Bantams back in their birthplace of Butler
Charlie Foreman has traveled to several states for American Austin Bantam Club meetings before, but this year was special.
The eastern Pennsylvania resident was happy to be in Butler on Wednesday evening for the annual club meeting, where the pre-World War II cars were manufactured for years.
“It’s very exciting to be here,” Foreman said. “The first year I joined it was in Reading, it was in Georgia one year; it is cool to be in the birthplace.”
The American Austin Bantam Club meets in a different city each year, and Chris Germana, the club’s president, said the meeting was planned for Butler this year because it was the 60th anniversary of the club.
About 30 Bantam vehicles, which were built between 1930 and 1941, were parked on Main Street in Butler for the public’s viewing pleasure. Club members plan to be in town all week for more car-related activities.
Many county residents who walked by the small, colorful antique cars also attended the festival celebrating the Bantam’s successor earlier this month, the Jeep.
“A lot of car people are interested because some have never seen them up close,” said Germana, who traveled from Manchester, N.H., to attend the event. “For the 60th anniversary we wanted to come back to where they were invented.”
Visitors could hear from the vehicle owners about their Bantams, and also learn some history about their manufacturer.
The American Austin Car Company was created to build the American version of the British Austin Seven, but reorganized as the American Bantam Car Company of Butler a few years later, according to a news release from the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau. American Bantam was the first company to build the prototype of the Jeep, and 2,675 were built before the company lost its contract with the U.S. Army.
In addition to the history behind the vehicles, the Bantam owners also enjoyed talking about their cars’ specificiations, and what it takes to maintain their engines.
Ralph Davy of Lansing, Ill., said he could get his 1941 Bantam panel truck up to 135 miles per hour on the race track. He said he wanted to buy the classic vehicle because he has been a car-fan since childhood.
“I’m out almost every night with it,” Davy said. “I always wanted a hot rod ever since I was a kid.”
Davy also said the culture that has formed around Bantam collectors and enthusiasts makes being in the club enjoyable.
Al Bachman, of Chicago, said he has not taken his Model 138 American Austin Business Coup out for about two years, but was happy to finally show it off once again at the club meeting.
“It’s just a fun little car and they are wonderful machines,” Bachman said. “It’s true, two real people can fit in it, not just children, and I casually drive it around, take it to parades, car shows when I can.”
