American Auto Emblems

This web-site presents the nameplates, emblems and logos displayed on American auto vehicles from the introduction of the horseless carriage up to about 1950. My intention is to provide a reference base for collectors and researchers. I would welcome any corrections or observations and details of other emblems or vehicle makes to add to this reference base. For more details see the Pages listed on the right. (Contact Mike Shears at murraysbadges@gmail.com)

April 29, 2019

AMERICAN AUSTIN/BANTAM

American Austin Car Co. (1930-1934)

American Bantam Car Co. (1938-1941)

Butler, Pennsylvania

This is an American Austin radiator emblem (1930-1934) mjs
Size: 51mm wide 36mm high MM: Fox

The American Austin was a 15 hp four-cylinder car based on the British Austin Seven chassis with a pretty body made by Hayes Body Company of Detroit. The car was much shorter and narrower than any other car in America at the time. The car was bought by several American celebrities as a novelty but small cars were not popular in America. Sales did not meet expectations and the company was out of business by 1934.

The American Bantam Car Company was set up in 1936 to manufacture a new small car called the Bantam, which was similar to the American Austin.

The 19 hp four-cylinder Bantam was first shown in September 1937 at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York and full production commenced in 1938 but sales were not good enough and production of the Bantam ceased in 1941. However, it was the American Bantam Car Company that designed and built the first successful Jeep for the United States Army in 1940, although the big manufacturing contracts to build the Jeep went to Willys and Ford.

Emblems

The American Austin carried a red enameled emblem on the radiator top depicting a bantam rooster, see examples shown below and above at the top of this post: