For those interested in old cars.

[steve1]

Glenrothes Morrisons' car park at 9 o'clock this morning. Didn't have time to get closer!

 

 

 

Also saw, but couldn't phot an Ultima GTR, 2 current model Bentley convertibles and coupe ditto.

 

steve

[Horsetan]

I don't think I've ever seen a Nash Metropolitan in the flesh. Curious, bathtub-like looks.

[45568]

I remember as a small boy being driven to the Lickey hills for a post Sunday dinner walk, going past Longbridge and there were always rows of these parked awaiting shipment in the factory grounds. Interesting colours too, at a time when many cars were black. I distinctly remember the turquoise, yellow and a crimson colour with the white. A very stylish looking car for the 1950s.

 Move forward 8 or so years, I fancied one of these as my first car...all gone. couldn't be found for love or money!

 

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

[Oldddudders]

I don't think I've ever seen a Nash Metropolitan in the flesh. Curious, bathtub-like looks.

My aunt had one. It made a change from the succession of Jags her husband drove. I am not aware of the model she was driving some years later when she smote the bridge at Hungerford a mighty blow.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Nice lunchtime pint yesterday at the Benett Arms, Semley.

 

Fourth Sunday of each month a local car club (The Primers and Winders) meet there for a drink and lunch. As the club's name implies, mostly vintage vehicles, the oldest yesterday being, I think, our neighbour's 1915 Talbot. There was also a 20s Bugatti, a beautiful Lagonda, a lightweight Morris Oxford Bullnose and about 10 other pre-war cars. Some post-war as well including an Austin Healey 3000.

 

Sadly, both SWMBO and I had left phones and camera at home, so no photos.

[Horsetan]

My aunt had one. ....

The turning circle of that car must have been, er, interesting.

[Wolseley]

Glenrothes Morrisons' car park at 9 o'clock this morning. Didn't have time to get closer!

 

 

IMG_0965.JPG

 

Also saw, but couldn't phot an Ultima GTR, 2 current model Bentley convertibles and coupe ditto.

 

steve

 

 

I have only ever seen two Metropolitans.  It was back in the mid 1970s and they were both sitting together in someone's back garden in Kirkcaldy (I can't remember exactly where in Kirkcaldy it was, but they were visible from the railway, as I saw them while I was going from Montrose to Edinburgh by train).  One of them was the same colours as this one.  Given that Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes are both in Fife, I wonder if it's the same car?

Edited April 24, 2017 by Wolseley

[PhilJ W]

The Metropolitans were built by Austin for Nash/Hudson. They were designed in America but for various reasons it was decided to seek a manufacturing partner in Europe. Not only Austin were in the frame but Volkswagen, FIAT and Renault were considered. As it turned out Austin was chosen, the A50 Cambridge running gear was used and even the instruments. Originally the entire production was shipped to the USA where it sold reasonably well but eventually an agreement was made to sell them in the UK. A few experimental estate car versions were made, all were LHD and went to the USA but was not continued with, at least one is known to survive. It would be intruiging to know what mechanical components would have been used if one of the above manufacturers had been chosen.

[Horsetan]

The Metropolitans were built by Austin for Nash/Hudson. ...

 

I do wonder what the minimum turning circle is for a Metropolitan. The faired-in front wheels can't be helpful.

[Oldddudders]

I do wonder what the minimum turning circle is for a Metropolitan. The faired-in front wheels can't be helpful.

I think the benchmark vehicle for a decent turning-circle in those days was the Triumph Harold. This seemed to be more agile than most predecessors.

[w124bob]

I think the benchmark vehicle for a decent turning-circle in those days was the Triumph Harold. This seemed to be more agile than most predecessors.

Triumph Harold? I rather like that.

[alastairq]

I do wonder what the minimum turning circle is for a Metropolitan. The faired-in front wheels can't be helpful.

  36.2 feet between curbs

 

{Quite a short wheelbase]

 

 

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/auta_details1.php

Edited April 24, 2017 by alastairq

[russ p]

I do wonder what the minimum turning circle is for a Metropolitan. The faired-in front wheels can't be helpful.

There is one a few doors down from me, it doesn't seem to have a turning circle any worse than anything else.

They always remind me of those Amphicars

[Joseph_Pestell]

When I posted earlier about the Semley meet, I did not mention (because I was having a senior moment) that one of the cars there was a Dellow. I think that name has come up before on this thread but I had never seen one. Two seater sports job built in 1948 and rather attractive, especially the front end.

[PhilJ W]

When I posted earlier about the Semley meet, I did not mention (because I was having a senior moment) that one of the cars there was a Dellow. I think that name has come up before on this thread but I had never seen one. Two seater sports job built in 1948 and rather attractive, especially the front end.

Alastairq has one as his avatar.

EDIT Alastair has also answered.

Edited April 24, 2017 by PhilJ W

[alastairq]

When I posted earlier about the Semley meet, I did not mention (because I was having a senior moment) that one of the cars there was a Dellow. I think that name has come up before on this thread but I had never seen one. Two seater sports job built in 1948 and rather attractive, especially the front end.

