That’s a lot to
shoulder for such a small vehicle, with a wheelbase shorter than that of a VW
Beetle at a time when American roads were inhabited mostly by automotive
behemoths. And weird at that: not a
sports car, not a passenger car, but an economical little craft oddly styled as
a Nash and made to be both useful and appealing.
The chassis and
drivetrain were from Austin, by then a division of the British Motor
Corporation, with the body, interior and trim produced by Fisher & Ludlow,
also owned by BMC. Both companies had
their plants in Birmingham.
The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Nash Metropolitan convertible said to be a low-mileage example that’s freshly rebuilt and in “great condition, inside, out and under,” according to the Maple Lake, Minnesota, dealer advertising the Metro on ClassicCars.com.
While
Metropolitans are commonly seen at collector car auctions, most are dolled-up
examples brightly colored in two-tone paint and one of those flying-naked-lady
hood ornaments. They’re also usually
later models, with the slightly restyled front ends and mesh grilles.
This Metro looks
a bit more interesting, painted all black with a black-and-white interior and
the sharper earlier styling that includes a bold chrome grille piece and
(non-functional) hood scoop. The
interior is simple but well-styled, with a full-width bench seat, a sculpted
dashboard and small-scale luxury trim.
Being a 1956 model,
power is most-likely from a 1,500cc inline-4 from Austin, which replaced the
original 1,200cc unit. The ad
description is very brief, there is no mention of the engine and there are no
under-hood photos. The transmission is a 3-speed manual shifted on the column.
The car is said
to have been driven just 49,000 miles, has a fresh top and apparently rebuilt
mechanicals, and is in “turn-key” condition with a continental-style spare
perched on its rear end.
The Metropolitan
is reasonably priced at $12,950. These
distinctive little cars were never volume sellers, but they were long-lived in
production, sold from 1953 through 1961, undoubtedly getting by on charm.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
One of my Mom’s friends had a hardtop like this when I was a preschooler back in the early ’60’s.
Very popular with we lil uns.
My 1st car age 16 bought by my Dad, Bernard Bennett. Mine was black and white on exterior. Loved the little car. Used to sneak friends into Drive In movie theaters accessed to trunk from backseat. WHAT A MEMORY!
Saw a great one done up as police car, "Metropolitan Patrol"
Oh I love this car I wish I could buy her, I wonder if I could use it for work it would be 30 miles a day