converting classic bantam into locking RTT utility

[gpwpat]

Ok I can't afford one of the fancy adventure trailers to tow behind my modern jeep for camping adventures. And why should I when I have a perfectly capable restored Bantam at home. Also I don't have room for another trailer. so I had a problem. I wanted to be able to use my Bantam have a locking hinged top that i could mount a Roof Top Tent on. Problem #2 I would not modify my trailer at all. so no cutting or welding or drilling. well after alot of thought I did resort to tack welding in rather than bolting in 2 small brackets to attach the gas springs.

Here is the completed top with the tent installed.

here the trailer is open. saddly I thought painting teh inside of the trailer white would be a good idea. saddly the white rattle can did not work. I should have sprayed it od. The top opens to 60 degrees. wow. it is stable and gives plenty of room to fit gear in there. To hold it closed currently I use straps. to lock it I have small lengths of chain that hook onto the trailer tiedowns and then can lock to a link welded onto the top. In the future I plan on attaching latches off of the hood of a wwii jeep. That way it will stay period looking.

Here is how the hinged end is attached. it basically just rides on the round cros section of the trailer. this piece of angle locks the top onto the trailer lip. There are 3 of these brackets. remove the bolts the angle comes off and the new steel top is easily removed.

tent deployed

awnings out

view of the inside

last is the set of sheets my wife found. I use regular bedding with this tent rather than a bag. it gives a more comfortable tenting experience. the sheets match the theme of the trailer well while used behind my wwii jeep or my 2007 jeep.

and last the trailer being used, not abused. I have not intentions on abusing my collector trailer. it is just doing its job a little more than just getting towed in parades.

 

[j_nigrelli]

i think the white would work over an intermediate color such as flat grey primer but you are asking a lot from one partial coat over red. try several light overlapping coats instead of nailing it in one fell swoop.

love the sheets!

 

[atavuss]

Pat,
thanks for posting that! gives me a few ideas for my 46 Bantam! have you or will you take your trailer to Tower Park? did you source your tent locally or did you have to order it?

 

[gpwpat]

Yep I will be at TP. not sure if I will stay the night in october. but I always go for a few days in april. My trailer always comes with me. I drive down in my GPW wiht the trailer in tow. The tent will be staying on there too. I imagine it will draw alot of attention. I did have to order it. I got it from sierra expeditions when they were having the sale. The sale is what prompted me to pull the trigger. no tax and the sale offset the cost of shipping the 1800 monster. Overall I am very happy. Taking it to Bowman lake or meadow lake next weekend with a all wwii jeep weekend excursion. which should be interesting. This will be the first time in many years a bunch of wwii jeeps will get to actually use 4wd. most driving we have done in the past was easily done in 2wd.

 

[slosurfer]

Pat, thanks for posting the pics. Gave me some great ideas for mine. Love the sheets too!

 

[gpwpat]

Here are some modifications I need to do.

Since using the round top edge of the trailer as a hing. there is no way to keep the top from sliding back and forth when it is open. I need to weld on a piece of strap iron so it stays centered in the trailer when open. It slid forward on me and when I tried to close it the angle caught on the trailer and bent my lid up a bit. I have lost the seal of the lid in that corner. I will have to figure out how to bend it back down. In the mean time I will double up on the rubber gasket in that corner.

Also I find a flat lid a bit constraining. When using a tarp it doesn't matter if you go over the top rail of the trailer. With a flat cap it does matter and taller boxes and coolers will not fit anymore. This is where it would be beneficial possibly rebuild by lid to have a profile like the adventure trailer and give me an extra 6" of space.

I also would like to mount the tent with rails like a yakima set. only problem is this type of lid using angle iron and skinned with sheet is not very strong. it supports the tent fine but when open it is flexible with out the tent. bolting the tent directly to the top uses the ridgidity of the tent to strengthen the lid. Initially I had 1/2" rubber pad between the tent and the top. but it proved to flex to much and I went for a hard mounting.

Just food for thought.

PS the sheets I got at target