Is this Bantam trailer worth saving?

SouthBostonFJ · 04-11-08, 10:03 AM

I can pick this up for about $150, but is it worth saving? I don't know much about them. I know that is from WWII and that the frame is solid. What do you guys think?

My wife said no FJ! · 04-11-08, 10:05 AM

If you have the space and time, I'd say sure...why not?

REZARF · 04-11-08, 11:07 AM

I'd say pass, there isn't a 150 bucks worth of "keeper" on it, that bed is toast. The frame would cost you 100 bucks in steel at MOST.

Just my .02

KOWBOY · 04-11-08, 11:42 AM

Offer 'im 50 bucks and use it has a planter in front of the shop.

photogod · 04-11-08, 12:50 PM

Offer to take it to the recycler for him then order a new floor and weld the sides back together, new bearings and tires and away you go.

Seriously, if the sides are not in too bad shape and the frame is not rotten I might be inclined to give it a go for the right price. You can get repro sheet for the bad panels and drop any type of floor in it. It would be really expensive to restore it to original but you could make it a very nice camp trailer out of it.

SouthBostonFJ · 04-11-08, 12:59 PM

I am going to see it today. He swears only the floor is rotten. My plan is to use it as a camping trailer.

matt 105 · 04-11-08, 04:24 PM

Gday
Here, that is worth far more to a collector, than to someone who wants a cheep camper trailer.
As someone who owns 2 Ford GPWs - a 1942 and a 1944, It breaks my heart to see an original Bantam trailer butchered.
Please, do someone a favour, and if you dont intend on restoring it, leave it for someone else.
Its like when Im at an auction bidding for something I want, and Im bidding against someone who only sees a pile of steel or aluminium they can take to the scrap merchants!
They make crappy camper trailers anyway.

Hope that didnt come across too harsh - but you did ask what I thought.

Matt

REZARF · 04-11-08, 10:30 PM

You're getting soft on us down under

Brian in Oregon · 04-12-08, 01:33 AM

It's repairable. But, you need to add up the costs of all the individual replacement parts.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that the cost of all the replacement parts will exceed what a decent trailer would cost.

Replacement panels are OK if you only use one. If you use several, the price gets out of control quickly. And I can't tell if the lunette assembly is intact. Those parts aren't cheap either.

Cattledog · 04-12-08, 08:05 AM

Pass on it, it is junk. If you fix it you will be into it for more than a newer m416.

cruzzer · 04-13-08, 05:24 PM

Check on the condition of the frame and lunette assembly,, If you could get him down to say an even hundred and the lunette assembly is complete,, you could sell that in parts or in whole to a collector for about 2-250.. If the fenders are good,, and the p-brake is still good,, you might be able to make some scratch on it to fun a new build.. I sold my 416 recently,, but I sold the lights, wheels and wire harness to some collectors and then sold the whole trailer and doubled my $..
Just food for thought..

SouthBostonFJ · 04-13-08, 07:11 PM

I am going to pass, the lunette has been replaced by a regular hitch.

cruzzer · 04-14-08, 12:20 PM

Without the lunette its not worth much at all.. If He'd take $50 I'd buy it but not for more than that..
Steve

KOWBOY · 04-14-08, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruzzer

... the lunette assembly is complete,, you could sell that in parts or in whole to a collector for about 2-250.

Damn ... them lil' hitches really worth that much? How 'bout the one off my cdn101?

wearsabrowncoat · 04-15-08, 12:14 PM

The Bantam was the civilian version and I don't think it ever had a lunette. Should have come from the factory with the standard hitch.

Also, it is not uncommon for the floors to rot out. This one is obviously very bad but if you replaced it with an old truck bed that you cut to size it would be much stronger than original. There was a guy on the forum who did what I am talking about.

