No Reserve: 1958 Nash Metropolitan
At 12.5-feet in length, this 1958 Metropolitan is one short and sweet car. They are really unique cars with a unique history and they had a very unusual manufacturing process. This little black and white Met can be found here on eBay in Marion, North Carolina where the current bid price is just over $4,500 and there is less than a day left and no reserve.
We don’t use the word cute too often here at Barn Finds, but I can’t help myself with this Met, it’s so… cute. By 1958, they were known simply as Metropolitans rather than Nash Metropolitans or the rarer Hudson Metropolitan. This is the last year of the Series III cars and there are those who prefer the later cars due to having a trunk with outside access rather than having to climb behind the back seat to gain entry. Also, the later cars had wing windows to help with ventilation, a common complaint with earlier Met owners.
That rear view is almost unmistakable Nash, isn’t it? Most of us know that the Nash Metropolitan was conceived to be a second car for two-car families who needed modest transportation, not another full-sized car. They were designed in-house but built in England with drivetrains supplied by Austin Motor Company. It was reportedly the first time that an American car meant for the US market was built overseas.
The Met was made until the 1961 model year but surplus cars were sold into 1962. Over 13,000 cars were sold in 1958 in both hardtop and convertible body styles. The seller of this Met says that it isn’t a show car but it was kept in the garage for the last few years and has a lot of maintenance done to it. They mention a small rip in the interior and I’m guessing they’re referring to the small tear seen here in the backseat photo.
The engine should be an Austin 1.5L inline-four which had around 55 hp or so. It runs and drives good and has a new carb, thermostat, fuel pump, battery, and they also put in new front brakes, lines, shoes, and wheel cylinders. I would love to own a Met someday, have any of you owned one?
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Comments
Yes I had a 1961 conv. I think it should say seat back and not back seat above.
Lois Lane & Jimmy Olson.
Lois has a Rambler roll top convertible. Superman, being super and all, not only had a Nash Healey Roadster, but managed to pay for it somehow on the salary of a mild mannered reporter. Perry White drove- Great Carsar’s Ghost- an Ambassador Country Club Lemans.
As to “Clark’s” affording a Nash Healey? It’s simple; squeeze a couple of lumps of coal into diamonds, and you’ve pretty much covered the cost of the car! ;)
A little strange that he’d bother owning a car instead of just signing something out of the Daily Planet motor pool when he needed to be seen arriving by “normal” means.
Good ol’ Clark had a chance to show off his real-life wheels, so why not?
I found it amusing that Superman could not only squeeze a lump of coal into a diamond, but cut facets and polish it as well just by squeezing it. Talk about talent!
A lot of Nash cars on that show for sure.
This would look cool, parked beside the ’55 Crown Vic in a two car garage! Slick little car GLWTA! :-)
Or a first-gen Honda Civic, a Crosley and a Chevy Spark as a daily driver. Still with a two-car garage.
These are cool little cars, but you gotta be pretty secure in your manhood to collect ’em. Especially the pink and white version.
I always like these little cars. A friend had one. I didn,t know they were made in England. I have a 60 Rambler and it reminds me of these and people ask me if I still have my metropolitan? I correct them and they say it looks like a metropolitan. I d drive this thing in the summer.
My dad had one, apparently. I was too young to remember. He spoke fondly of it.
A cousin had one, given as an 18th birthday present, which she loved but was undeterred from getting a license plate “Nash Can”
My mother’s first car was a Metropolitan. My dad remembered a “cute girl in a cute car.” I always thought it would be cool to set one up with a turbo 3.8, like a 7/8 shoebox.
if you worked at it you could get rubber out of second gear. Nice metro!!
Cheers
GPC
Auction update: this nice little Met sold for $6,676,54!
Yes I had one, bought it for my wife as a birthday gift. Yellow and white convertible. Got it at an auction in Pittsburgh and drove it back to DC, quite a trip. Got more attention around town than any exotic sports car, everyone loved seeing it on the road. For sure, it was a pain in the butt to drive, but fun to own.
I imagine an MGB 1800 would swap nicely. There are lots of performance upgrades available…. hmmmmmm…
Like a small block Chevy maybe? :-) :-)
I bought a 56 convertible. Spent a bunch of money on it and then sold it. I just never bonded with her. They drive and ride horrible…to me anyway.
Had a 61 convertible. They do attract a lot of women. Wish I owned it before I was married. Regrets, I’ve had a few…
my first car a 58 red and white hard top. Wish I still had it.
If I remember correct 11 was the record of people I had in it at 1 time.
This was 1962
I bought this 1960 Metropolitan Last year almost done restoring it. Same colors .Kept it original New chrome Stock Interior
I heard they get about 34 miles a gallon. I think they have a 8 gallon fuel tank.