The original and I do mean original jeep

[mdmeltdown]

I was down in College Station this weekend at the Brent Mullins Jeep Parts open house and met a guy with the most origianl jeep in the world. If anyone knows their jeep history, the jeep was created by a guy named Barney Roose at a company called Bantam. His first Jeep was called the Pilot. That first jeep led the design to other prototype Bantam jeeps such as the BRC-40 and BRC-60. Several BRC models were produced, but the original Pilot was lost....untill now, well sort of. Duncan Rolls acquired a couple pieces from the original jeep and rebuilt it. He only had the front axle, motor, winshield and cowl. He fabricated the rest.....body, frame, etc. The word got out in the Bantam owner community and Duncan is now restoring 8 BRC-40's. One interesting note about the prototype jeeps is that the transfer case was on the driver's side. I took a double take because the shifters were on the left

YouTube - Bantam Pilot Car

 

[Sasquach]

Very nice! Thanks for the treat.

 

[Kane]

Wow, I have never seen a living prototype. I think the only reason why Bantom lost out to the contract with the military was because they could not do the production volume that was part of the requirement. The Jeep world would be a whole different place right now if they won the contract.

 

[LASTCJ786]

The Goverment did give Bantom the contract to make the trailers.

 

[LASTCJ786]

Delmar Gene Roos nick named Barney.