I'm not saying you should buy it but I would consider it if you have some fab skills and access to cheap materials. Also, I doubt the guy is firm on the price.

cruzzer · 04-16-08, 12:40 PM

It was my understanding that some Bantams were made to full mil spec and supplied but the contracts were given to other co's that could go full production quicker.. Bantam still made them post war, those had a ball coupler,, and pre war had the pintle.. The m416 pintles seem to go for about $100-150 complete with landing leg, Canadians 101's from $50-75(more of them and less historical value) and depending on which wwII version those can go over $300 if complete.. The landing legs have gone over $100 on their own on ebay.. Its like the chains from WWII there are several different sets and to the guys that restore them NOS ones are big money..
Check out G503.com

04-11-08, 10:03 AM	#1
SouthBostonFJ IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Melrose, MA TLCA# 17862 Posts: 1,018	Is this Bantam trailer worth saving? I can pick this up for about $150, but is it worth saving? I don't know much about them. I know that is from WWII and that the frame is solid. What do you guys think? __________________ Alex 1971 Freeborn Red FJ40 w/75 2F, 3 speed on the floor, Warn 8274, 33X9.5 BFG M/T's. "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind." -Humphrey Bogart

04-11-08, 10:05 AM	#2
My wife said no FJ! IH8MUD Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Montreal Posts: 680	If you have the space and time, I'd say sure...why not? __________________ Dean 1964 FJ40 Hard Top...resto, going back to original stock!

04-11-08, 11:07 AM	#3
REZARF IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Louisville, CO TLCA# 13041 Posts: 2,839	I'd say pass, there isn't a 150 bucks worth of "keeper" on it, that bed is toast. The frame would cost you 100 bucks in steel at MOST. Just my .02 __________________ Drew F. Rising Sun 4x4 Club 76 FJ40, 85 fj60 Engine and Ignition, 35" MTR's, Warn 8074, 4" of lift TPI, snorkeled, racked, Mini-truck P/S... and sometimes running. Friends don't let friends drive Thornbirds... My camping trailer build up thread.

04-11-08, 11:42 AM	#4
KOWBOY Unwise One Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Elwood, TX TLCA# 1133 Posts: 2,980	Offer 'im 50 bucks and use it has a planter in front of the shop. __________________ I'm the President of The White Trash of the Elwood Chapter and Proprietor of The 3X's Ranch and Retirement Home .... and you ain't. ......

04-11-08, 12:50 PM	#5
photogod I'm really very humble Join Date: May 2004 Location: MN physically, MI spiritually Posts: 1,319	Offer to take it to the recycler for him then order a new floor and weld the sides back together, new bearings and tires and away you go. Seriously, if the sides are not in too bad shape and the frame is not rotten I might be inclined to give it a go for the right price. You can get repro sheet for the bad panels and drop any type of floor in it. It would be really expensive to restore it to original but you could make it a very nice camp trailer out of it. __________________ 94 FZJ80, factory locked with mods worth more than the truck.

04-11-08, 12:59 PM	#6
SouthBostonFJ IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Melrose, MA TLCA# 17862 Posts: 1,018	I am going to see it today. He swears only the floor is rotten. My plan is to use it as a camping trailer. __________________ Alex 1971 Freeborn Red FJ40 w/75 2F, 3 speed on the floor, Warn 8274, 33X9.5 BFG M/T's. "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind." -Humphrey Bogart

04-11-08, 04:24 PM	#7
matt 105 IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bowen Basin, QLD Australia Posts: 342	Gday Here, that is worth far more to a collector, than to someone who wants a cheep camper trailer. As someone who owns 2 Ford GPWs - a 1942 and a 1944, It breaks my heart to see an original Bantam trailer butchered. Please, do someone a favour, and if you dont intend on restoring it, leave it for someone else. Its like when Im at an auction bidding for something I want, and Im bidding against someone who only sees a pile of steel or aluminium they can take to the scrap merchants! They make crappy camper trailers anyway. Hope that didnt come across too harsh - but you did ask what I thought. Matt __________________ ------------------ a white Landcruiser - now with Track Tactical! Last edited by matt 105; 04-11-08 at 04:32 PM.

