Who's giving you grief on the HAMB for a Nash Metropolitan?! 64 and earlier is the sanctioned cut off date, you're in like Flynn.
Nobody is giving grief just figured nobody would want to hear about a little stock metro on the hotrod forum lol. I was being kind of sarcastic about the falcon but didn't know if it was considered since it came out right as muscle cars were. And yes I know a falcon isn't a muscle car in most trims. I tried to test drive the car tonight but our schedules didn't match so it sounds like tomorrow try to drive it and if alls well make an offer. I know it won't be perfect but since I'm going to be selling my late model I don't want a project or much headache right off the bat. Wish me luck. Sent from my DROID RAZR using H.A.M.B. mobile app
One other thought, seeing that you live in Iowa and knowing they have a midgrade gas with ethanol added that gets a government subsidy to end up as the cheapest per gallon - don't use it in an old car. I live in SE Wisconsin where we are mandated to have that junk in our gas and it really does a number on your mileage, horsepower and all the rubber components that come in contact with your fuel. I have had multiple small engines that have literally failed from that gas.
I use E10 in my '60 Falcon, exclusively (all we have). Just replaced the rubber lines with modern Viton ones. Zero issues. Just had the fuel pump apart, to rotate the fittings away from the crossmember. No deterioration, and it is probably older than me. I used an oxygen sensor to tune the Weber 32/36 to accommodate it, and I get a solid 32-MPG, maybe more, now that I put in a 5-speed. Tune-up, move-on. The future is here.
Most collector-car insurance is unavailable unless you are carrying a personal liability policy on another OT vehicle.
Hmm.... never heard of that. I insured my T through Grundy and it was my only car, when I got the policy.
Thanks. I have seen that movie, but it's been a while and I thought the phrase was older than the movie.
They wouldn't for me as of this April. Grundy, Hagerty, none of them would offer me a quote unless *I* had another car. The fact that my wife has a policy on our other car, the 'daily driver', was not relevant.
Hmmph. There are enough straight original rides here, I say if anyone gives you grief for your Metro, sthu. That said, I don't think that would happen...in fact, if there isn't a Nash Metro thread, do us a favor and start one!! Good luck with the Falcon and I'm glad you're wife's still along for the ride. I don't remember, does it have seat belts or are you going to have to add them?
There is a history of the Nash metropolitan thread for everyone who ever had or has one. But j have not started a thread for mine specifically maybe I will do that. Also im not sure if they were factory installed but this car has seatbelts in it already. Which is a plus if I'm going to be driving and carrying the todler too. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Not to hijak the thread but anyone who has studied fuels knows ethanol is not the future. It burns poorer than gas and actually polutes more. Don't buy into the crap hype they are selling.
"I know I'll have to be maintaining it more and keep a closer eye in things but I'd really like to hear some advice from people who already use a classic car as a daily." The advantage once you get all the bugs out is manitenance Is simple. Diagnostic is if it has fuel and spark it will run. I prefer that as my daily is a 69 Ford shortbox, 300/6 soon to add floor shifted 3 speed with overdrve. Currently has 3 speed column shift. No power anything. Very simple and never left me stranded. 5 years daily 80 mile round trip to work.
"In like Flynn" meaning, achieving success quickly and easily especially regarding women. From Hollywood star Errol Flynn who got more strange ass than a toilet seat. Dates to the forties or possibly late 30s.
Ill chime in with my 2 cents. If it is original wiring rewire the car ASAP you dont want something grounding and starting a fire because it is not the fire that will kill you it is the insulation from the wire making fumes and it kills many people every year. Have a fire extinguisher within easy reach incase of fires. Have a small box of spares and a few old bits of wire with some basic tools. Nothing too extreme here just screw drivers, a small ratchet set, flashlight, and flares are a must. Be sure to have a spare rotor, distrubitor cap, condensor, points, coil, and fuel filter. hose clamps and some spare hose doesnt hurt either. Obviously you will need your spare tire and things to change a tire if it goes flat I recommend a small tarp and a blanket too for rainy days or cold days. Go through the cooling and heating systems good and dont trust an old original radiator either get a new one or get the old one rodded out. If you will be driving it in winter make sure you have good heat and a way to tay cool in the summer 2-50 ac works well for me but little ones can be a bit more fussy. Like has been stated several times before me drive defensively in a classic. If you have the money upgrade to disc brakes up front you will notice a big improvement on braking distance. and checking fluids each time you fill up is always a good practice I cant count the times Ive been asked at the gas pump if something is wrong and if I need help but just checking to see if everything is doing what it should. Replace the easy stuff on the motor such as valve cover gasket and oil pan gasket I recommend felpro blue rubber and the lifter valley do that gasket as well. You might look at valve seals too make sure they arent going to disenegrate in the first 100 miles because of their old age. The big things I do to every car once I get them is all fluids and flush replace filters where applicapible and look at your seals good. Look at your rubber if it is questionable replace it. Look at your wiring if it looks like crap replace it and you may as well go with new because you dont want cloth covered wire catching fire with any kiddos around. The biggest stuff to look at for me is wiring you dont want a nice old car burning to the ground because the wires caught fire. I have been daily driving a car from the 70's for the past 4-5 years the body looks like crap but it runs like a top and I would drive it cross country again. Yes when I moved I drove my car cross country from California to Virginia without a single problem well one but I couldnt help the gas prices.
