UNYMets page2

Upstate New York
Metropolitan Club

Metropolitan Owners Club of North America

The Upstate NY Mets meet several times per year as well as attending local and regional car shows. We are an active group of car enthusiasts with interests that range from Mets to many other makes and models. You might find our cars and members at many shows and cruises in the northeast. Feel free to contact us for additional information.

Upstate New York Mets membership and contact information: Membership is only $10/year [must be a member of MOCNA]. Please mail payment to Club President, Margaret Pritchard, 2874 Seneca Turnpike, Canastota, NY 13032. Telephone [315] 697-9366, email jpritch3@twcny.rr.com. And, welcome!

Mets can be fun!

Beep-Beep . . Beep-Beep . . .
. . . . His horn went Beep-Beep-Beep!

Remember the old song by the Playmates in which a little Nash Rambler races a big old Cadillac? “Say buddy, how do you get this car out of second gear!”  Listen to the song again? Click here.

The Metropolitan’s design is unique. Does it float on water? No, that’s the Amphicar. For proof, check out the following web: Do Mets Float?   [Great graphic thanks to the Metropolitan Club of California]  Or, check out the Amphicar website at Amphicar.

History Of the Metropolitan

The Metropolitan was built in England to American Motors specifications. (American Motors grew out of the 1954 merger of Nash and Hudson motor companies). All of the 94,986 that were manufactured and shipped to North America were built by Austin in England (later known as British Leyland Motor Corporation, and now known as Jaguar Cars, Inc.). Metropolitans were sold by Nash, Hudson and AMC dealers in the USA and Canada from 1954 to 1962.

Two models were offered a two-door convertible and a two-door hardtop. The "MET," as it is affectionately called, was an outgrowth of the NXI and NKI experimental models developed in 1949 through 1950 by Nash Motors, then a division of Nash-Kelvinator. To test public reaction, prototypes were shown to selected audiences across the country over an extended period of time. Many of the features subsequently found on the Metropolitan were results of the national survey.

The wheelbase of the Metropolitan is 85 inches, the length is 149 inches, the width is 61 inches, and the height is 54 inches. The Metropolitan is of all-welded unitized body construction. The original Metropolitan (known as the A-1200) was powered by a 42-hp Austin A-40 overhead-valve, four-cylinder engine with a compression ratio of 7.2 to 1. The engine had a bore of 2 37/64 inches and a stroke of 3 inches. Displacement was 73.17 cubic inches. Standard tires size of the 1200 series were 5.20 x 13. The Met also had aluminum pistons, fully counterbalanced crankshaft, Zenith (British) downdraft carburetor, 12-volt electrical system with a positive ground, Borg & Beck dry-disc, single-plate-type clutch, and Hotchkiss drive. The transmissions in all series were a steering post-mounted 3-speed synchromesh in 2nd and 3rd gears.

On April 9, 1956 American Motors announced the 1500 series Metropolitan, which incorporated many new features, including a 24% increase in horsepower to a 52-hp. motor. Compression ratio was increased to 8.31 to 1. Styling changes included a new hood and grille. Early in 1959, several functional improvements were made, including a new trunk lid, glove box door, window vents, seat adjustment mechanism and larger tires.

Though it was small and economical, the Metropolitan did not have a "cheap" image. Its standard equipment was actually more complete than what was offered on most American cars of that time. At the time that Metropolitans were introduced (March 1954), suggested delivery prices were $1,469.00 for the two-door convertible (Model 541), and $1,445.00 for the two-door hardtop (Model 542). Standard equipment included leather and nylon cord upholstery, foam-rubber front seat cushion, sun visors, turn signals, two-tone paint on the hardtop models, map light, windshield wipers, oil bath air cleaner and a continental style mounted spare tire with cover. Optional equipment included a heater, a radio with a mounted antenna, and white wall tires.

The color options on the 1200 series were Spruce Green, Canyon Red, Caribbean Blue and Croton Green. The hardtop was available only in these colors on the lower body and Mist Gray was on the upper body (top). The convertible was available with a Tan top only with a Spruce Green body. The black convertible top was available only with a Canyon Red and Caribbean Blue body. Beginning with the 1500 series, Black, Snowberry White, Sunburst Yellow, Coral Red, Berkshire Green, Mardi Gras Red, Frost White and Autumn Yellow were offered.

Metropolitans are now over 50 years old and a Metropolitan properly restored should have no difficulty in today's traffic, and can cruise between 55 and 60 mph without any problems.
[MOCNA - copyright (c) 2003 - from website of Metropolitan Owners Club of North America ]

Upstate New York is a great place for car enthusiasts, no matter what type of automobile you might be interested in. Many other fine organizations are in the region, with many hosting car shows and car cruises throughout the year. Check out some of the links noted later in this article for additional information.

One important link is to the Central New York Car Club Association, which encompasses and promotes its membership car organizations through its informative website: www.cnycca.org. The group maintains a list of its membership CNY car clubs as follows: Central New York Clubs.

2007 New York Car Show information for this region at the following sites:
Central New York Car Association
Central New York Street Rods Calendar
Cruisin Buddies [ Binghamton area] Calendar
New York – Pennsylvania Car Shows by Holton Auto Appraisals

Metropolitan [& Nash] websites:
Buckeye Mets [Ohio]
Hoosier Mets [Indiana]
Illini Mets [Illinois]
Metropolitan Club of California
Does the Metropolitan float?
Metropolitan Library by David Austin
Metropolitan Owners Club of North America: [MOCNA]
Metropolitan Pit Stop [North Hollywood, CA]
Metropolitan Restoration Service [PA]
Mitten Mets [Michigan]
Nash “Beep-Beep” Song
Nash Car Club of America [NCCA]
Nash Pictorial History
Pacific Northwest Metropolitan Owners Club [PNMOC]
Song on Web - "Me and my little Metro"
Yankee Mets [New England]

Some New York & Regional Car Clubs:
Central New York Car Club
Central New York Street Rods
Cortland Antique Automobile Club
Cruisin Buddies [ Binghamton area]
Dream Machines Car Club of CNY
Massena Old Car Club [ Massena , NY ]
Mohican Model A Ford Club [CNY]
New York Car Clubs [Search 400+] by Hemmings Motor News
Prison City Ramblers [ Auburn ]
Tappet Twirlers [ Rome , NY ]
Tioga Antique Cars
Triple Cities Street Rods [ Endicott , NY ]
Western New York Car Clubs

Related Antique Car and Antique Car Industry Sites:
Amphicar
Auto Trader Online
Collector Car Trader Online
EBAY
Hemmings Motor News
Hubcap Cafe
New York – Pennsylvania Car Shows
Tucker

Web Page Information: This page was created to help promote the Upstate New York Mets, as well as other regional automobile clubs. Please feel free to send corrections and suggestions to make it as informational as possible.

New York Railroads is a website promoting all railroads and rail-oriented organizations in the state at: www.newyorkrailroads.com. Feel free to visit the site and view hundreds of modern and classic train photographs, as well as information on virtually all New York railroads.

www.nycarclubs.com