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Look what I found!!!


Mika Jaakkola

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The car is a 1938-1941 American Bantam coupe, which I believe was the most common body type. I believe that only the serial number will tell you the exact year, although there was an engine upgrade in bore/stroke in 1940 which may be helpful if the car still has the original engine.

American Bantams were built in Butler, Pennsylvania from 1938 until 1940, with leftover '40s sold as 1941's. There were derived from the defunct American Austin cars, built in the same plant from 1930 to 1935. These in turn were a licensed derivation of the Austin 7 of England.

The engine used in the American Bantam was a modified version of the 15 HP American Austin engine, which in turn was a modification of the late 1920's Austin 7 motor. British Austin engines <span style="font-style: italic">may</span> be a direct fit, although linkages etc. will be needed for left hand drive from the original car. The Bantam motor made 20 HP in 1938, and was boosted to 22 HP in the 1940 upgrade.

The latest value guide I have shows a value of about $500 for an unrestorable parts car, and around $1500 if the car is restorable whether it runs or not. They top out at about $10,000 for top quality show cars.

For further information see: www.americanbantam.com and The American Bantam Story, both of which have many more links to explore. smile.gif

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Mika... The salvage yard seems far more interesting than the American Bantam, noting the wood spoke wheels and the maroon sedan in the background. Can you supply more pictures of it; particuliarly any pre-WW2 cars or parts? Are there other salvage yards in Finland with cars and parts of similiar vintage?

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Thanks guys for all the replies- Now I'm much wiser again.. (I wish my girl friend would think the same grin.gif )

grin.gif

Harry J, you noticed.. grin.gif

THERE ARE LOT'S OF pre-war CARS!!!!!But most are very bad shape...(Thanks to Finlands climate and road salt..)

OK, this is an special collection of a one old car enthusiast in Finland. I can post a few pics more. I visited his yard last sunday. I guess there must be hundreds of cars? Or atleast parts from them.. !!! grin.gif

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Guest brockway

It looks like you have been in Rahkonen's place. Am I right ?

-Bantam's were sold in Finland for a short while in 1939 before the war interrupted. Mobilisti (Finnish old car magazine) estimates that as little as nine examples were sold. However it seems that almost all of them have survived to this day smile.gif

-When the Olympic games was decided to be held in Helsinki in 1952, the city's taxi field was very old. So someone got an idea to buy Checker A2's from Chicago(?)and ship them to Finland where they were repaired and put to use. If i remember right approx. 150 cars were imported.

- Willys 77 is a cute car. I have seen pictures of restored "77" Coupe in Finland, now that's a rare bird.

If you have more pictures of the place, just post'em tongue.gif

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Brockway,

Nice to see you posting at this forum.

I guess those prewar finnish AUBURN ads are pretty rare!

Yep, photos were from Rahkonen's. I have several photos more (ok,ok... 75 actually ) crazy.gif But the cars were really bad to photograph because There were so little space around them.

There was restored '17 Auburn, late-30's Peogeot 4d Cabriolet (Owned by finnish movie actor Aku Korhonen) '39 Lincoln Coupe (good one), '36-'37 Hudson Coupe(many '36-'38 Hudsons...), '35 Plymouth, '40 DeSoto etc etc..

Nice way to store .. :

400_hudson.jpg

'54-'55 Kaiser 2 door

400_kaiser2d.jpg

I guess I should know this one .. ?

400_oldone.jpg

'46 Olds Convertible:

400_olds.jpg

Really bad '50's Pontiac:

400_pontiac.jpg

1937 Studebaker:

400_stude.jpg

Prewar(?) Vidal:

400_vidal.jpg

Brockway, you could email me at mikajaakkola1979 at yahoo.com

Thanks!

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Guest brockway

I have many Finnish Auburn ads, surprisingly they are not so rare one might think. Importer J.Merivaara was very active in advertising the make.

I've never visited Rahkonen's place but seen many pictures from there. It must be a great place to spend few hours or all day. Is it in Lahti ?

Restored 1917 Auburn ?? Never heard of that one confused.gif

The car in picture 3 is a 1926 Willys-Knight. The car looks to be quite complete, even hood ornament is still in place.

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