For Sale: 1940 Austin Bantam Riviera Convertible - $19,000 - Conway, SC - Not Mine

[58L-Y8]

For Sale: 1940 Austin Bantam Riviera Convertible - $19,000 - Conway, SC

1940 Austin Bantam for sale by owner - Conway, SC - craigslist
Seller's Description:

Bought 14 years ago at Kruse Auction for $28k. My loss your gain. Runs great. Have video if needed.
Contact: Text or call, but not after 8 pm: Ronnie (843) 2-two-2-3-six-7-3
Copy and paste in your email:  1cca32bdffca362e844799204b720ad1@sale.craigslist.org

I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1940 Austin Bantam Riviera Convertible.

[7th Son]

Wow. The seller could have bought a real car for $28k  14 years ago and not lost his pants on this one.

[plymouthcranbrook]

I hate to break the bubble but thats not the end of his losses on this car.

[Twisted Shifter]

Maybe his mother will bail him out after his divorce.

 

 

 

[DrumBob]

He paid $28K for THAT? I'm sorry, but that was a stupid thing to do. Now, he's going to lose his butt. Another genius.  😬

[RansomEli]

1940 Austin Bantam Riviera Convertible. 

 

The name is longer than the car.

 

It is cute, though.

[Leif in Calif]

I don't think that price is out of line. Microcars of all sorts have really jumped in value. When ever I see one of these I always think of this scene from the 1937 film Hollywood Hotel. Check about 2 minutes into this video:

 

[58L-Y8]

Johnny 'Scat' Davis had the most unique singing voice!  Check out the facial expression on the Bantam driver at about 3:16, that must have been a nerve-racking drive to keep that car at walking pace and stop without dumping Dick Powell off the deck. 

[DrumBob]

On 10/14/2023 at 11:31 AM, Leif in Calif said:

I don't think that price is out of line. Microcars of all sorts have really jumped in value. When ever I see one of these I always think of this scene from the 1937 film Hollywood Hotel. Check about 2 minutes into this video:

 

Check out Gene Krupa in that video. The drumset he's playing was the one he used exclusively for his numbers with the Benny Goodman Trio and Quartet. I love Benny wearing a shako leading the band. What corn. Benny probably hated it. 

[rg171352]

I am not sure if the comments here are anti-bantam or the fact that this seller is losing money when seeking $28k for theirs.  The value of Bantams are hard to pin down, but they can be costly to restore correctly (just like bigger cars).  Excellent examples of more desirable body styles command high premiums.  Mediocre restorations on less desirable body styles less so.  Like most great cars, you never really know much about the transactions when they trade hands or if they even do.  

 

Personally, although I am biased, I like my car more:  https://hcca.org/acadp_listings/1940-american-bantam-hollywood-cabriolet/  It took me about 6 years to find an example this nice, but it is time to let it go after enjoying it for another 6.  The 4 seater is a bit more practical but the cabriolet is a remarkable car.  Alex Tremulis supposedly drove the prototype Hollywood at speeds in excess of 80 mph, rolling it over at one point when he fell asleep at the wheel, to make it to Butler in time for its debut.  

 

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by rg171352 (see edit history)