BANTAM HOOD TRIM

Generally the sheet metal pieces here are in pretty good shape, if you have them. Mine were missing on a car as it was a '50's 'hotrod' where they had been removed 'to cool the engine better'. If you don't have them, they can be fairly easily fabricated because they are flat, although the louvering and trim strips for the early models might set you back a bit. And the top and bottom edges will need to be hinged and beaded respectively.

HOOD SIDE TREATMENT VARIATIONS

I need a little help here on just when these various version came and went.

Early cars ('38) had exterior hood handles and three long louvers which ran in a slightly staggered pattern along the length of these side pieces. The standard cars had a 1/16th sliver paint stripe accenting each louver, while the Deluxe rigs had a piece of stainless trim over each louver. Note in the corner a little black rubber triangle, used to buffer the hood side from the body.

Later, on '39 cars we see two shorter stainless steel pieces on either side of the hood and the louvers have disappeared completely. I am not sure if there were two versions of this treatment where in one version the strips are shorter/longer than the other? There seems to be a variation in some pictures. COMMENTS? These two piece trim strips indicate a "two main" engine typical of 1939 cars. These trim pieces are not tapered to a point like the fender trim, but round off into a pretty bullnose at each end.

Some '39 models apparently had nothing at all on this panel and were just plain. Perhaps that was for the standard car and commercial vehicles?

For the 1940/41 "three main" powered models a gold colored molded badge with red trim which spelled out "Bantam" in raised lettering is used. Again, I do not know if there were two or more versions of this logotype piece.