Bought a Bantam....

[CRJeepin]

Bought a Bantam T3C yesterday, met the seller over in Jersey on his way down to MD.



As far as I can tell it's complete, the tub has a new floor in it and the bearings were done recently, but was disappointed to find the frame is pretty rotted at the spring hangers. Going to have to cut and weld, hoping I can do it with the tub still on. Taking it by a truck place tomorrow to have them quote it as I just don't have the time or space for more projects right now, have a 79 CJ-5 in the garage going back together taking up my work space.

Probably overpaid a little for it given the frame, he was asking $850 and I gave him $50 for gas to deliver it. I figure it would have cost me about $200 in gas to go get it. He said it had been "gone over" and was "solid", which is what I was looking for...not a project. We'll see how bad it'll be, if more than a couple hundred I'll probably just do it myself. Anyway, water under the bridge at this point. I'd still prefer to do frame work over sheet metal work anyway.

Planning to add a receiver hitch at the back for a bike rack, and convert the front to a receiver hitch but will do it bolt on so I can revert back to the Fulton coupler. Going to try to keep it as original as possible, or at least the mods reversible. Also would like to add a frame for a tent, haven't figured out how I want to do that yet but definitely want to keep it bolt on if possible. Would like to have the tent bottom about 5'-6" off the ground if possible, have sketched it out (can't take credit for the trailer sketchup but the mods are mine!):

[Mark Harley]

Hello fellow Pa, resident.
That is a sharp little trailer, Not bad on the price either.
Keep us posted on the progress with pictures too!

[leadsled01]

Looks really good! My bantam t3c has alot more cancer than yours.

[CRJeepin]

Sounds like a good price, until you peek underneath. When we made the handoff yesterday it was about dark and raining, I climbed under and noted some rust but didn't look as bad as it is. There's only one bolt holding the hitch on (unless you count bolts with cotter pins and no nuts) and the frame is rotten at the worst spots - spring hangers.

I think I can make the repairs, or maybe have them made, without pulling the tub. An "L" bracket to reinforce the frame rails and crossmembers combined with a flat plate to span underneath the spring hangers and tie into the crossmembers should suffice.

Here's a few pics for fun...

Caveat Emptor....

[McZippie]

New Military frames are available for Bantam T-3. Very similar to T-3C
.
D&L Bensinger LLC
Narvon, PA
.
https://www.dlbensinger.com/product_...1f362ae62ec3b6
.

[CRJeepin]

Great info, thanks! They're local to me here in PA, I'll get in touch with them and find out if I can buy just the draw bars I need. They do sell the rear crossmmember separately, which I could cut down and use for the crossmember above the spring hangers.

The rest of the frame is pretty solid, so I'd like to avoid an entire frame swap if possible -- but good to know it's an option!

Thanks!
Chris

[Bonked]

Hi Chris,

I have original bantam A-frame draw bars, as well as the brackets that hold them to the front if the frame. PM me.

Anthony

[Main Line Overland]

Hey Chris,

Great meeting you the other day on your way to pick the trailer up. That looks like a good base for an adventure/camping trailer once the frame is reinforced. Let us know if you need help with any of the fab work.

I bet your son was still talking about the Eezi-Awn Rooftop tents after leaving our shop, he looked like he was having a blast crawling around in them. I think I even heard him say "This is my new house!", hahahaha! Looks like you have a little adventurer in the making.

Best of luck with the trailer and keep us in mind if you need anything.

-Matt

[CRJeepin]

Thanks Matt, was good to meet you guys and I appreciate you setting up the tents for us to check out, definitely helped the wife get an idea what I was up to. The little guy is still pretty excited about the tents and can't wait for us to get one. Here's hoping the Buick sells quick to fund the tent, I dropped it a couple hundred on CL when we got home.

Anthony, sent you a PM about the A-frame rails, thanks.

Cut off the rusted uni-strut u-bolts today and a few buddies helped me flip the tub. The plan is to plate the outside with 4" wide, 1/8" steel from the edge of the frame rail up onto the tub on the two long sides and the back, and then replace the two middle cross-members 2x3, 1/16" box. Maybe add one in the middle too. New plates for the spring hangers to tie it all together. Either replace or chop and fishplate the a-arms.

Good excuse to buy the porta-band that I should have had when I did the CJ frame....it's on it's way, should be here next week. A little more teardown work tomorrow and then I'm pretty much stalled until I get the steel.

Here we go...

[FAW3]

Nice Bantam! Good luck with the work on it. A perfect style match to the jeep - they are made for each other.

The one I bought a bit over a year ago had more rust in the floor "back at home" than I noticed at the sellers house...funny how that works.

Ours has been a lot of fun and done a lot of work for us. Whatever the state of load (within design limits of course) the Bantam tows like it's not there - if we use the right tire pressure to match the load. Our only learning curve has been about backing up...those short A-arms and wheelbase distance make it a challenge for backing it down.