When we had a 1960 Nash Metropolitan Junkyard Find a couple months back, you may have thought “Well, that was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion!” As it turns out, finding examples of the little Austin-built proto-AMC commuter in cheap self-service wrecking yards isn’t difficult at all— here’s another one, discovered at a yard in Denver.
This one is much rougher than the ’60 in California; it’s not very rusty, but its paint has been well-nuked by many decades in the Colorado sun.
You can smell the decaying horsehair through the glass of your computer monitor.
The BMC B engine, a larger-displacement version of which went into the MGB, looks intact.
Worth restoring? No way. Still, some good parts await pulling by owners of nicer Metropolitans. In fact, the trunk contained some NOS Pleasurizers.
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What was in the trunk ? .
Recently there has been a spate of Mets in the So. Cal. junkyards , most are rusted to pieces because BMC didn’t do the proper phosphate bath after the body was welded up like they were paid to do .
-Nate
I had hoped you’d be the first commenter on this!
“I’ll get Jimmy, Clark, you contact Superman”
Lois Lane drove a Nash Rambler Custom Convertible , a completely different car .
-Nate
You’re right, but I thought she had both… Maybe it was Jimmy’s car
Hands up for people still using a glass-faced monitor!
-Does not raise hand.-
I hope you know more about cars than you do monitors.
My smellavision needs a driver update
Eh ;
? WHUT ? .
I know bupkis about Computers and I *think* I have a glass faced monitor , it has a plastic sheet over the glass .
Is this a bad thing ? .
Why ? .
-Nate
It looks so out of place there, juxtaposed with that maroon pile of iron of indeterminate Japanese origins. Likely another victim of an HOA or an impatient spouse or parent.
There is one returning to earth at a small junkyard on US 59 just north of Houston. Imo it would be appropriate to use the term unlamented to refer to these. They were an early american exposure to british unreliability.
Actually ;
These remain among the most loved Automobiles ever in America ~ Yes , they were typical British build quality and yes , they both leaked like sieves and rusted away even in California and Arizona where little rain falls *BUT* they were so beloved , when parts became hard to find in the 1960’s & 1970’s they were stashed in garages , back yards and so on instead of summarily junked like most old cars .
This IMO is the only reason so many are left ~
My car for example , spent a good 20 year resting in the Hollywood Hills before David rescued it , made it (sort of) run and sold it to me .
-Nate
My grandmother has a great story about taking one of these (with 4 adults, including my 6’3″ 220 lb grandfather) to the top of Pikes Peak. She said forward progress was slightly less than rapid.
Maybe one reason Murilee is finding these is that they had been in garages for years and as the owners of these passed on the children or those that were settling the estate got rid of them as they were going through the deceased worldly items. Most of the children or grandchildren would not be interested in restoring these and would not want to spend the money on them. They were neat little cars but would not be of interest to most of today’s generations. Hopefully enough of these will continue to survive.
I love the Shat-R-Proof windshield. Did this car also come with Seld-M-Break hoses?
Add them all together and you still had a “Pile-O-Poop” car
These always make me think they’re Ped-L-Cars.
There was a wagon/shooting brake prototype. I think a few were manufactured or hand crafted by owners.
They made two wagons , a Nash Engineer bought one and used it for years , the Late Jimmy Valentine bought the rusty remains from his widow and restored it , I’d give my left nut to buy it but then , I’d use it , not display it so that’s prolly better that they won’t sell it .
They also made two Coupes with dual carbys and an overdrive tranny to cope with America’s wide open roads but decided against producing them , a shame really as the limited top speed of 50 MPH +/- restricted sales to In Town users only and sales dropped off by 1960 .
One of the over drive equipped Mets lives happily in Puerto Rico .
-Nate
According to my 1969 copy of the American Motors Family Album(I got this a kid and have it in my book case with other auto related books) there were two wagons built by the styling and engineering departments. One was sadly scrapped, the other was sold to the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, MI. A private academy where oddly enough Mitt Romney went to school. No evidence whether a dog was tied to the roof of the wagon.
A dual carb and overdrive equipped Metropolitan. They could have called it the GT version or S version.
Merrill
Once upon a time in the late 60’s, I wanted one of these, but I preferred large American cars, namely, Chevys. I made the right choice.
In March of ’79 I had a choice between a Nash and a 1971 Fiat 124 Spider. Bought the Fiat, repainted it, and hung a Ford alternator on it. Sold it and made a $1000. The Nash would have been fun.
It would be expensive, but if I had one of these like the 60 model that was in the earlier article I would stick a small 4 cylinder motor in it with a 5 speed manual from either a Toyota, Nissan, or the last generation of S-10. I don’t know how big the engine compartment is on the Metropolitan but those engines are very good especially the Toyota Tacoma and the 2.2 4 out of the S-10 which both have steel timing chains. The interior I would put bucket seats and console out of one of those trucks or out of a compact. Also replace the British wiring. A big problem would be the front end suspension and steering. I realize it would hurt the collector’s value of the car but it would make a great little runabout, fun to drive, and would get attention.
I saw this one in the yard. I was amused that the ID sticker on the side said 1957 MGB. I was wondering why someone didn’t restore this, until I opened a door and the whole thing felt like it was going to collapse. The rust wasn’t very visible on the outside, but the structure of the car was definitely compromised.
It’s underpowered, impractical and probably unreliable — yet I want one, in coral and white, in the worst way. :-)