Checker Bantam Restoration # 4

Knee high by the Fourth of July (2000)

Here's Paul Moore, the guy actually doing the hard work on this project taking a well deserved breather from his labors on July 4, 2000. Today he put in the front differential and mounted the wheels just so we could roll it around the shop (and okay, have a look at it:~) There is still much to be done here...the brake internals and hydraulics tie rods and drag links need to be found and replaced etc. We have finally decided on this color. Although there are traces of a lighter more khakai color here and there under this color, we can't really tell if that is paint or a primer. Under all circumstances, our restoration goal is to make it look the way Checker would have readied it for submission to Camp Holabird, rather than the way they were recieved from Bantam.

Here's a picture of one of the three original RC's at Holabird.Dated June 11, 1941 it's described as a "Checker Cab Bantam RC 1/4 Ton 4x4" All the literature brushes Checker off as not having submitted a prototype...but hey, what's this? Chopped Liver?

Here's another view with me trying to decide where we will put the engine :~). Actually I have spent some substantial time this week cleaning up all the engine parts readying them for paint and assembly. Looks like we have most of the parts thanks to Jerry Moons of Montes Equipment Co., Inc. Jerry has been a great guy to work with and very understanding about switching parts back and forth. Anyway, maybe in our next episode you will see us driving this thing around!