HomePick of the Day1955 Nash Metropolitan convertible

1955 Nash Metropolitan convertible

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The Nash Metropolitan is a Series 1 convertible in preserved condition
The Nash Metropolitan is a Series 1 convertible in preserved condition

The little car that made a career out of being fundamentally cute, Nash Metropolitan was a U.S. design built on the mechanicals of an Austin A40 with seating for two (the back “seat” was unfit for human habitation) as the automaker worked to convince 1950s American drivers that compact-car economy was the way to go.

The Pick of the Day is a 1955 Nash Metropolitan convertible, a so-called Series 1 model powered by a 1,200 cc four-cylinder engine that supplied 42 horsepower, making it a stylish city car and directed mainly at women.

The cheery-yellow Metro is described by the San Jose, California dealer listing the car on ClassicCars.com as an unrestored survivor in decent if not immaculate condition. The ad gives no indication of the mileage, but the seller claims that it runs well.

“What an amazing rare find,” the seller proclaims, which is hard to dispute since Metropolitans are usually found either restored or ready for the junk heap. To find one that is in viable original condition, and a more-desirable convertible rather than a hardtop, is indeed something of a rarity.

The Nash boasts a luggage rack and rear-mounted spare
The Nash boasts a luggage rack and rear-mounted spare

The car appears to have never been repainted or re-upholstered; the plaid seats look pretty funky in the photos. But it also seems to be all there and after a bit of cleanup and maybe some seat covers, it should be ready for top-down fun. Or else, make it a template for a full-on restoration.

“There are cosmetic blemishes and patina on this car,” the ad says. “There is light rust and other imperfections through the paint, but there does not seem to be any holes or major body damage. The engine fires up with no problems and the gears shift easily. The soft top is in great shape and works nicely, although the hardware it is mounted on isn’t as clean.”

The little Nash is cheap enough, with an asking price of just $13,777, and while these cars are never all that valuable, that should leave plenty of room for refurbishing and repairs.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day

Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen is a longtime automotive writer and editor, focusing on new vehicles, collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. He is the former automotive writer and editor for The Arizona Republic and SPEED.com, the website for the SPEED motorsports channel. He has written free-lance articles for a number of publications, including Autoweek, The New York Times and Barrett-Jackson auction catalogs. A collector car enthusiast with a wide range of knowledge about the old cars that we all love and desire, Bob enjoys tinkering with archaic machinery. His current obsession is a 1962 Porsche 356 Super coupe.

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