The end of World War II found US automakers struggling to ramp up production of existing models and develop new and modern designs. But the industry recovered quickly, and the automotive market grew at a pace never before seen in the 1950s. The "bigger is better" tide had taken over the industry as sales grew to more than seven million vehicles per year on average.
But while Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler enjoyed rapid growth by claiming more than 90 percent of all automobile sales, independent automakers struggled to stay afloat. Unable to compete in the full-size market, some carmakers switched to smaller, more affordable cars. Nash was the first to do so by launching the Rambler in 1950.
The compact was the brainchild of Nash-Kelvinator president George W. Mason, who believed that the company needed a car different from the existing vehicles offered by the Big Three. He also realized that low prices were not enough to achieve volume sales. The vehicle would also have to be big enough to appeal to families as a primary means of transportation. While notably smaller than a full-size, the Rambler could still accommodate five passengers comfortably.
Kaiser-Frazer Corporation adopted a similar recipe for the Henry J later that year. Willys joined the compact market with the Aero in 1952, while Hudson introduced the Jet in 1953. It's worth noting that the Big Three did not launch compact cars until the late 1950s.
Met with unexpected enthusiasm, the Rambler prompted Nash to introduce the Metropolitan, an even smaller car produced by Austin in England. Sporting a wheelbase shorter than the Volkswagen Beetle, the Metropolitan became America's first subcompact automobile. It wasn't exactly popular with the "bigger is better" crowd, but it remained in production until 1962, being sold as a Nash, Hudson, and as a stand-alone brand.
Come 2023, the Metropolitan enjoys a small cult following thanks to a few active fan clubs. But like most somewhat unusual cars, many Metropolitans got lost on the way, and some were modified and got engine swaps. I've seen a few cool pickup conversions over the years, as well as a drop-top fitted with Honda S2000 parts. But none of them are as ridiculously spectacular as Gordy Buetsch's dragster.
Because this contraption is not a run-of-the-mill drag car with skinnies up front and fat rubber in the rear. Nope! The "Kelvinator Rocket" is a fully-fledged altered dragster with the rear axle moved forward by 17 inches (432 mm), and the front wheels moved forward by 36 inches (914 mm). And no, you do not see things: the front axle sits before the fascia.
And, of course, this Metropolitan no longer draws juice from a four-cylinder. The owner removed the BMC-made engine to make way for a 392-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) HEMI V8 of the Chrysler variety. The mill is dated 1958, which makes it among the first HEMIs built by Mopar and fitted in iconic cars like the Chrysler New Yorker, 300C, and 300D. The owner says it generates 395 horsepower, so it's not too different from its stock counterparts either.
Paired with an automatic gearbox and spinning the rear wheels through a nine-inch Ford rear end with 3.90 gears, the old powerplant pushes the altered Metropolitan down the quarter-mile in less than 13 seconds. Specifically, the car covered the distance in an impressive 12.69 seconds at 105.32 mph (169.49 kph) at Glory Days Byron. With the 74-year-old owner behind the steering wheel. What a fabulous display!
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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