latch on the top. These will be easily removed to return to origional. But I doubt I will ever remove them as the trailer with a locking top and the ability to bolt on my eezi awn will be alot handier than it is now.

[gpwpat]

Ok

just thought of another mod I need. I need a rear landing leg. somthing that will allow the trailer to be used with the tent while not hooked to the jeep. I have seen some military retrofit designs. there are tooling holes in the rear frame that would allow me to bolt on a home made bracket. anybody have any ideas?

I am thinking a telescoping tube with holes drilled in it to pin at different heights every inch or so. anybode made a rear support leg

[ntsqd]

I'm thinking that rather than weld to the trailer that were it me I'd build a frame that sits on the 'gunnels' of the trailer and has 4 or more inside flat tabs to bolt it down to the angled portions of the trailer. The hinge, lower gas spring mounts, and locking tab would all attach to that frame.

Were it not for the desired locking feature I'd delete the inner flat tabs and add hooks or loops to allow fastening to the existing tie-down hooks. Perhaps if that fastening was a brace of turn-buckles with jam nuts then the inner tabs & holes still wouldn't be needed? You are never going to stop someone determined enough. You can slow the casual thief down to the point where the risk is too great.

For the rear landing support I'd think about a normal tongue jack attached to what ever structure is needed to pick up those existing holes. That would give you easily varied height and allow you to easily take out any slack so that the trailer doesn't wobble while climbing in/out of the tent.

[gpwpat]

good Idea.

I figured I would weld the small brackets in, as cutting a weld and polishing it off is alot less work than filling a hole and finighing from 2 sides.

But I do like the idea of an external clamp on frame that would clamp onto the existing lip of the trailer and then build off of that. only thing is that would be alot more work than I have time for.

so V1 trailer cap will be made this weekend as I am taking it on a trip in 2 weeks. trailer cap V2 may be made at a later date using your idea. maybe this winter when I need a new project. maybe make a top like a adventure trailer instead of just a flat style.

Man that is a great idea. I like it alot..

Ok so version 1 trailer cap. is going to be just a steel frame with gas springs. I will use my canvas tarp to keep out the weather or maybe just some plywood. to hold it down I will use 2 ratcheting straps to trailer tiedowns

V2 will be like you said and be a clamp on frame. and build off of that. that way I can have real hinge real locking latch and be weather tight. undo a few bolts and the whole shebang will come off and the trailer will go back to 100% origional with no brackets or anything.

[ntsqd]

I like the clamping to the underside of the rails better than the turn-buckles.

On the gas springs, how much force they need totally depends on where they are mounted, which partly depends on what stroke you use. Once you have an angle when fully open and how much vertical force is needed at fully open, then it's just a little Trig or Analytical Geometry to get the force needed.
The Trail-Blazer in my driveway goes very slightly over center with it's gas springs.

[atavuss]

GPWPat,
adventure trailer makes a stabalizer bar that might work for the rear of your trailer:
http://www.adventuretrailers.com/accessories.html

[PhulesAU]

I'm only guessing , but the probably indicate Jack points.( lift here):Mechanic:

[offroadchef]

it looks to me to be at the MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) Tower Park Marina meet in April. there is also a meet in the fall at Tower Park although the spring meet is larger and has more vehicles and vendors there.
I have a M274A5 mule and go to the spring meet with it.
I also have a original and unmolested 1946 1/4 ton Bantam trailer that I want to put a top on but don't want to modify it.


thanks, might have to go in fall, only 1/2 hour away from me..

[atavuss]

thanks, might have to go in fall, only 1/2 hour away from me..

I believe I read somewhere that the spring Tower Park MV meet is the largest in the U.S. there are people there from all over the world.

[gpwpat]

yep one of the largest anual swapmeets.

and yep ther are people from all over the world. I personally have toasted with some of them from, england, Netherlands, New Zeland, Australia. MV restoring is a huge international hobby.

[gpwpat]

ok

my top is done. well not completely done but done enough to get me going next week. I will post pictures tonight. nothing was modified on the trailer. the top just hinges around the rould edge of the trailer and a piece of angle keeps it attached. The hardes part was the location of the gas springs.

2-150 lb springs fully extended at 35.5" gives me a 60 degree opened top. man it is like the top is not even there it is so open. down side is that it pops up 6" when unlatched. so far I will use tiedown straps to keep it closed. I did weld on a couple of chain links on the top so I can lock it onto the trailer using the tiedown hooks to secure it and keep people from taking my gear while I am away from the trailer or a night in a hotel.

I know usless without pictures. I shall post some tonight.


last things to do before my trip.

build rear landing legs ( styling after the one sold by adventure trailers) posted on this thread.

repack wheel bearings (been a few years)

switch out tires. ( my tires a a bit dry rotted.) I don't trust them for a trip this far from home.

Future mod will be a bolt on rear bar with modern tailights and a 2" reciever for a bicycle rack. This will bolt to existing tooling holes in the last crossmember of the frame. also would like to build a spair tire rack to hold the spair under the trailer. This will have a crank style hoist pirated from a pickup. and again bolted to existing tooling holes in frame.

[ntsqd]

S-10's, for one, use a cable style rather than a chain style spare tire winch.