American Bantam

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. 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. In 1935 the new company produced vehicles based on the American Austin tooling, operating as Evans Operations Inc. The new company was incorporated as American Bantam Car Company in June 1936. 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.