I found a Bantam close by but it looks to a little rough. Any opinions? Is this worth it? It appears to be missing the tailgate.
Trailer worth it?
- Thread starter Militarymetal
- Start date
Chris Insull
All roads lead me back to the beach...
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That would definitely be a project. For a perspective, I bought mine for $300 in 2015 (prices have gone way up since then!) with a 1978 VA title from the second owner and it did not need any sheet metal repair. The floor had already been replaced at some point. After rewiring it, adding lights and replacing the wheel bearings, I was all in at around $550 which gave me a trailer I can confidently tow anywhere. I should have replaced the coupler, but it has held up fine. The patina was/ is just fine with me years later as I do use it. If I were to guess, at todays prices with floor, rear supports, bearings, tires, lights, etc... It may take another 1K (less paint) to make it road ready. JMHO...
Didn't think Bantam's had a tailgate...most were made watertight with spring-loaded drain valves so they could float across streams.
Post war civilian Bantams TC-3s had a tailgate.
My 1947 with factory tailgate. Note the ears the tail lights shine through at the back to support the bed sides:
The one listed for sale above has those, so it's a civilian trailer that came with a tailgate.
The military one trailers don't have those ears since the back wall of the trailer supports the sides. Here is my military one (with a tailgate added after the fact). No ears:
The military ones also came with a lever actuated parking brake.
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Also note that you can get most parts to fix these trailers:
I think you could adapt a civilian tailgate from the front/rear panels they have available for the military trailers.
I think you could adapt a civilian tailgate from the front/rear panels they have available for the military trailers.
The one I noted above has a lunette. Doesn’t that mean it’s a military version? I found a restored one around here too but they want $2000 for it. Based on the replies here, that might be okay.Post war civilian Bantams TC-3s had a tailgate.
My 1947 with factory tailgate. Note the ears the tail lights shine through at the back to support the bed sides:
The one listed for sale above has those, so it's a civilian trailer that came with a tailgate.
The military one trailers don't have those ears since the back wall of the trailer supports the sides. Here is my military one (with a tailgate added after the fact. No ears:
The military ones also came with a lever actuated parking brake.
That is not an original lunette. That's something that's been cobbled on to the trailer. Original are much shorter and have a spring on them:
The listed trailer also the smaller civilian serial tag. The military ones are a large plate like this:
Thank you Fireball. I am not a Facebook user, so I am only permitted to see the one photo. Sounds like I might be better off paying more for a nice trailer.That is not an original lunette. That's something that's been cobbled on to the trailer. Original are much shorter and have a spring on them:
Here is the restored one I was looking at. I’d prefer a ball hitch, not lunette. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1820761035228406
Bantam tc3 is a civilian trailer. They had round fenders, tailgates, and ball couplers.
Very early ones had an angle iron rear reinforcement. Most had a sheetmetal rear reinforcement.
If it has a title than it is worth it.
The tailgate is just sheetmetal, angle iron, and black pipe. There is a dedicated tc3 website but I can get more detail to make what it is missing.
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I 'm mistaken..my trailer is a 1952 M100..duh... whaddya expect from a SubSailor??
That's worth it. I'd buy it,