O Scale Motor Vehicle Chronicle Oct.16

Thanks, Always enjoy your post on Fridays.

Buzz

I knew a man in Nashville TN who refurbished Metropolitans as a hobby.  He told me that those little cars had a wonderful engine that was the same one used in Metro delivery vans.  According to him, he engine had four bolt mains.  I forget how many, but he said the engine was industrial grade and was extremely durable.  The only photos i can find on the internet show the Metro van with an IH logo on the grill so I don't know how they are related.  Were Nash and Rambler related to IH in some way in the 50s?

I'm REALLY looking forward to the release of a '56 Rambler 4-DR sedan in 3-tone paint from American Excellence/NEO late this year. Price to be announced, at DiecastDirect.

Nash had nothing to do with IH and I doubt if the International Harvester Metro van used the small and under powered Metropolitan engine The Metropolitan was built in England by Austin and used the same engine as the Austin 7. Some were also sold in England as the Austin Metropolitan.

Me too along with the '57 Hudson.

AMC changed the side trim half way through the '56 model year. They wanted to de-empathize the basket handle trim. I personally liked it. It was a unique styling feature.

Early '56 Rambler

Late '56 Rambler

Thanx, again for posting and doing all the research for this.  Where will you be at York?  Will you have a table?  Mine is in the Blue hall - F-33.

You mentioned the Metropolitan by Nash/Hudson.  To my knowledge the Metro was built in England and used a BMC 4 cyl engine, similar to the one used in the MG-B, except detuned and with one carburetor.  One of those was used by a TV personality here in the Cleveland are, as he investigated what he called "One tank Trips".  That car is still around here, someplace.

Also, are you sure the '56 - '57 Hudson used a Packard V8 engine?  I thought that was the first Nash built, AMC V-8.  Seemed to me it was around 290 cu. in.  In '55 and '56 Packard's 352 cu in V-8 was still being used by Packard.  When they quit making "real" Packards, I had heard that the tooling for that engine was sold to International where it became their medium truck engine.

Paul Fischer

Ace Hardware store employee in Upland California still drives a red and white Metro to work every day. Gets spare parts from "a huge hobby and enthusiast network".

My great uncle, who retired as a railroad telegrapher in Mich., swore by

Hudsons until he bought one with a PACKARD V-8, and was forced to switch

to Chevrolets (full size). If the engine was sold to IH, they must have had

to reengineer it.

1955 and early Hudsons and Nashes V8 models used Packard 320 cu in engines Early in 1956 they switch to their own 250 cu in V8s Some late '56 Nashs and all 1957 Nashs & Hudsons used AMCs 327 V8

1957 was the first year a V8 was offered in the Rambler. They used the 250 V8 except the Rebel witch used the 327. Inn 1958 they introduced the Rambler Ambassador with the 327.

I will be at York on Thursday & Friday, I do not have a table, I'll look you up.