From 1929 until 1934, the American Austin Car Company was an American auto manufacturer with ties to the British Austin Motor Company. While founded in 1929, they produced cars from 1930 until they filed bankruptcy in 1934. After the bankruptcy, the company was then reorganised under the name of American Bantam who would continue to produce the cars until 1941. Furthermore, American Austin was also the company which made the first Jeep prototype.
The plant for the American Austin Car Company was located in Butler, Pennsylvania as a means of producing and selling the Austin 7, a British Austin model in the United States. While at first the company did fairly well for itself, the Great Depression would eventually be the downfall of the company. All in all, by the time that the company filed bankruptcy, they had already managed to produce and sell almost 20,000 vehicles in all.
It was in 1935 after the bankruptcy of American Austin that a salesman for the company, Roy Evans, would purchase the right for the company and introduce the American Bantam company. When this occurred, the ties with British Austin were severed and instead the company focused on designing and manufacturing their own vehicles.
As the pioneer for the Jeep, the BRC or Bantam Reconnaissance Car was designed. 1,500 of the BRC in all were built before the company finally discontinued it. As war set in, the Willys Overland was picked to be the Jeep for the military and as a result both Willys and Ford produced them leaving American Bantam to produce trailers for the Jeep.
The American Austin Car Company truly was an historic American car manufacturer. Today those who have managed to get their hands on one of these great cars will have a hard time letting them go making these the ultimate collector’s item simply for rarity if nothing else.
Original Authors: Nick (Globel Team)
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 29/08/2008
