American Bantam had begun life as the American Austin Car company in 1930 with the intention of producing a mirror image of the Austin Seven,hardly a vehicle for trans Continental motoring.Not surprisingly,in 1930,the first year of production,only a mere 8558 cars left the factory which was in Butler,Pennsylvania,and this was to be the best year in the firms 11 years as a car manufacturer.The American depression was at its height and output staggered on until 1935.No cars were produced in 1936 and for 1938 the car was restyled,named the Bantam and re-launched,the changes were however insufficent to attract sales and by 1940 the firm was well and truly on its beam ends without even a designer on its staff.But company president Harold Crist thought that the reconnaisance car project might provide some much needed work for the company.The army was familiar with the companie's very small output and a version with oversized tyres and armed with a triple barrell anti-aircraft gun had undergone trials while the aforementioned Belly Flopper incorporated many American Austin components.This is when Crist telephoned Karl Probst,a Detroit based freelance car designer,and asked him whether he would be interested in the project.Probst initially turned the job down but then the Army stepped in and pointed out that the assignment was very much in the National interest,so in 1940,he joined Bantam as the temporary chief engineer.There followed a feverish five days which were taken up with the basic design.
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