New Guy

[Robert Bills]

I'm the new guy here. Found the link to this site in a thread on the www.g503.com 1/4 ton trailer forum. I have to say that I have found more good expedition trailer ideas in 10 minutes of browsing here than in hours elsewhere.

I've been an offroader since 1960, starting as a kid in my family's '54 CJ-3B. I've had a '65 Kaiser Jeep CJ-5 V6, '49 Willys Overland wagon, and currently own an '83 AMC Jeep CJ-7 and '97 Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee tsi. I am also the proud owner of a 1946 Bantam T3-C 1/4 ton trailer that my father purchased from the original owner in 1966 and gave to me in 1998.

More later, but here are some photos of my recently restored Bantam:

 

[Willman]

Welcome to the ExPo!

Love your trailer!

Just like mine..color and everything!...Your trailer is my long lost twin!

:26_7_2:

 

[adventureduo]

Welcome to the board! Nice restoration!

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Welcome Aboard! :beer:

Very nice trailer and in incredible shape! Really like the canvas top.

 

[roberto]

trailer

nice trailer, where can I get a top made like yours, I have seen it before on ih8mud?

Roberto

 

[RoundOut]

Love the trailer!

Welcome to ExPo!


.

 

[Robert Bills]

nice trailer, where can I get a top made like yours, I have seen it before on ih8mud?

The top was custom made by CanBack before the company sold and relocated in Arizona. If you look at the photos at the link in my signature, you can see the mounting plate I fabricated to sit on the tube at the top of the trailer tub. This was necessary because the CanBack frame system is designed to bolt through the flat top rail of a pickup bed. The plate is made from 1/4" steel and covers the side and front rails. I welded rectangular tube to the plate so the assembly slides into the stake pockets in the tub and is bolted in place. No welding of the trailer was involved.

Unfortunately, the new owners of CanBack don't seem interested in custom work, but I am told that the top for a Toyota Tacoma is very close to the dimensions of the tub on WWII MBT and T3 military trailers, and the M100.

I like this system because it is lightweight, it's easy to load and unload stuff when the side and rear curtains are rolled up, and it's reminiscent of the "covered wagon" tops sold by Bantam as an accessory:

 

[Robert Bills]

Willman, SoCalFJ, Andrew, Roundout and Roberto,

Thanks for the kind words.

P.S. - It was a link to Willman's Bantam thread that led me to this site. Very nice trailer!

 

[Willman]

Hey Robert,

A few questions for ya....

On your tailgate...How do you keep it closed...mine came with bolts on each side keeping to closed

I would love to see a picture of the rear of you trailer......Just too compair the two.

Thanks and glad to have ya aboard!

:jumping:

 

[IZZYDUSIT]

Love your trailer!!!!
welcome aboard!!!!

 

[IH8RDS]

Nice Bantam!!

 

[TigerPaw]

Hey, Mr. Bills! I've talked with you a couple of times on the Bantam Yahoo group (cwbear69). I've also seen your post on g503, though I haven't joined that forum, yet. You'll love this forum, as it is a wealth of information (as are you) and a really good crowd, although some of the Bantam trailer mods may make you cringe just a little...

Welcome!

 

[Robert Bills]

On your tailgate...How do you keep it closed...mine came with bolts on each side keeping to closed

I would love to see a picture of the rear of you trailer......

At first, I used the OEM chains and hooks (now cleaned up and stored away). For a while, I used bolts and wingnuts, but what a pain.

Now I am using drilled studs through the original holes in the trailer and pins on lanyards. I would like to devise a system with button release pins or even something more sophisticated, but there are always other projects that take priority. I would love to see some good ideas here.

The photos you requested:

 

[Willman]

Thanks for the pictures!

I'm trying to come up with something for mine on how to keep the tailgate closed/locked...Keep ya posted.

Love the hitch in the back!

Did you do it yourself?.....Love to see how you attached the receiver hitch to the frame.

Thanks again!

:jumping:

 

[slosurfer]

Very NIce! I have actually seen pics of yours before when I was researching for my M416 a couple years ago.:26_7_2: