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New member with Metropolitans...

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NKI guy

NKI guy

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I've been working on and restoring Metropolitans for the past 38 years or so, and am beginning to get familiar with them. They may have been designed in Kenosha Wisconsin, but the build was definitely Austin! I've had several over the years and own 3 1/2 right now. A 1960 coupe with 30,000 miles on it - all original - that I found in the basement of a funeral home, a 1954 cut convertible that I try out all my "improvement" ideas on, and am currently restoring an NKI Custom (the original name for Metropolitans) to factory specs. It is the 857th NKI (Metropolitan) built and I've had to go so far as to recreating some of the interior upholstery and headliner patterns on the computer and having them made. The engine in the 1954 NKI and Mets was an A40 42hp 1198cc engine borrowed from the Austin Devon and Somerset for the 1st year's production. 99% of the nuts and bolts are Whitworth. In 1955 a "B" series 1200 was produced that used all U.S. National Fine thread so we wouldn't have to use an adjustable spanner to take it apart anymore.... 1956 introduced the 52 hp low compression 1500cc engine that was also used in the MGA. 1959 introduced the 55 hp high compression engine (also used in the MGA - though with twin SUs it far out performed the Metropolitan!).
I'm an old guy living in Western Washington, USA, and have lots of Met friends throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, and U.K. I belong to the Metropolitan Owners Club of North America and the Pacific Northwest Metropolitan Club primarily and also a few of the other MOCNA chapters. I look forward to reading new ideas and will happily provide suggestions and repair advice.
Dale "NKI guy"
 

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Welcome! My Grandmother lived in Sumner,& spent a fair
amount of time there years ago,back when Meridian was a two-
lane road to Highway 99.
Not anymore.
 
"Not anymore" is definitely for sure. Houses going up all over, highways were built too small, and rush hour is 4+ hours long now.

Virginia - I was stationed out there for a couple years in the early '70s. Beautiful state.
 
Not much quirkier than a Met - welcome there are a few other owners here as well.

love this pic

1706671070615.png
 
by the Playboys - Donnie Conn - lead singer and author of the song visited with us at the 2011 Nash Metropolitan International in Kenosha and told us all about how the song came about. Turns out he had never ridden in a Met - we fixed that in short order!
 
We had 2 of them in our family at one time, one for each of the boys. Good dependable little cars. (y)
 
I've always admired this little cars. Never had one, but always wished I had.
 
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