1940 American Bantam Riviera Phaeton

American Bantam rose from the bankruptcy of American Austin Car Company. The Austins were built in Butler, PA, from 1930 until 1934, but these minicars never developed enough sales to survive. The competitive automakers were selling cars for less than the $445 sale price of the Austin.

American Bantam began in 1937 and built cars from 1938 to early 1941. Race car designer Harry Miller improved the engine's manifold system that proved to be better suited for U.S. driving conditions. In 1940, a total of 800 cars emerged from the Butler plant and had an array of body styles priced from $399 to $565. No essential differences exist between the three model years of the Bantams. With WWII threatening, most of Bantam's thin resources were poured into developing the prototype Jeep in hopes of winning the U.S. contract. This effort was in vain; as Willys, and later Ford, went on to build the Jeep. Bantam closed its doors forever in 1941.