1938 -1939 American Bantam Mascot / Hood Ornament

A year after Nash used a Jarvis hood ornament to grace the hood of its Lafayette, it made its appearance on the American Bantam.  I have never had the chance to hold a Nash unit and compare it with a Bantam one, however I have heard that the Nash mascot is a bit bigger to suit the larger car.  The Jarvis 3408J is a hard piece to find in any condition these days.  Usually, they are pitted beyond recognition, broken, or bent.  This one is pitted, but a good shop should be capable of repairing it.  Interestingly, these were reproduced in the 60’s-70’s in Japan, although little is known about those reproductions.  These were used from 1938 until the 1940 model cars began production.

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1938-1939 American Bantam 15 bar grille shell

The 15 Bar grille shell was used on a large number of cars, and is preferred by many.  This one however, gives you an idea of what many restorers have had to work with.  The sides of the grille apron, where it meets the fenders are destroyed.  You need to have a good set of hands to make this grille fit a Bantam nicely again.  I think my grilles were mostly welded back together in the same area, but thankfully very skilled people came between me and the damage.  A nice bonus is that this may come with the Bantam badge, although the listing does not mention such.  This should be correct for 1938 through late 1939 cars.

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