Toyopolitan? Toyota-Powered 1961 AMC Metropolitan
The Metropolitan was built by Austin in England from 1953 to 1961 for sale as a subcompact mostly in North America. Nash designed it before the company merged with Hudson in 1954 to form American Motors. The cars lost their Nash and Hudson badging in 1957 and became a standalone brand sold at Rambler dealers. This 1961 edition no longer has its original drivetrain, replaced by a more modern and reliable set-up donated by a Toyota. So perhaps you could call this little automobile a “Toyopolitan.”
These cars were conceived to appeal to women and to be used as a second car in a two-vehicle family. That was back in the post-war days when suburbia began to replace inter-city development. Since the subcompact car wasn’t a thing yet, it was mostly a small economical vehicle that would accommodate two or three passengers. Changes would come in 1959, such as a decklid to the trunk and vent windows. Nearly 95,000 Metropolitans were built over the years, with 83,000 going to buyers in the U.S. Less than 1,000 units were destined for the U.S. in 1961.
The British inline-4 that was rated at 95 hp is gone in the seller’s car along with the column-shifted 3-speed manual transmission. Someone previously decided to replace them with a 1980s Toyota 4-banger (displacement unknown) and a floor-shifted 5-speed. Chances are this Metro is peppier and more fun to drive than when it was built. The body and two-tone paint look good; perhaps the same can be said for the interior (the photos provided are rather sparse).
Mileage on the odometer may be 117,000, but the device broke at 17,000. The newer drivetrain likely has far less “experience.” We’re told the car only needs a new home and driver, having been owned by the seller for about 10 years. Located in Great Neck, New York, this Toyopolitan is available here on craigslist for $7,300 OBO. If originality isn’t necessary, this might be a fun driver for Cars & Coffee outings! Kudos to Mitchell G. for the cool tip!
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Comments
This should have been the car in “Barbie”.
Howard 🎤
Hi Stan, I should be furious, but I actually like it. It clearly makes the car more modern, if the handling can take it. The setup could take this poor thing to a hundred, I bet, something Nash-Kelvinator never intended. There are a dedicated group of Met followers, I wonder how many are original, or updated like this.
The motor is out of an 80’s Toyota Tercel. I know because I have one. It’s solid motor that virtually never quits. No high power but what do you need for a Metro. The trans is probably from that car also and it’s a very good 5 speed. If anything this car will probably run past my lifetime!!
our Starlet just did 8sec quarter w/that motor (& gm auto needed due to the 750+ HP).
That’s pretty cool to get 750 hp out of that motor, good job! 👍🏻
Sorry. No 90 HP. More like 42 – 52 on a good day.
1.2litre, still a fair amount for the time.
Awesome looking car! If only more pictures were posted.
Anyone remember 🎵 While Driving in my Cadillac 🎶 What to my surprise! 🎵 A little Nash Rambler was following me 🎶 about one fourth my size! 🎵 Beep! Beep ! 🎶 🤣 .
I always liked novelty songs, and “The Little Nash Rambler was one of my favorites.
Yep, it was by the Canadian group The Playmates. I was 8 when it came out it cracked me up every time I heard it.
Lyrics from the Lyrics (dot com) website:
“While riding in my Cadillac, what, to my surprise,
A little Nash Rambler was following me, about one-third my size.
The guy must have wanted it to pass me up
As he kept on tooting his horn. Beep! Beep!
I’ll show him that a Cadillac is not a car to scorn.
Refrain:
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
His horn went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!).
I pushed my foot down to the floor to give the guy the shake,
But the little Nash Rambler stayed right behind; he still had on his brake.
He must have thought his car had more guts
As he kept on tooting his horn. Beep! Beep!
I’ll show him that a Cadillac is not a car to scorn.
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
His horn went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!).
My car went into passing gear and we took off with dust.
And soon we were doin’ ninety, must have left him in the dust.
When I peeked in the mirror of my car,
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The little Nash Rambler was right behind, you’d think that guy could fly.
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
His horn went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!).
Now we’re doing a hundred and ten, it certainly was a race.
For a Rambler to pass a Caddy would be a big disgrace.
For the guy who wanted to pass me,
He kept on tooting his horn. Beep! Beep!
I’ll show him that a Cadillac is not a car to scorn.
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
His horn went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!).
Now we’re doing a hundred and twenty, as fast as I could go.
The Rambler pulled alongside of me as if I were going slow.
The fellow rolled down his window and yelled for me to hear,
Hey, buddy, how can I get this car out of second gear?”
@ RickW & John
Love the little diddy. Had it on a 45. Might still be here somewhere. Now I gotta get up and go through my records.
Nice call Rick 🎶
Well, I hate to be the buzzkill here, but The Playmates recorded that song in 1958, and by all accounts, was not a Metropolitan, but more likely an American. It should be noted, the song did wonders for sales, as Rambler sales doubled in 1959.
Total ruining of a piece of history. The installer of that drivetrain should be flogged.
I’ve seen a couple with Datsun powertrains in them. And, that’s not surprising ’cause some early Datsuns were copies of BMCs.
@ACZ absolutely not, if anything this person made it mechanically easier to work on and buy parts for and that much more reliable too!
My first car was a 59 metropolitan hardtop. You weren’t going to burn any rubber with it but it was a blast to drive. Loved that little car.
This car is either Toyopolitan or a Metroyota. ;)
61 Metro convertible is a rare car. My dad had one. He used to commute back and forth to work back in the day. He let me drive It to summer school back in the ’60s. I thought I’d get laughed off the school yard. I did, until I dropped the top down. This car was the coolest thing, everyone wanted a ride. Fair price even with the wrong motor.
It’s a real nice classic, but you’ll need to get the jap out
Absolutely not ACZ If anything they made it that much easier to find and repair and much more reliable!
The engine looks like a Toyota 2T (1600cc) or 3T (1800cc) with a two valve hemie head and pushrods. The 2T was in 1972 to 1976 when it changed to 21R (all cast iron lump). The 3T was essentially was a 2T with a bigger bore and/or stroke which came out in the Toyota T18 in the early 1980’s. The 2T was used in Formula 3. This the history of the engines use in Australia anyway.