How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

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Chuck Lutz
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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Mon Jan 01, 2018 1:05 pm

Boone...

Your Bantam USA would have been 0948627 when I use the serial number, DOD and AM numbers you provided. This would be one of the very CLOSEST estimates I have been able to make for anyone.

Can you email me a pic of the data plate please?
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947


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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by aeroshell2 » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:49 am

I have a restored Bantam Trailer but it does not have the USA number on the back. It has serial no 68238 DOM 4/28/45. Is there a way to come up with the correct number?
Mark Henley

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:54 am

Mark...

Send me all the answers to the questions I asked and a pic of the ACM number and data plate and let's see what we can come up with!
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Myers » Sun Jan 07, 2018 6:08 pm

Here you go Chuck. Thanks for the information!
Attachments
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1-44 Ford GPW (161784) USA 20439314, USN 87559
5-4-45 Bantam T3 (68871) USA 0948627

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Webster » Wed Jan 17, 2018 11:01 am

Hello Chuck,

My name is Pascal and I live in south of France near Bordeaux.
I bought a jeep trailer ¼ Ton to french army with :

1 – Data plate : Missing
2 – USA Number : No found. Under the painting on the back panel, just flag blue/white/red and the old French army registration number : 250 - 1743
3 – ACM Number : 97750 on the left gusset plate.
4 – Upper Shock Mount : Type cotter-pin, boted to the frame.
Lower shock mount : Type cotter-pin on left and type threaded on right.
5 – Axe is a straight tube with Bendix break
6 – Springs : 8 leaves each with fasteners type Ford on right ant type Willys on left
7 – Taillight and reflectors : Missing, just the holes in body for 4 reflectors with 2 holes for one reflector
8 – Taillight Mounts : Missing, just the holes in frame
9 – Numbers : Any numbers stamped near the handbrake, just the french army number stamped on the frame by the « Maltournée » : ITM 0021861
10 – Bolts : « A » bolt heads
11 – Unit Numbers : French units

When y bought my trailer, french army docs said : « Willys ¼ Ton trailer from 28/04/1943 »
I’m a bit wary with this information.. but the trailer have all the features of a ww2 trailer : rounded wings, blackout switch, ribbed body panels, machining holes in the rear frame, etc

Could you help me to identify this trailer ? date ? maker ?

Thanks
And well done for the work undertaken!

P.S. Sorry for my poor english

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:59 am

Pascal...your English is just fine! Can you send me a CLEAR picture of the ACM number you found by email? An MBT which is what you have, with an ACM number of "97750" would be an early December 1943 production give or take a week or two. The "28/4/43" is written in the European fashion with the DAY first, but that would be April 28, 1943 if written in the American style and ACM was no where NEAR that 97750 number of units at that tie.

Something is wrong...it might be an April 28, 1943 DOD but that would mean the ACM number is being read incorrectly. It might be that the "97750" is correct and the "28/4/43" is incorrect from the French Army overhaul.

Be sure to check the axle again....the welded seam style is done very well and a dirty or heavily painted axle may make it impossible to see that weld...or it may in fact be a smooth tube with no weld in the middle!
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Webster » Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:28 am

Hello Chuck,

Thank a lot for your estimate.

Some pictures :

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

"28/04/1943" is the first registration date on french army identity paper. I also think this information is wrong..
I sanded the axle, it's a smooth tube with no weld in the middle.

So it would be a Willys MTB trailer from early December 1943. Could you have an estimated USA Number for this trailer ?

Pascal

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:54 am

Found an original Bantam T3 plate I would like to use on a restored trailer...

Serial# is 35732 with a DoD of 8-43

Any thoughts on approx what blue drab USA number would have matches this dataplate?

Thanks,

Johan
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:41 pm

Hello Johan...can you post a pic of that data plate? If it is a Bantam, it would have MONTH/DAY/YEAR on it, if it is a /WILLYS then just MONTH/YEAR. Also, can you send me the answers to the questions in the sticky and especially the ACM number?

We can go forward from there!
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:56 pm

Hello Pascal....

With an ACM of "97750" the best estimate I can give you is as follows:

MBT
Serial Number.......55929
DOD...................1 -- 44 (January 1944)
USA Number.........0625174

Can you send me you family name and the city near Bordeaux you live in for y records please. you can do that on Email or by a PM here on the g503.
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:55 am

Chuck Lutz wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:41 pm
Hello Johan...can you post a pic of that data plate? If it is a Bantam, it would have MONTH/DAY/YEAR on it, if it is a /WILLYS then just MONTH/YEAR. Also, can you send me the answers to the questions in the sticky and especially the ACM number?

We can go forward from there!
Thx Chuck! Here's a picture of the plate. I don't have access to the trailer it was attached to anymore...
Would just like to use it on a restored trailer with a more or less matching USA number.

DoD on the plate says 08 43 but I guess the month may be missing or illisible up front...

Cheers
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MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:39 am

Johan..

When you find a trailer to restore, send me the ACM number for that one and we may be able to give you the missing data plate info and USA number that is reasonably close...then all three would be in the right range.

For the plate you have, the missing information is as follows:

Bantam
Serial Number...........35732
DOD.......................11/8/43 (November)
USA Number.............0469264

The trailer it came off of probably had an ACM number in the 87,000 range
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:20 pm

Thanks chuck, much appreciated...
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Raflad » Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:00 pm

Hi Chuck: Finally got the answers to all of the questions.

1.Data Plate. Yes it's there. Serial # 2470, delivery date 8-42
IMG_3586.JPG
IMG_3586.JPG (195.75 KiB) Viewed 3572 times
2. USA Number. The number took a while to decipher but pretty positive it is 0160905.
3. ACM Number. No number on gusset plate but it is stamped by handbrake, W2320.
IMG_3724.JPG
IMG_3724.JPG (208.57 KiB) Viewed 3572 times
4. Upper shock mount. Cotter type pin upper and lower, riveted to frame
5. Axel. Center cast section.
6. Springs. 10 springs, flat type
IMG_3719.JPG
IMG_3719.JPG (217.65 KiB) Viewed 3572 times
7. Tail lights and reflectors. No markings on tail lights, Corcoran Brown on reflectors, lead washers on inside
IMG_3275.JPG
IMG_3275.JPG (200.93 KiB) Viewed 3572 times
IMG_3278.JPG
IMG_3278.JPG (197.73 KiB) Viewed 3572 times
8. Tail light mounts. Welded.
9. Numbers. Just the W2320 stamped by the handbrake
10. Bolts. Draw bar to frame C/TR. Fender A. Spring hanger to frame A. Handbrake pivot points AA. Handbrake mounting EC. Draw bar brackets A. Bump pads EC. Handbrake cable clamps BC. Hub cap A.
11. Unit numbers. None found
Adam Smith
GPW 80535, 11-19-42
MBT 2470, 8-42, USA #0160905

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Re: How To Identify a WWII MBT or Bantam 1/4 Ton Trailer

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed Mar 28, 2018 2:29 pm

Thanks Adam!

It is rare to get a reported G529 with all three of the often missing items you found on yours....data plate, USA and ACM. Only the VERY first MBTs had the ACM NUMBER on the front lip near the handbrake. I don't have any Bantams reported with it stamped there.

However....it seems the first produced MBTs had no frame crossmember at the rear....can you post a pic of the rear panel and frame beneath it please?

PS....I don't have your city/state for my records...can you send that....by email if you wish.
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947


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