Extremely rare and collectible 1962 AMC (previously Nash)Metropolitan. Final year of production, only about 450 were made in '62. Designed in Wisconsin and built in England, the "Met" was one of America's first subcompact cars and itwas America's first successful subcompact car.More than that, it helped to transform Nash Motors into the American Motors Corporation (AMC).The Metropolitanis considered "One of the Greatest Cars of All Time" in the opinion of automotive writer Jack Nerad, a former editor of Motor Trend magazine. It continues to have a fan following and there are clubs of Met owners. In restored condition these cars are award winners in shows. Notable people who own or have ownedMetropolitan's are Jimmy Buffett, Bridget Fonda, Greg Gutfeld, Steve Jobs, Princess Margaret, Paul Newman, Elvis Presley, Graham Stark, Charo, and "Weird" Al Yankovic.
The two tone black and white paint has a cute 1950's look that also draws attention to the unique body styling, including the rounded grill, wrap around bumpers, and the little dip in the door under the windows. The covered spare tire in the back also adds to the character of this adorable eye catching car. This edition wears the Metropolitan Emblem on the front grill, unlike earlier Nash versions, and this matches the Metropolitan Script on the left front fender and the red M script on the hubcaps.
The Metropolitan is small, but it feels full-size in thesurprisingly comfortable interior, anchored by a front split bench seat for easy access to the rear seating area.The simple instrument panel is reminiscent of the other micro-car of the period, the VW Beetle, with its big speedometer and built-in fuel gauge, and the turn signal controllever on the steering wheel hub, a neat period touch. The original AM radio is present in the dash but, as is typical of cars of this era, it's no longer functioning, but the original bakalite knobs are present and the radio is a necessary part of a complete restoration (it may be restorable with new tubes, or you may choose to hide a modern stereoin the glove box for entertainment). The rear seat back folds down for interior access to a decent-sized trunk, which can also be accessed by the exterior trunk hood.
The Metropolitan is an interesting Anglo-American hybrid in that it's one of the rare cars that was built in Europe exclusively for the US-market by a US auto maker. As a result, the 4 cylinder engine,built by Austin in England is rugged anddelivers spirited performance in the lightweight Metropolitan, and parts are still easy to find and quite inexpensive. Fuel mileage routinely hovers in the 30+ MPG range, making this a fantastic car if you're on a budget but still like to get out and drive. The engine bay is neat and tidy, but since it's been driven and enjoyed, it's not show-quality.
The engine is a 1500cc, 4 cylinder capable of getting 39 mpg at moderate speeds. The transmission is a 3 speed standard, column shift. It is equipped with the original "weather eye" heater. I have had it registered as a historical vehicle in California, but currently it is registered as a regular drivable vehicle. This car is garaged and is only driven 1-2x monthly around the neighborhood to keep it in running condition. It starts easily (but usually requires a little starting fluid the first time), runs strong and can go 65, but I keep it at 60 or below, it shifts well and has no slipping, and the brakes are good. It is mechanically sound and strong, except for a little play in the steering that will require a steering gearbox rebuild, but this has not interfered in my driving (I've had it on the freeway once, but driven it locally to show it and keep it running, for about 20 years).
As a cared for Southern California car, this Met has very little rust, but there is a spot in the driver's side front floor pan that is rusted through. Otherwise the entire floor, chassis, structure of the vehicle is sound. The one small rust hole is invisible under the floor mat, and not enough to affect driving the car, but restoration would involve repairing this with a patch or new pan (which remarkably is available on Amazon!) Everything mechanical is original and in working condition. The seats are in excellent condition, with the entire back passenger area, door panels, and front kick plates newly restored in black and white trim and vinyl made to match original Met styles. The front seats are original but the covers are a restoration that is not in the original Houndstooth style, but are a very nice black fabric with white vinyl trim. This edition comes with seat belts. The floor rubber mat is original and badly cracked, should be replaced in a restoration. The tires are all good, with very little wear. The spare has a vinyl cover. The grille, surround moldings, front and rear bumpers (with guards) are original, except the rear lights chromed plastic trim. All door handles, window cranks, and locks work. Parts are readily available for this car from several good sources should you ever need any in the future. There is an excellent Met only repair shop in the Los Angeles area, which is also a Met Museum, and I have had several thousand dollars in repairs done on this Met at that shop (and only at that shop).
This vehicle is available for local pick-up. Additionally, shipping arrangements can be made through uShip. |
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