The Metropolitan was a 2-seat subcompact car designed by Nash Motor Co. just prior to its merger with Hudson to form American Motors. While conceived in Kenosha, Wisconsin, it was produced in England by BMC/Austin. Titled as 1953 to 1962 models, they were initially sold under both Nash and Hudson brands, then simply as the Metropolitan as those nameplates were phased out by AMC. This 1960 edition was dragged out of a barn and is in rough shape. Located in Cynthiana, Kentucky, this project, or parts car, is available here on eBay for $3,000 OBO.
The 1950s were when a lot of the U.S. population began to shift from urban to suburban surroundings, often creating the need for a second car. With so many stay-at-home Moms, a little car like the Metropolitan was thought to be the perfect solution. Powered by inline-4 engines (1,200 and 1,500 cc in displacement depending on the year), nearly 95,000 copies were produced, with 88% of them exported to the U.S. Nearly 14,000 units were sold as 1960 models.
A dealer placed this listing. We assume they were asked to pull it out of a barn and make it go away. From the look of things, it’s been sitting for many years, so the passage of time and Mother Nature have done quite a number on the little vehicle. The last time the car ran, whenever that was, it posted 84,000 miles on the odometer.
If you decide you want this Metro, you must understand that what you see is what you get. There is no title, and only a bill of sale will be provided. You can’t come to work on it on-site, nor can you remove any parts from it. The dealer has no history of the car, so you’re taking your chances if you assume the weather-worn car is worth three grand in its current state.
“How do I get this car out of 2nd gear…”