DividingCreek
Explorer
that old blue bird is cool ! Where in NVa are you ?
New trailer owner questions - Bantam 1946 trailer find (and buy).
- Thread starter FAW3
- Start date
FAW3
Adventurer
Yes...she is a neat old bus, was repainted with Imron in the factory colors about 10 years ago and still looks really good...always stored covered. I had a friend give me a group of tickets and parking pass for a NASCAR race once in Richmond and could have made a lot of $$$ selling tours...I'm parked among million dollar custom coaches but all the big motorheads wanted to do was look at the old BlueBird.
Independent Hill area...between Manassas and Rt#95.
FAW3
Adventurer
Bantam trailer "tarp bows"...a quick & easy method
I got nice black heavy tarp from "mytarp.com" based on M. Harleys big red trailer build on the site. They have great prices, quick shipping and the 5x7 stock flat tarp size fits the Bantam like a glove.
We have had some significant rain...and so I learned that supporting bows for the tarp are a "must have". Most of the serious Bantam folks use heavy steam bent oak and model after the OEM fittings...I am not a restorer and so...I went light and easy...
I used oak 1x3 cut to about 4.5" for the "stake pockets"; used 1/8 x 3/4 alum bar cut to 6" long for the brackets which mount the stake pocket block to the actual bow; and used 4 sectons of 48" long oak door stop trim for the bows. All from Lowes.
I drilled and set up the blocks and alum. trim using standard nut/bolts. Sanded all the wood (nice thing about the oak door stop - presanded!) Soaked the 4 cut door stop trim sections in the bathtub overnight and in the morning mounted it up, hand bent the alum. trim, and you just jamb the blocks into the stake pockets and let them sit. Once dry...your set for a double coating of linseed oil and thats it.
With the 5x7 tarp and some 3/8" rope running around...every thing is tight looking, rain proof and self draining with no puddles. I've run at highway speeds and it's on tight/no flapping.
I got nice black heavy tarp from "mytarp.com" based on M. Harleys big red trailer build on the site. They have great prices, quick shipping and the 5x7 stock flat tarp size fits the Bantam like a glove.
We have had some significant rain...and so I learned that supporting bows for the tarp are a "must have". Most of the serious Bantam folks use heavy steam bent oak and model after the OEM fittings...I am not a restorer and so...I went light and easy...
I used oak 1x3 cut to about 4.5" for the "stake pockets"; used 1/8 x 3/4 alum bar cut to 6" long for the brackets which mount the stake pocket block to the actual bow; and used 4 sectons of 48" long oak door stop trim for the bows. All from Lowes.
I drilled and set up the blocks and alum. trim using standard nut/bolts. Sanded all the wood (nice thing about the oak door stop - presanded!) Soaked the 4 cut door stop trim sections in the bathtub overnight and in the morning mounted it up, hand bent the alum. trim, and you just jamb the blocks into the stake pockets and let them sit. Once dry...your set for a double coating of linseed oil and thats it.
With the 5x7 tarp and some 3/8" rope running around...every thing is tight looking, rain proof and self draining with no puddles. I've run at highway speeds and it's on tight/no flapping.
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