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yankeedog — The Bantam
Published: 2005-04-04 18:18:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 2101; Favourites: 20; Downloads: 142
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I have to confess, I'm a Jeep Freak. I've owned 7 different Jeeps since I started driving, I've had a CJ-5, a CJ-7, a Scrambler, a 2 door Cherokee, a Grand Cherokee Limited, a Wrangler and a Liberty. The Jeep is one of the most widely recognizable vehicles ever built, they were built in such large numbers during WWII that German soldier thought every GI had his own Jeep. For most people, mention Jeep and they think Willys, but Willys didn't build the first Jeep, that distinction goes to a little car manufacturer in Butler Pennsylvania called American Bantam Car Company. Bantam was the only company to meet the criteria set down by the Army Quarter Master for a light reconnaissance vehicle. Politics as usual played a part in all the twists and turns that would eventually see the contract being award to Willys and Ford, but Bantam for a while showed the big boys they could do it. Sadly the little vehicle that would have saved the Bantam company only led to it demise. [link]Adobe Illustrator 8.0, Apple Macintosh G3 iMac, OS 9.2. Based on rough pencil sketch.
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Comments: 25
Awesome job! I must say I am becoming a Jeep freak. I actually got my first Jeep, a Liberty, last September, and she is amazing.
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Thanks! I'd prefer to drive nothing else. I'm on my 7th Jeep, also a Liberty. If you can find a way to squeeze out a few more miles per gallon on the Liberty, please let me know, ours is a gas hog. I also have a '95 Wrangler ragtop. Here a link to my Jeep page: [link]
-YD
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Aweome page. I love the photos. As for the Liberty being a gas hog, mine is, too. This is what I was told by a friend, and you should do this with every vehicle.
1) Only fill the tank to half full (unless you plan on driving where there are no gas stations). The extra weight due to filling your tank to full means more work the vehicle has to do and the more gas she will use.
2) If you are sitting at a long light or are waiting for a train to pass, put your vehicle in park and turn the engine off.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks! I'm a Jeep freak from way back. 
-YD
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I too must confess, I am a Jeep freak,
My first and only vehicle is a 1998 Jeep Wrangler.
Something I've read is that there is no such thing as a 100% pure Jeep from WWII, Jeeps were broken down and shipped overseas in crates to be reassembled. The service men mixed and match with whatever parts were at hand. So there were Ford parts in Willys and Willys parts in Fords. This information came from "Just Jeeps and Such" by Bill Frederick.
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Cool, alway glad to meet another Jeep Freak! I can't say if that's true or not, but in the case of the Bantam Jeep, it's the real deal, now the Jeeps that came later from Willys and Ford, I guess it's possible that some of the parts were interchangeable. There's a guy named Brian French who has a WWII Jeep web page, [link] he might Know. I know he's a real stickler about having the correct parts on the correct Jeep.
I know it's pretty hard to find old civilian Jeeps that haven't been mucked with in some way. People were always putting bigger engines in them and doing all kinds of crazy home made innovations. My 1995 Wrangler Rio Grande is pretty much as stock as can be and I like it that way, but I sure do admire the way they look with lift kits and bigger wheels tires. Here's a link to my Jeep page [link] I also have a 2004 Liberty that I haven't added to the page.
-YD
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The information is very true, but few know that. Wonderful details, beautiful colors. A 
As being owner of two Willys, I truly know what it feels when the screen is folded down and you cruise at 60 miles per hour.
Best Wishes
Ahmed Nayyer
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Thanks Ahmed! Here's something else you might find interesting. Bantam was once American Austin, subsidiary of Austin in the UK. I think they went bankrupt and reorganized at Bantam.
-YD
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Amazing! great deal of information on this, and greater is your artwork! apart from the beauty and details of your work, you have a certain style, I like it very much!
Its my pleasure to hear from you.
Best Wishes
Ahmed Nayyer
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I thought you would enjoy knowing about the connection with Austin, being as you have a Mini Cooper and a Jeep.
-YD
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Sure, its interesting! I am glad that you remember that!
Ahmed Nayyer
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having spent the afternoon at the royal artillery musem at the woolwich arsenal im in a 'military frame of mind' and really digging this shot. what strikes me is that even though the british would have been using something different to a jeep (or they may have bought american jeeps as well) all the fancy artillery regiments would still have and still are backed up by hundreds of these dependable machines. as much as the success of armies of a century ago or longer was dependant on horses, so the success of modern day armies is dependant on cheap and reliable transport like this.
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Ain't that the truth! There were so many significant American machines that changed the course of WWII, the Sherman tank, the C-47 Dakota, the P-51 Mustang, the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, the P-38 Lightning the Liberty Ship, the P-47 Thunderbolt, the Higgins Boat, the PT Boat, the Baby Flat Top, the F4U Corsair, The B-29... but I don't anything was more significant to the common soldier than the amazing little go anywhere, do anything Jeep.
-YD
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Nice work! great history! I used to have a 1942 GPW, lots of fun, I miss it.
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Thanks! Why did you ever part with the GPW??? I had a '65 Tuxedo Park CJ-5 that I wish I hadn't sold, I saw one sell on Ebay Motors for $5000!!! I sold mine for $900 back in 1980.
-YD
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I guess I had too many vehicles back then, 3 military Dodges and 2 1937 Dodge sedans and the jeep, the jeep didn't have the original motor, it had a Buick 6 cyl, now I'm down to my one carryall and one 37 Dodge. I glad I've been able to keep them!
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Well you kept two winners. It's hard to find an old Jeep that hasn't been messed with in some way. I wanted to by an MB about 20 years ago that was almost original, I had just bought a CJ-7 Levi with 304 auto, zoom zoom... It's my feeling that there is no such thing as too many Jeeps, but me and the MB just wasn't meant to be.
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Thanks, I love em, I do miss the Jeep though! The WWII Jeep may be the most practical vehicle ever designed and built! 100% functional, Not designed to look at but so pleasing to the eye!
Real "machine art"
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Thanks! I've been wanting to do Jeep tribute for a while. A friend of mine sent me a photo of an early model Jeep parked in front of 13th Bomb Squadron headquarters at Barksfield AFB and it inspired me to do this.
-YD
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Thanks Cam! I had pretty good reference to work from.
-YD
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huh! thats interesting! i did not know that! thanks for the info and, of course, the fantastic art!
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You're welcome Tracy! Thanks for the comment!
-YD
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