04-11-08, 10:30 PM	#8
REZARF IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Louisville, CO TLCA# 13041 Posts: 2,839	You're getting soft on us down under __________________ Drew F. Rising Sun 4x4 Club 76 FJ40, 85 fj60 Engine and Ignition, 35" MTR's, Warn 8074, 4" of lift TPI, snorkeled, racked, Mini-truck P/S... and sometimes running. Friends don't let friends drive Thornbirds... My camping trailer build up thread.

04-12-08, 01:33 AM	#9
Brian in Oregon IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,151	It's repairable. But, you need to add up the costs of all the individual replacement parts. I'll bet dollars to donuts that the cost of all the replacement parts will exceed what a decent trailer would cost. Replacement panels are OK if you only use one. If you use several, the price gets out of control quickly. And I can't tell if the lunette assembly is intact. Those parts aren't cheap either. __________________ 1971 FJ40 w/ Chevy 350, Mark's of Australia bellhousing kit, 1979 4-spd transmission & transfer case, 12.50x33x15 tires. Rust free, original paint, wheel wells not cut. Chit-Chat - Degrading the Ih8mud community since 2003.

04-12-08, 08:05 AM	#10
Cattledog IH8MUD Addict Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Portsmouth NH Posts: 531	Pass on it, it is junk. If you fix it you will be into it for more than a newer m416. __________________ 96 lx 450 stock, with 285's and R.B. MAF housing. 2006 Sienna LE 8 passanger, 3 kids and Room to spare!

04-13-08, 05:24 PM	#11
cruzzer IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 103	Check on the condition of the frame and lunette assembly,, If you could get him down to say an even hundred and the lunette assembly is complete,, you could sell that in parts or in whole to a collector for about 2-250.. If the fenders are good,, and the p-brake is still good,, you might be able to make some scratch on it to fun a new build.. I sold my 416 recently,, but I sold the lights, wheels and wire harness to some collectors and then sold the whole trailer and doubled my $.. Just food for thought..

04-13-08, 07:11 PM	#12
SouthBostonFJ IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Melrose, MA TLCA# 17862 Posts: 1,018	I am going to pass, the lunette has been replaced by a regular hitch. __________________ Alex 1971 Freeborn Red FJ40 w/75 2F, 3 speed on the floor, Warn 8274, 33X9.5 BFG M/T's. "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind." -Humphrey Bogart

04-14-08, 12:20 PM	#13
cruzzer IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 103	Without the lunette its not worth much at all.. If He'd take $50 I'd buy it but not for more than that.. Steve

04-15-08, 12:14 PM	#15
wearsabrowncoat IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Minot North Dakota Posts: 200	The Bantam was the civilian version and I don't think it ever had a lunette. Should have come from the factory with the standard hitch. Also, it is not uncommon for the floors to rot out. This one is obviously very bad but if you replaced it with an old truck bed that you cut to size it would be much stronger than original. There was a guy on the forum who did what I am talking about. I'm not saying you should buy it but I would consider it if you have some fab skills and access to cheap materials. Also, I doubt the guy is firm on the price. __________________ 96 LX450 Locked, 285/75/16 BFG A/T, ARB, CDL+7 Pin, Slee washer bottle relocation, Dual battery trays w/ Slee style battery isolator, Auto up window, Landtank seat rails, cup holder, George's LEDs, Slee light harness, Deere bulbs, Clearshield headlight film, Slee style aux fuse box, Maglite holder.

04-16-08, 12:40 PM	#16
cruzzer IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 103	It was my understanding that some Bantams were made to full mil spec and supplied but the contracts were given to other co's that could go full production quicker.. Bantam still made them post war, those had a ball coupler,, and pre war had the pintle.. The m416 pintles seem to go for about $100-150 complete with landing leg, Canadians 101's from $50-75(more of them and less historical value) and depending on which wwII version those can go over $300 if complete.. The landing legs have gone over $100 on their own on ebay.. Its like the chains from WWII there are several different sets and to the guys that restore them NOS ones are big money.. Check out G503.com

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