1939 American Bantam Roadster Custom

1939 American Bantam Roadster Custom
Chassis no. 65389
747cc L-Head Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Updraft Carburetor
15bhp (rated)
3-Speed Transmission
Solid Axles with Front Transverse Semi-Elliptic Spring and Twin Quarter Elliptic Springs Rear
4-Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes

*Offered from the Two Generations Collection
*Custom evolved version of Alexis de Sakhnoffsky's design
*Formerly in the Indianapolis Museum of Speed Collection
*Every collection should have one!

† Sold In Situ - Noted lot is being sold in situ and preview is available Tuesday and Wednesday May 30th and 31st. To make arrangements to view the lots and for further information please contact motors.us@bonhamscars.com.

Please refer to the Buyer Information page for further information.

THE AMERICAN BANTAM

Best known as the inspiration for Donald Duck's car, the 1930s American Bantam was a serious attempt to convert Americans to smaller cars. The Bantam's origins began with the American Austin Car Company, which was founded in Butler, PA in 1929. Like the BMW Dixi in Germany, this was an attempt to sell English Austin Seven cars under license. They were powered by a 747cc 4-cylinder engine, which gave a top speed of around 50mph, with 40mpg.

At $445 the cars were not cheap – not much less than a Ford V8 – but 8,000 were sold the first year in the teeth of the Depression. Production stopped and started again and after about 20,000 cars were sold, the company went broke in 1935, when it was bought by American Austin salesman Roy Evans for a reported pittance of $5,000. Evans brought back de Saknoffsky to redesign and Americanize the cars and semi-streamlined models like this one were made from 1937-1941. Engines were boosted to 22hp and pickups and even woody wagons were built for a total of about 6,000 cars.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Always a talking point in collections and something that through their proportions and design carries considerable charm, this example adds a further dimension to the mix, as it has clearly been the subject of one man's choice of customization. Going beyond its inherent de Saknoffsky styling cues, the headlights have been frenched in to the front fenders, and a 1948 Plymouth dash has been trimmed and squeezed into the cabin. The taillights come from a 1949 Chevrolet, and the interior is a non-standard 'roll and pleat' pattern. With the addition of a chrome grille insert and full exterior discs on the wheels, this Bantam now takes on an even more aerodynamic posture.

One of a modest 1,229 Bantams sold in 1939, quite when the car evolved to its current form is not known, but from copies of old titles on file we know that by 1963 it was the property of Richard W. Gent Jr, who sold it to Louis B Alexander in Indiana. In turn four years later the car passed to Tony Hulman, where it was displayed as part of his Early Wheels Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana. In the 1980s that would be merged into the Indianapolis Museum of Speed Collection where it resided until 2020 when that group was partially dispersed publicly. In true Two Generations style, there was already a Bantam in the collection, but this variant with its interesting design appealed enough to pair up another!