I have one....my 'avatar', if that's what they're called, is the car I have, but photographed back in the late 1980's ascending Blue Hills Mine#2 on a MCC  Lands End Trial.....it is the cover photo of the club's history

 

If the Dellow you saw was from 1948, it may well have been one of the prototype cars?

 

edit..ooops, Phil posted first

Edited April 24, 2017 by alastairq

[£1.38]

The turning circle of that car must have been, er, interesting.

 

Turning Circle 37 ft (11.28 metres)

[PhilJ W]

The enclosed wheels was a design feature of Nash/Hudson cars from the late 40's to the late 50's, remember the Dinky Toys Hudson anyone?

[steve1]

I have only ever seen two Metropolitans.  It was back in the mid 1970s and they were both sitting together in someone's back garden in Kirkcaldy (I can't remember exactly where in Kirkcaldy it was, but they were visible from the railway, as I saw them while I was going from Montrose to Edinburgh by train).  One of them was the same colours as this one.  Given that Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes are both in Fife, I wonder if it's the same car?

Given the scarcity of Metropolitans and the geographical connection, it could be a safe bet.

 

When I was nipper (and car mad) there was an Austin dealership at the top of our road. Dad used to buy paraffin for the heater (!) there and I would tag along to look at the cars. They had Metropolitans in there I remember and I wanted one when I grew up. Incidentally, they also had the Bluebird (car) on show there once for some reason and they let me sit in it. As I can't have been more than 7 I couldn't see out of it!

 

steve

 

steve

[Horsetan]

36/37ft turning circle sounds more like what you would expect with a bigger car, rather than the compact vehicle that the Metropolitan was supposed to be. I also found out that the rear was solid - there was no boot lid, so the car had to be loaded from the rear seat. It just sounds bizarre.

 

The enclosed wheels was a design feature of Nash/Hudson cars from the late 40's to the late 50's....

 

Still a very curious design idea to me. I can understand it being done for the rear wheels, but not the fronts as well. Surely you need the fronts to be exposed to help with steering and accessibility? Tyre / wheel changing must have been a bit of a pain, with not a great deal of wiggle room under the skirts.

[30801]

Still a very curious design idea to me. I can understand it being done for the rear wheels, but not the fronts as well. Surely you need the fronts to be exposed to help with steering and accessibility? Tyre / wheel changing must have been a bit of a pain, with not a great deal of wiggle room under the skirts.

 

Maybe the same guy did the Standard Atlas?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Atlas

[alastairq]

Standard 8 also had no boot lid. Austin Healey Sprite [mk1] the same.

 

It appears the Metropolitan was designed by the Americans, for the Americans, as a '2nd car' for the wife to run down to the shops in, or for hubby to drive to the station on the  way to work.

 

It was built [by Austin, but that is as it happened..Renault were in the frame too]....in the UK to reduce tooling costs for Hudson/Nash/Kelvinator.

 

The parent company had a 'house look'....which was aided by...I think, Pinin Farina...typical of the post-WW2 US car design.

 

The Metropolitan was intended to be almost a 'micro car' by US standards...

 

Once Austin [bMC?] managed to divert production to the UK market, not only was the engine size increased [bMC B-series]....but, for the final series, a boot lid was incorporated [no doubt to appease the UK market?]

 

The cars were subjected to various record attempts too....including a fuel consumption record [at I-don't know -what-speed?} where they took the record at over 50 mpg.

 

The Hudson/Nash range  always reminded me of those cheap printed tinplate, friction drive cars, 'made in Hong Kong'....so typical of tinplate toys of the 40's and 50's.....I never realised they were probably modelled on the 'real thing' of the time?

[brianusa]

In the heyday of the Metropolitans, American cars were getting bigger and bigger and the first thoughts of fuel economy were trickling down to consumers.  As mentioned Nash went to Europe for 'the works' and as Austins were imported at the time,they got the deal.  All very well but the same problems presented themselves in the Metros.  They didn't hold up too well in day to day running in the US, long hot or cold drives were not its forte or that they needed frequent oil changes and service;  Americans just like to get in their cars and drive!  The concept of being a smaller version of their bigger brothers didn't quite work out.  The selling points of the Nash's of the time were the huge interiors and bench seats which could be turned into a double bed.  Parents were very wary of that feature but the small bench seat in the Metro negated that feature to all but the very determined!  Also the lack of a proper 'boot' lid, lack of power and a couple other British oddities didn't help.  It sold mainly on its 'cuteness' and to women, hence the bright colours.

 

Brian.

[PhilJ W]

IIRC the Metropolitan was what we would call a 2+2 seater and as stated it was intended as a 'shopping car'. The Standard 8 had two single tilt forward seats in the rear to give access to the boot. It was aimed squarely at the same 'no frills' market as the Ford Popular so was built as cheaply as possible, it was for several years the cheapest 4 door saloon available. It didn't sell as well as the Ford because it was more expensive and despite being a more modern post war design.

[PatB]

Ah, the Metropolitan. What happens when you install a BMC B-Series engine in a giant soap dish .