As you may already know, the American Bantam Car Co. never really published a “shop manual” or a “service manual.”  However, this is the closest it came.  Questions and Answers for Bantam Mechanics is a very succinct list of solutions to 71 issues which you may encounter with your Bantam.  Interestingly, the original copy which has recently emerged on ebay was once part of a Sears & Roebuck plant library.  This book was stamped into the library on April 25, 1938. It would be interesting to know more about this book’s past.

While I don’t know how many originals of this book have survived the test of time, the content of this manual has been reproduced in at least two different ways.

Click here to see the Bantam Shop Manual

The first known publication is the American Bantam Owners Manual, which was printed by Al Asher & Sons.  From what I remember hearing, Asher was a Bantam dealer in Los Angeles, California at the time who decided to reproduce the questions and answers as a manual for car owners eager to learn how to keep their Bantams on the road.  While I am not 100% certain, I believe these manuals are available as reproductions (I’ll look into whether or not they are.

Interestingly, Al Asher & Sons still exists today at its original location and is going on its 98th year in business.  However, the company has switched from selling Bantams to trucks.  Here is a photo of the dealership currently.

More recently, the Austin Bantam Society put together a “Shop Manual”* which it claims as “Not everything, BUT more than published in one place to date.”  This book contains a lot of interesting information and helpful material.  Even better, I am fairly sure it is still actively available from the Club Store.  I believe the shop manual goes for about $40 +/-.  Interestingly, the ABS manual contains a copied version of the Questions and Answers for Bantams, which is actually different from the listed one as it contains information about the 1940 Super Four models.  While it has fewer answered questions, but perhaps they are better answers.

The photos don’t really give you an idea of how small this really is.  However, keep in mind that this is 1/3 the size of the original and the original was quite at home on a car which was only 10′ long from bumper to bumper.  These were made in 1983 and were part of a larger collection.  I spent a while looking for one and while they come up for sale from time to time, I only picked one up a few months ago.  One thing to be wary of is that these are fairly fragile and shipping insurance is a good idea.  Thank you for the tip Drew!

Click here to see the 1983 Franklin Mint Automobile AUSTIN Replica Pewter HOOD ORNAMENT

Here is an aftermarket moto meter for an American Austin.  These come up for sale from time to time.  I’m not sure if the winged cap would actually thread onto an Austin radiator, but it is neat looking.

Click here to see the American Austin Motometer

Perhaps you saw the 1940 Bantam pickup truck which sold at Barrett Jackson in January.  If you haven’t, here is a photo of it:

Some cars sold at auctions end up tucked into dark and dusty corners of collections where they are shielded from prying eyes.  This truck has fortunately found its way to a museum where it will be shared with the public during select events.  If you’re interested in seeing it, check out the Cars of Dreams museum located at:  133 U.S. Highway One, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408.

This has been a content heavy week and I’m not going to complain about that one bit.  Below is a photo which you may have seen, but likely not.  It is the Harris speedster at the 1937 Chicago Auto Show.  The Harris Speedster was a front wheel drive super-car powered by a Swindler V8.  If you haven’t learned about the Swindler yet, it was a pair of Austin engines mated to a flat plane crank into a beautiful v shaped engine.  While I am a fan of the engines and would love to have one, I’ll turn you over to the expert were you can learn more about it –Wm. Spear’s website.  A modern Bantam based swindler was built in the 90’s and supposedly still exists.  You can learn more about that engine also at Wm. Spear’s Website.

You probably know about my interest in Brennan I.M.P.s, but, as I said above, I would love to have a Swindler.  There were known to be at least two of them.  Only one complete engine is known to remain in tact while another is known to exist in a destroyed state.  I would tell you more about the Harris Speedster, but it is best told by the fine folks at autopuzzles.com

Right now, on ebay, there is a hard to find photo of the Speedster being exhibited at one of Bantam’s first exhibitions as a newly reformed company.  Although the roadster was sporty, you may consider this a sort of halo car.

Click here to own a bit of history on the Harris Speedster

Finding old Bantams photos isn’t really one of the easiest things, however they do show up occasionally.  Usually those photos are focused more on the people than the car behind them.  Sometimes you can see a monochrome colored cove or a dusty fender.  Other times, the photo is so washed out that much of its detail has been lost to time.

This photo is quite an exception.  Beyond the 1938 Ford in the background, the main focus of this photo is on the roadster in the foreground of an early airplane.  Although the roadster is a bit beat up and there is an art deco sunburst of grease escaping from behind the front hubcap, the couple in the car really found themselves in a great photo.  Donning sunglasses, some sort of open collared shirt, an a huge smile; the duo seem like they could have been the adventurous kind.

If you’re interested in this photo, you may have some competition from me, but it’s just too cool of a photo to keep to myself.

Click here to see the Bantam and Plane

Also, for comparison sake, here is another roadster photo:

Click here to see a pair of Sailors in an Austin

I am a fan of ebay.  You never know what sort of treasures may crop up.  Then again, you never know when or where treasures may crop up either.  Sometimes, even the coolest item can go unnoticed until you do a completed item search.  Yesterday, I found a very interesting photo which slipped away without much fanfare.

I’m hoping that this photos shows up on the cover of one of the club magazines, or something like that.  Here is a link to the listing in case you are curious about how it was listed: Period Photo

If you have been into Bantams for a while, you may have heard of Hempfling’s log.  Mr. Hempfling was the final inspector of all American Bantams produced.  Every car or chassis which passed him on the way out of the factory is entered into this book.  For each of the 6,000 cars and 70 BRCs, there is a note correlating the body number with the engine number and the final inspection date as well as the configuration of the car when it left the factory.  It also includes some other information including running changes made to the cars as they emerged.  Some entries are more comprehensive than others as the production run neared its end.  For example, at the end even the color of most cars was noted where as this was not the case for early units.

I recently learned that at one point a Bantam owner could get an Authenticity Certificated based off of the information within this book.  While that has not been the practice for some time, it does show the regard within which this book is held.

Right now, there is a reproduction of the book on ebay that comes along with a very heft price tag.  If you are interested in a copy, there is a club member who can help you in securing a new reproduction at a much more reasonable cost.

Click here to see the listing: Hempfling’s log

On an interesting note, Mr. Hempfling owned one of the earliest Bantam coupes to roll off the line.  His car still exists in its original, weathered, condition in Texas.  I believe it is on display.  Although I tried to find a photo of the well enjoyed car, I haven’t had any success this morning.