Photos of my 1946 Bantam T3-C

Quarter-ton trailer series, Wanted, USED PARTS FOR SALE NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES., and Knowledge Base
Robert Bills
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Photos of my 1946 Bantam T3-C

Post by Robert Bills » Sun Jul 30, 2006 12:10 pm

OK, I finally got around to taking some photos of my trailer.

You can see all of them at:

http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgal ... ime=0&way=

Here are just a few:

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Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'46 Bantam T3-C trailer
#9466
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=924


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Post by Walldog » Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:19 pm

Absolutely sweet setup! Love the Can-Back. side note: Can-Back appears to be back in biz!!


Wally

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Post by Ralph Fuller » Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:53 am

Robert:
Great looking trailer!!!!!!!!! Looks like a LOT OF WORK to me.
Where did the tail-lights come from? They look similar to 1950 Pontiac.
Ralph
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47 T3-C Bantam trailer
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Post by Robert Bills » Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:37 am

Ralph Fuller wrote:Where did the tail-lights come from? They look similar to 1950 Pontiac.
Those are indeed 1950 Pontiac tail lights. The original owner installed them sometime in the late 1950s. (He was a hot rodder, and had '50 Pontiac tail lights on his '32 Ford Roadster as did many rodders "in the day.") At 3 1/2" OD they are the perfect size for the trailer, and if someone didn't know better might think it came that way from the factory.

Image

I had the bezels re-chromed, but had a devil of a time finding new lenses. All I could find were expensive glass reproductions from Bob Drake until I stumbled across a guy in Amarillo who had 8 original plastic lenses - I bought all of them. (My dad bought the trailer from the original owner in 1966. I backed the trailer into a wall in 1972 and broke one of the lenses. We couldn't find a replacement and had to glue the lens together with Testor's model car cement, and it stayed that way until 2004. So I thought I should have some spares.)
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'46 Bantam T3-C trailer
#9466
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=924

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Post by canorisa » Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:12 am

Robert:

Great looking trailer. Love the set up. Most of have been many hours of work. Question...the paint, is that powder coat or regular paint?

Joel
Once a Marine!, Always a Marine!, Semper Fi! - Combat Wounded Vet, Desert Storm/Desert Shield Persian Gulf 1992
E-mail: canorisa@msn.com
1946 Bantam T3-C - Restored

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Post by Robert Bills » Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:12 am

canorisa wrote: Question...the paint, is that powder coat or regular paint?

Nothing fancy, just regular DuPont "Nason" paint, "Sebring Red" to match my 1983 Jeep CJ-7. (Didn't want to go overboard on the paint because I use the trailer offroad and expect it to get rock chips, scratches, etc.) I do wax it though. The wheels are powder coated.
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'46 Bantam T3-C trailer
#9466
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=924

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Post by Ralph Fuller » Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:42 pm

Talked to a guy who does powder coating about sand-blasting my trailer. He charges $50 an hour. He said he couldn't powder coat over body filler (Bondo). Just a word of caution in case you are thinking about doing it to your trailer.
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67 M151A1
67 M151A1
67 M416
47 T3-C Bantam trailer
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Post by canorisa » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:17 pm

Ralph:

$50/hour to sandblast is a STEAL!!!! The cheapest I could find around my area without having to drive 50+ miles was $105/hour. My trailer does not have any bondo for sure. It's in the raw metal right now as it was exposed to a fire about some 2 years ago so that takes care of that question.

I wish I was close to you man!

Joel

JUST FOR FUN...Anyone knows of a sandblaster that would do the job for less than $105/hour in the Vista, Escondido, Temecula area? I'm in the 92028 zip code and would not mind driving down to San Diego or even Hemet if the price is right and reasonable considering I'll have at least 4 hours of work, maybe more depending on the rust and all the part I need blasted :P
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1946 Bantam T3-C - Restored

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Post by atavuss » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:20 pm

Robert,
what a cool trailer! I like how you did the hitch so that you can just pull the hitch part out and it will be a lot harder to steal it. my trailer is way ugly but I still worry about it getting stolen. are you using an ARB fridge? how many batteries are you using? is the trailer self contained? did you pound out all the dings/dents or was the trailer this clean already?
Ed
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1946 T3-C Bantam 1/4 ton trailer

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Post by Robert Bills » Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:55 pm

atavuss wrote:Robert,
what a cool trailer!
Thanks.
I like how you did the hitch so that you can just pull the hitch part out and it will be a lot harder to steal it. my trailer is way ugly but I still worry about it getting stolen.