Age is what's going to be your albatross here. No matter how nice the car is, any time I buy an old car (And I don't always follow this rule and yeah it bites me in the ass sometimes) I usually do the following if I am going to start really using it: Everything that fuel touches needs to be rebuilt or carefully gone over. Every fuel and brake line gets replaced. Every hydraulic component of the braking system gets rebuilt or replaced. THIS IS IMPORTANT! I have yanked master cylinders from cars that "stopped great" and been shocked at what I saw. Everything in the cooling system is getting gone through, and the radiator and heater core are getting rebuilt or replaced. Every cooling hose is getting replaced. Every fluid is getting flushed. Wheel bearings are getting checked as is every component of the suspension. The voltage regulator is getting a close look, the generator brushes/bushings/bearings are getting checked and the starter may well get new brushes and a bendix drive. Those belts? Replace em. As someone else said, rewiring this car isn't a bad idea at all. Major tune up goes without saying including a new coil. All wiring for the ignition circuit should be carefully checked. After a few months of use problems and leaks will pop up; be prepared. The biggest issue is that these cars were designed to last, on average, 7-10 years. After 50 years things are just going to go wrong. Likely when these were new they didn't eat fuel pumps but E10 can wreak havoc on an old pump.
One way or another, the controllers *will* force you into a newer car with GPS tracking that they can monitor at all times.... Several years ago I figured out that this was the entire reason they crushed 10-s of thousands of pre-'75 vehicles. It wasn't to save on pollution like they told us (they just sold the carbon credits to refineries so that the refineries could do the polluting). It's more about getting the old cars off the road. Old cars aren't near as trackable in real-time as ones with GPS and a black box are... Expect pressure from all sides, including insurance companies.
Thank you Rusty, for the backup and the clarification. I saw that there was a Flint movie with the title In Like Flint, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were riffing on the original phrase with that title.
Well it's sitting in my driveway now so I'd better get ready lol. Looks like Macs has a good line of replacement parts when I need them. I saw they have an electronic ignition to replace the points. Is there any reason I shouldn't do that to replace the venerable points that you all have been mentioning? I drove it yesterday and it rides super smooth so I think the suspension should be good for a while with just some grease from time to time. It shifted good not too strong but still able to notice the shifts just right. The carb needles choked longer than normal (even after its warm) the guy said he rebuilt it so maybe it needs to be re-rebuilt he said the float sticks too so I kind of figured I would need to do this maybe I just try to find a replacement instead of messing with it. The doors and windows all work easily (rear windows are a little tight probably from not being used. Nothing a little use and oil couldn't fix. The doors and panels are all aligned well the only exception being the front pass. Fender which looks like it was off at one point and there is a small slice because of it. I'll get pics. There is also a little paint bubbling at the rear quarters behind the wheels but its not through yet so shouldn't be hard to fix. Also I realized it has front seatbelts but none in the back so I ordered a couple. Ill get pictures in a bit the neighbor is mowing so ill wait till he's done. Aww screw that pics in a few I'm headed out there now.
Don't do it (if it is a 6-cylinder). You are better off replacing the WHOLE distributor with a modern one. This engine is equipped with a Load-O-Matic distributor, which does NOT have conventional advance weights, but relies on a complicated Spark Control Valve in the carburetor, and was marginal, at-best, when it was brand new. It is hard to overstate the benefit that an HEI distributor made on my 144. Night and day is an understatement. Better mileage, better acceleration, higher top speed, better passing power, better, better, better. That was just the distributor and plug wires, 'cause the HEI cap needs different ones. Paid for itself in mileage gains in the first 60-days.
And that's why I asked before I did it lol. Anyway here are some pics. Engine shot its the 170ci The old 1 bbl does look pretty tired Look free dry rotted snow tires lol Tenley likes checking out the inside interior shots Hey dad whatcha doing Quarters behind the rear wheels Drivers side the color doesn't show it well it's about the size of a football but not too bad really Passenger side is pretty small Inside quarters through the trunk still have most of the factory deadener Pic limit onto the next post Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Paint has a few pretty deep scratches and some flaking paint but really it's not to bad for 50 years old. Maybe it has been painted who knows. Under side shots can't see much but the undercoating is mostly all there. Here is that slice in the fender Lastly what is this door? It looks like the a very opening that are typically found in muscle car kick panels. Or maybe it's just an access for cleaning anybody else know? There is one on each side. And the passenger side still shut Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Check the wipers on that, they may be the vacumn-operated ones. If you encounter a hill with them on, they will go slow and maybe even stop, until you create more vacumn by cresting the hill. Usually, the steeper and longer the hill, the harder the rain. Those little doors on each side in front are your vents (a.k.a.: crotch coolers). No fancy buttons or sliders on the economy cars, just reach down and open the little door until you feel the desired breeze on your lower extremeties. If the bottom of the duct is flat and there is no danger of something falling down out of reach, they make a great place to stash wallets, watch, keys, etc. when you don't want to carry them but don't want to put them in the usual spots, like the glove box (my first car, a '72 dodge Dart, had similar.) Oh, and watch opening them after fall/winter- they tend to keep all of the sand, dust, dry leaves, etc. there until you get hot and unsuspectingly open the door. Multiple experiences on that one.
DUI HEI distributor, wires, and fresh plugs. Weber 32/36, on an adapter from classicinlines.com, and you will be amazed. That little door, and the other, is a fresh air vent.
Yea the wipers are vacumn. The blades are gone and the sprayers don't seem to work either so there is a few things to do before all the road grime paints the windshield shit brown/white Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Invest in a factory repair manual first thing. The one Ford supplied to their dealers. They made thousands of them and they still turn up at auto flea markets and online. Usual price $50 - $75. Well worth it, will save you many $$$$$ bucks and hours of work.
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