Highlights
- Starts, runs and drives
- The drop top provides an excellent classic car experience
- Series III car benefits from the 1500 engine
The Appeal
A car that bucked trends and was arguably far ahead of its time the Nash Metropolitan offered something a little different. Whilst most manufacturers in the USA were moving towards ever bigger designs, the metropolitan was small and economical and also with manufacturing outsourced to Austin here in the UK it was something of an outlier in the American market. Nash also used a unibody construction at a time where most cars were still using a body on chassis design. Originally the Metropolitan was exclusively marketed in the USA, but with the introduction of the MKIII the car began to be sold here in the UK.
Stored for around the last twenty five years or so this Metropolitan was bought and restored by the vendor's father at some point in the 90’s. It starts and runs well, and thanks to having been kept garaged since its restoration it generally appears in good condition, presenting a fantastic opportunity to acquire one of these superb classics that would make an excellent example with some cosmetic work.
The History and Paperwork
- V5 present and correct
- Owners manuals
- First registered 1957
- Only one keeper on the V5
- Original registration document shows two former keepers
- Registered as an historic vehicle
- A selection of previous MOT’s (the latest dated 2011)
The Interior
- Black and white leather interior
- The upholstery of the seats and door cards appears to be in good condition with no visible rips or tears
- Red carpeting compliments the colour of the car
- Seats would benefit from professional cleaning
- The dashboard, switches and dials would benefit from cosmetic attention
- Interior of the boot (accessed through the rear seats) is in very good condition
- Comfortable yet compact the Metropolitan feels much more driveable than many of its larger contemporaries from the US
- Interior of the hood presents well
The Exterior
- Good solid overall presentation
- Looks superb finished in two-tone maroon and cream
- The bumpers, overriders and most of the trim presents very well with only polishing needed to bring them up to condition
- Some parts such as the headlight surrounds would benefit from re-chroming
- Resprayed as part of the restoration
- Paintwork shows some signs of its age and use as can be seen in the images
- Hood presents very well overall, however as it has been unused for so long it was to tight for us to fully fit at the time of the images being taken
The Mechanics
- 1,489cc four-cylinder Austin engine
- “Three on the tree” manual gearbox
- Starts, runs and drives
- Engine, engine bay and underside all present very well
- The engine sounds good with no unwanted noises that we could hear
- Some perishing visible on hoses
- Choke inner cable needs replacing
- Would benefit from recommissioning prior to use on the road due to the length of time it has been stored
- Provided with a battery, however this will need replacing as it doesn’t hold a charge well
Summary
Looking back the Nash Metropolitan appears ahead of its time in design and construction and yet is still very much a car of its era in terms of style. Finished in Maroon and cream with plenty of chrome it’s a great looking compact classic that can be enjoyed as it is, or be made into something truly special with a little work.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
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