Not only that, but I can use different length couplers depending on which tow rig I'm using, or even a lunette. I'm saving up for a "lock 'n roll" coupler to use jeeping because it articulates like a lunette without the "slop," but I have a few projects that have priority.
Are you using an ARB fridge? how many batteries are you using?


Yes it's an ARB fridge. I won it at the West Coast 4WD Club Toys for Tots raffle, Christmas 2004. (Always wanted one, but too many $$$ for me.) I'm using one deep cycle Wally World battery, 115aH. (I didn't want to sacrifice the room that two 6v golf cart batteries would consume.) It's good for a long weekend without recharging, and I have both my tow rigs set up to charge the battery when underway. Future plans include a solar panel so that I can run the fridge for a week without hooking up to my tow rig to recharge the batteries.
Is the trailer self contained?
It's equipped with a chuck box, stove, dutch ovens, fridge, storage for tents, chairs, tables, camp gear, an EZ-Up shelter. etc. I have 12v for the fridge and lights, propane for the stove and more lights, a 15 gal. water tank mounted inside over the axle, and a porta potty and 12v powered instant hot water shower for my girlfriend. So I guess it's self contained. (Just call it the world's shortest RV.)
did you pound out all the dings/dents or was the trailer this clean already?
The trailer really didn't have any dents or rust. I had stripped and repainted it to match the family CJ-5 in 1966 when my father purchased the trailer from the original owner, using zinc chromate primer. (Remember when you could get the good stuff?). I used the trailer at Pismo Beach in 1972 and lost track of it after that (busy being in my 20s-assumed my dad had sold it). My dad called me in 2002 and asked me to come get "my" trailer out of my brother's chicken coop, where it had been stored under a tarp for 30 years. All I did was pressure wash it, sand it down, fill a few holes, clean up a bad weld or two, then primer and paint it red. (It's amazing how a thick layer of chicken droppings can protect against rust!) There are a few waves in the floor, which I "fixed" by covering the floor with a varnished piece of 1/2" marine plywood.
Last edited by Robert Bills on Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'46 Bantam T3-C trailer
#9466
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=924

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Post by Bill H. » Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:12 pm

Robert, very impressive job you have done on your trailer.
Bill H.

"Each shall seek his own kind, in other words, a bird may love a fish but where would they build a home together?" Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof

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1953 Willys M38A1
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Robert Bills
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Post by Robert Bills » Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:34 pm

canorisa wrote: ...Anyone knows of a sandblaster that would do the job for less than $105/hour in the Vista, Escondido, Temecula area? I'm in the 92028 zip code and would not mind driving down to San Diego or even Hemet if the price is right and reasonable considering I'll have at least 4 hours of work, maybe more depending on the rust and all the part I need blasted
Try these guys:

http://westernblastingandmetaliz.onsmartpages.com/home/

A bit out of your area, and I don't know what they charge, but they have a good reputation.
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'46 Bantam T3-C trailer
#9466
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=924

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Post by canorisa » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:01 am

Robert:

Thanks for the lead. I will be getting in touch with them pretty soon here. By the way, have you ever had anything done by them? Where they reasonable? How good are they?

Joel :)
Once a Marine!, Always a Marine!, Semper Fi! - Combat Wounded Vet, Desert Storm/Desert Shield Persian Gulf 1992
E-mail: canorisa@msn.com
1946 Bantam T3-C - Restored

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Post by canorisa » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:02 am

Robert:

Thanks for the lead. I will be getting in touch with them pretty soon here. By the way, have you ever had anything done by them? Where they reasonable? How good are they?

Joel :)
Once a Marine!, Always a Marine!, Semper Fi! - Combat Wounded Vet, Desert Storm/Desert Shield Persian Gulf 1992
E-mail: canorisa@msn.com
1946 Bantam T3-C - Restored

Robert Bills
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Post by Robert Bills » Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:53 am

canorisa wrote:Thanks for the lead. I will be getting in touch with them pretty soon here. By the way, have you ever had anything done by them? Where they reasonable? How good are they?
I haven't had anything done by Western Sandblasting & Metalizing, but have heard good things about them. You might try locating some owners of restored classics and hot rods in your area and ask if they have heard of or can recommend any sandblasters close to you.
Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'46 Bantam T3-C trailer
#9466
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=924


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