-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Nehl5dFDvL6zRwe63Cu+BOzeQ6ngkKinRuN1l4otPRVKzAotSwatATDtfpKrqI/t
 BbP9P7OVO/j6Kv9HG7CwZA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001347676-05-000005.txt : 20080626
<SEC-HEADER>0001347676-05-000005.hdr.sgml : 20080626
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20051227140807
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001347676-05-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20051221
FILED AS OF DATE:		20051227
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080620

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERITRANS CAPITAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001064015
		IRS NUMBER:				522102424
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0607

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		747 THIRD AVENUE
		STREET 2:		4TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2123552449

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		747 THIRD AVENUE
		STREET 2:		4TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ETRA STEVEN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001052565

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	814-00193
		FILM NUMBER:		051286749

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ELK ASSOCIATES FUNDING CORP
		STREET 2:		747 THIRD AVE, 4TH FL
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017
		BUSINESS PHONE:		800-214-1047

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ELK ASSOCIATES FUNDING CORPORATION
		STREET 2:		747 THIRD AVE, 4TH FL
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-12-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001064015</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERITRANS CAPITAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>amtc</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001052565</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ETRA STEVEN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ELK ASSOCIATES FUNDING CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>747 THIRD AVE, 4TH FL</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock $.0001 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-12-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.33</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>135306</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.5</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-10-29</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-10-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock $.0001 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4375</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4375</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 23,294 Shares held directly by Mr. Etra; (ii) 29,022 Shares owned jointly by Mr. Etra and his wife; (iii) 27,000 Shares held by Mr. Etra's wife; (iv) 35,990 Shares held by Fiserv Securities Inc. for the benefit of Mr. Etra's IRA; (v) 10,000 Shares held by SRK Associates LLC, a limited liability company controlled by Mr. Etra, (vi) 10,000 Shares held by Lance's Property Development Corp. Pension Plan, of which Mr. Etra is a trustee,  and (vii) 4,375 Shares issuable upon the exercise of five-year options issued under the 1999 Employee Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Steven Etra</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-12-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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