American Austin Car Company
Encyclopedia
The American Austin Car Company was a United States
automobile
manufacturing corporation
tied to the British
Austin Motor Company
. The company was founded in 1929, and produced motorcars from 1930 through 1934, when it filed for bankruptcy
.
In 1935 the company was reorganized under the name American Bantam. Production resumed in 1937 and continued through 1941, including the first prototype
of what later became the Jeep
.
The American Austin Car Company was founded in 1929, in Butler
, Pennsylvania
in premises that had belonged to the Standard Steel Car Company
. Their intention was to assemble and sell in the United States
a version of the Austin 7
car, called American Austin. After some initial success the Great Depression
set in, and sales fell off to the point that production was suspended. In 1934 the company filed for bankruptcy.
The automobile
was designed in the hopes of creating a market for small-car enthusiasts in the United States
. The cars had 747 cc inline-four engines and looked something like small Chevrolets with Stutz
and Marmon
-style horizontal hood louvres
. The bodies were designed by Alexis de Sakhnoffsky
and made by the Hayes Body Company of Detroit. The coupe
was billed as a sedan, and sold for $445, slightly less than a Ford V8 roadster. The Great Depression
made the cheaper secondhand cars more appealing, so sales dropped off.
More than 8000 cars were sold during the company's first (and best) year of sales, but sales fell off to the point that production was suspended in 1932. It restarted in 1934 with bodies now made in-house but stopped again between 1935 and 1937.
About 20,000 cars were produced.
From the 1960s onwards the car gained a following with drag racers, who used them as base material for altereds. These were hybrid of street driven hot rod
s and all out drag racing
machines.
In 1935 Roy Evans, a former salesman for Austin, bought out the bankrupt company, which was reorganized under the name American Bantam. ("Bantam
" is a smaller-bred version of any particular poultry breed — the name must have been chosen for the size of the automobiles that the company made.) The formal connection with UK Austin
was severed, though a relationship was maintained. A series of changes was made to the American Austin car design, including a modified engine
, and an exterior sheetmetal designed by Alexis de Sakhnoffsky.
Production was resumed in 1937 and continued through 1941. Despite a wide range of Bantam body styles, ranging from light truck
s to woodie
station wagon
s, only about 6,000 Bantams of all types were produced.
American Bantam's 1938 model is famous for being the inspiration for Donald Duck
's car.
American Bantam also pioneered the first Jeep to a design by Karl Probst, still with rounded fenders, and built 2765 of these (more than half of which went to The British Army and some sent on to Russia
) after discontinuing the manufacture of passenger vehicles. Some of the motors and chassis were imported Toledo, OH; the bodies were made at the American Bantam Car factory in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The company produced the most fuel-efficient engine and first prototype under the original tender specifications and was awarded the first contract, but because Willys Overland used a more powerful engine, and because elements favorable to Ford within the Quartermaster Corps claimed (Denfeld & Fry Indestructible Jeep, pp. 31-6, 41,46) that Bantam lacked production capacity to produce the vehicle on the scale needed by the United States Department of War
, the awarding of ongoing contracts was reopened. Eventually the U.S. Army
gave the BRC (Bantam Reconnaissance Car) 40
designs to Willys-Overland
and awarded the bulk of orders to Willys and Ford
, while Bantam went on to produce Jeep trailers (T-3).
and American Bantam Photo Galleries at RemarcableCars.com
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufacturing corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
tied to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Austin Motor Company
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
. The company was founded in 1929, and produced motorcars from 1930 through 1934, when it filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
.
In 1935 the company was reorganized under the name American Bantam. Production resumed in 1937 and continued through 1941, including the first prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
of what later became the Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
.
American Austin Car Company
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in premises that had belonged to the Standard Steel Car Company
Standard Steel Car Company
The Standard Steel Car Company was a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock in the United States that existed between 1902 and 1934....
. Their intention was to assemble and sell in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
a version of the Austin 7
Austin 7
The Austin 7 was a car produced from 1922 through to 1939 in the United Kingdom by the Austin Motor Company. Nicknamed the "Baby Austin", it was one of the most popular cars ever produced for the British market, and sold well abroad...
car, called American Austin. After some initial success the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
set in, and sales fell off to the point that production was suspended. In 1934 the company filed for bankruptcy.
The automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
was designed in the hopes of creating a market for small-car enthusiasts in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The cars had 747 cc inline-four engines and looked something like small Chevrolets with Stutz
Stutz
Stutz may refer to:*Harry C. Stutz , American automobile pioneer and manufacturer of luxury cars and fire engines*Josef Stutz , Swiss Conservative politician*Stutz Motor Company, American luxury cars producer...
and Marmon
Marmon
Marmon Motor Car Company was an automobile manufacturer founded by Howard Marmon and owned by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It was established in 1902 and was merged and renamed in 1933. They produced cars under the Marmon brand. It was succeeded by Marmon-Herrington and...
-style horizontal hood louvres
Louvres
Louvres is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France.-References:** -External links:* * *...
. The bodies were designed by Alexis de Sakhnoffsky
Alexis de Sakhnoffsky
Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky was a Russian-American industrial designer, known principally for his Streamline-style automotive designs. Born in Moscow in 1901, Sakhnoffsky emigrated to Switzerland in 1919 and by the 1920s had become a well-known designer of European sports cars...
and made by the Hayes Body Company of Detroit. The coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
was billed as a sedan, and sold for $445, slightly less than a Ford V8 roadster. The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
made the cheaper secondhand cars more appealing, so sales dropped off.
More than 8000 cars were sold during the company's first (and best) year of sales, but sales fell off to the point that production was suspended in 1932. It restarted in 1934 with bodies now made in-house but stopped again between 1935 and 1937.
About 20,000 cars were produced.
From the 1960s onwards the car gained a following with drag racers, who used them as base material for altereds. These were hybrid of street driven hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
s and all out drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
machines.
American Bantam
Bantam (chicken)
A bantam is a small variety of poultry, especially chickens. Etymologically, the name bantam is derived from the city of Bantam - currently known as "Banten Province" or previously "Banten Residency" - once a major seaport, in Indonesia...
" is a smaller-bred version of any particular poultry breed — the name must have been chosen for the size of the automobiles that the company made.) The formal connection with UK Austin
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
was severed, though a relationship was maintained. A series of changes was made to the American Austin car design, including a modified engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
, and an exterior sheetmetal designed by Alexis de Sakhnoffsky.
Production was resumed in 1937 and continued through 1941. Despite a wide range of Bantam body styles, ranging from light truck
Light truck
Light truck or light duty truck is a U.S. classification for trucks or truck-based vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4,000 pounds...
s to woodie
Woodie
A woodie is a car body style, especially a station wagon, where the rear bodywork is constructed of wood framework with infill panels of wood or painted metal....
station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s, only about 6,000 Bantams of all types were produced.
American Bantam's 1938 model is famous for being the inspiration for Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
's car.
Original Jeep
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) after discontinuing the manufacture of passenger vehicles. Some of the motors and chassis were imported Toledo, OH; the bodies were made at the American Bantam Car factory in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The company produced the most fuel-efficient engine and first prototype under the original tender specifications and was awarded the first contract, but because Willys Overland used a more powerful engine, and because elements favorable to Ford within the Quartermaster Corps claimed (Denfeld & Fry Indestructible Jeep, pp. 31-6, 41,46) that Bantam lacked production capacity to produce the vehicle on the scale needed by the United States Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
, the awarding of ongoing contracts was reopened. Eventually the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
gave the BRC (Bantam Reconnaissance Car) 40
Willys MB
The Willys MB US Army Jeep and the Ford GPW, were manufactured from 1941 to 1945. These small four-wheel drive utility vehicles are considered the iconic World War II Jeep, and inspired many similar light utility vehicles. Over the years, the World War II Jeep later evolved into the "CJ" civilian...
designs to Willys-Overland
Willys
Willys was the brand name used by Willys-Overland Motors, an American automobile company best known for its design and production of military Jeeps and civilian versions during the 20th century.-Early History:In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company...
and awarded the bulk of orders to Willys and Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, while Bantam went on to produce Jeep trailers (T-3).
Later production
After Jeep production stopped, Bantam made two wheel trailers. This continued until the company was taken over by American Rolling Mills in 1956.External links
and American Bantam Photo Galleries at RemarcableCars.com
- American Austin & Bantam Cars and Parts Golden Miles Sales, Inc.
- American Austin Bantam Club
- RemarkableCars.com
- In August 2011, the VOA Special EnglishSpecial EnglishSpecial English is a controlled version of the English language first used on October 19, 1959, and still presented daily by the United States broadcasting service Voice of America. World news and other programs are read one-third slower than regular VOA English. Reporters avoid idioms and use a...
service of the Voice of AmericaVoice of AmericaVoice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
broadcast a report on the Bantam Jeep as part of its American Mosaic series. A transcript and MP3 of the program, intended for English learners, can be found at The Jeep - One of the Most Famous Vehicles in the World – is Celebrated at its Birthplace.