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American Bantam

American Bantam
IndustryAutomobile, Military Industry
FoundedAugust 1935
FounderRoy Evans
Defunct1956
FateAcquired
HeadquartersButler, Pennsylvania
Key people
  • William A. Ward Jr.
  • Charles 'Harry' Payne
  • Harold Crist
  • Frank Fenn
  • Ralph Turner
  • Chet Hempfling
  • Karl Probst
ProductsVehicles, Jeeps
Number of employees
916[1]

The American Bantam Car Company was an American automobile manufacturing company incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania. American Bantam is credited with inventing the original World War II 1⁄4‑ton jeep in 1940.[nb 1][2][3][4][5] The company's founders, Roy Evans and William A. Ward Jr., combined resources to purchase the assets of the bankrupt American Austin Car Company in August of 1935 during liquidation.[6]

In 1935 the new company produced vehicles based on the American Austin tooling, operating as Evans Operations Inc.[7] The new company was incorporated as American Bantam Car Company in June 1936.[8] The new company launched a public fundraising campaign and redesigned their entire vehicle line to launch a completely refreshed selection of American Bantam roadsters and delivery vans in 1937. The company continued to make vehicles into 1943, until all of its production – like all the U.S. automotive industry – served the World War II efforts, with vehicles and weapons manufacturing, including (amphibious) cargo trailers, aircraft controls and other parts, and engines and tail gearing for torpedoes.[9]

  1. ^ Bantam Workers Vote for CIO Retrieved 11 July 2022
  2. ^ House Resolution 382; Regular Session 2015-2016 Retrieved 11 July 2022
  3. ^ HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 382 Session of 2015 Retrieved 11 July 2022
  4. ^ Invention of the Jeep Historical Marker Retrieved 16 July 2022
  5. ^ Questions and Answers – Who Invented the Jeep? Retrieved 13 July 2022
  6. ^ American Bantam Car Co. v. Comm'r of Internal Revenue Retrieved 11 July 2022
  7. ^ Austin Motor Cars Now Being Produced Retrieved 11 July 2022
  8. ^ Search Business Entity: American Bantam Car Retrieved 13 July 2022
  9. ^ It gets its Fighting Heart from a Fighting Bantam Retrieved 13 July 2022


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