Question From GOJOMOJO MAY14,1012

I have info on the Yellow Bantam built by Marv Ginter in So CAL in 1962-1963.

 

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Hello Gary. What can you tell me about it? Anymore pictures or specs?


-Andy

 

I’m sorry I don’t have any more pictures. In fact I stumbled on to your question after having a conversation in a tavern with a guy that had some history in hot roding and I had asked him if he was familiar with or aware of a yellow Bantam Coupe that hit the scene in Southern California around 1962. He wasn’t. My knowledge of that vehicle is that it was built by a man by the name of Marv Ginter. The black and white picture that was in the question posed depicts Marv in the driving seat, and the girl standing behind him at the window is my half-sister, Sandra. She and Marv had an on-again off-again relationship for about six years. At 16 & 17 I was Marv’s default toady at car shows and did a lot of rim and chrome polishing. I’m not exactly sure when he completed the coupe. I believe it was in 1961. I also believe that there was a Hot Rod Magazine cover and story done in 62, or maybe 63. If you were willing to take the time and do the Internet search you might find that.


When I was a junior at Santa Monica high school, Marv let me enter the Bantam Coupe in a school car show. He drove it there, and parked it where it initially was told to be part. He had to go to work and we made arrangements that I would stick with the vehicle until he came to pick it up in about four hours. During the time that he was gone we were instructed that we had to move the vehicles, so I had the distinct pleasure of being able to drive it for a few hundred yards. Marv was ***ociated with the group that ran AA fuel dragsters known as the Hawaiians. I can’t remember the name of the muffler shop that was the sponsor in Santa Monica. He was a nice enough guy to let his girlfriend drag her little brother along to the races. Their driver was a little guy that they called Goober Pea. At one point I knew his real name but I don’t remember it.


I don’t know whatever happened to Marv. I remember talk and rumors that he sold the Bantam at one point and got very involved in biker gangs. I would imagine the Bantam is in somebody’s collection right now. That’s all I can share with you.

 

Thanks for the history Gary. Looks like it was on the cover of popular hot rodding June of 63. Was he ***ociated with Roland Leong and the "Hawaiian" dragtser?

 

I believe so, but the name does not ring a bell. I did however, remember the Muffler Shop, I'm pretty sure it was Lee's Speed & Muffler. Oh, and Marv's street car was the nicest gun metal gray 55 Bell Air you ever saw. I loved that car so much my first car was a 55 Chevy. He had a way with Chevy motors. I would love to know whatever happened to the Bantam. Let me know if you ever find out.

 

After filling in what was necessary to be admitted to the message board I was able to see the thread that was attached to your original question. I quickly discovered that I didn’t give you any information that wasn’t already provided to you, with the possible exception of being able to identify who the girl was in the black and white picture. However, the reminiscing along with the picture in your ID posting reminded me that there was a guy that hung around with Marv, I believe he was part of the Hawaiian racing team or the Sidewinder racing team, and was the lead mechanic as best as I can remember. He had built a 57 Chevy that was also white. I cannot remember his name, but will likely do so at 3 o’clock in the morning in a couple of weeks. In any case, this Chevy to my recollection had a street name of White Hunter. It was a very unique insofar as it was the only street racer I had actually encountered that had performed a significant motor setback on the frame. I forget what percentage it was, but I believe it was well in excess of 15%. The result was that there was photographic evidence that he could actually lift his front wheels at the light on take off. The guy was a very, very talented motor builder. Went on to build motors for big-name AA fuelers, then jumped over to the Indie world. He ended his career building Offenhauser motors for Indy cars. Made a bunch of money, invested it well and retired very early.


I was in my mid-30s and living in Hawaii but had come back to Southern California on a visit with family. I was at my sister’s house when this guy showed up out of the blue and they had a big long time no see, get-together reunion. As he told his catch-up story I was able to listen in. Anyways thought someone might remember the "White Hunter" in the SoCal area in the early to mid 60s.