Apparently this is a WWII Bantam trailer

[maple_leaf_eh]

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cargo-utility...ationFlag=true

The seller is asking $900 and it is in North Bay (eh?). I am not in North Bay.

Terry

[charlie fitton]

Not an expert, but I think its a post war Bantam, made for the civvie market - I'd go look at it..

[rob love]

Bantam gets the credit for making the Jeep, but was beaten by Willys (and Ford) when the time came to fill full production contracts. Bantam was relegated to making trailers during the war, and post war continued making them for the civilian market. As Charlie mentions, this would appear to be one of the civilian ones.

[chris vickery]

I am in N Bay and would gladly look at it and get a better overall examination for anyone seriously interested.

[charlie fitton]

I talked to a local guy who'd like to know more.

Out of curiosity, could someone replace the ball with a lunette - without wrecking anything?

thanks

f

[maple_leaf_eh]

The construction of the hitch/lunette on the 1953 1/4 ton trailers is simple. There is a big steel casting that bolts to the diagonal draw bars. This casting has a through-hole. The lunette is simply a cast loop with an exterior threaded shaft with a stop face. It spins freely with greasing. There is a big castle nut that holds the shaft in the hole, and IIRC, is cushioned with a coil spring.

From a quick look at the Kijiji pictures, the original casting is either gone or covered with the sheet metal trailer ball hitch. No way of knowing how much of the original casting remains. If the lunette itself has been modified or damaged, it should be replaced. The shaft is likely a common exterior dimension, so a civilian to military or vice versa conversion would be easy.

[chris vickery]

I am endeavouring to go check this for you guys.
Be aware that the parts for the lunette etc are not cheap.
I know it consists of several pieces including the casting, the lunette draw bar, a big spring, 2 washers and a castle nut.
John Bizal carries the correct MBT/Bantam draw bar NOS $300USD, spring $19, washer set $5.50 and nut at $4. He does not show the casting. I will check this trailer to set if it still exists.

[rob love]

As Terry says, the shafts on all 1/4 ton trailers (including the M416 and the late Cdn M101Cdn2) are the same. There are some variables in the actual ring and shaft dimension, but the tapered portions that fit in the casting are interchangeable.

John Bizal in the US has had new lunnettes cast, and as well I think MD Juan has also makes them. While the lunnette on these trailers is so over built, I am sure even the off shore ones would be no problem, I personally would lean towards John's product.

[Brian Gough]

Hi all,

Here are 2 websites with lots of good info. on the civilian Bantam T3-C trailers:

www.bantamt3c.com


http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/


Brian

[Robert Bergeron]

Thanks for the info. The one for sale sure looks like a post war T- 3C.

Painted green it could easily pass off for a wartime trailer. Nobody but the experts from MLU would know the difference in a July 1 parade...

[chris vickery]

Status report; I have tried unsuccessfully to contact the vendor regarding this trailer, typical all too often with Kijiji ads.