O Scale Motor Chronicle Vol. XII May 3 2013

I've only repainted a small number of vehicles - a couple of trucks, and the two cars shown below.  Both were bright red before.  The 53 Caddy is my grandfather's car.  The grey car is, I think, a '48 Chrysler.  In both cases I managed to remove and re-install all the chrome on both without creaking any pieces, which is, frankly, much harder than the actually painting.

I got two new cars this week.  Top, an absolutely stunning American Excellence '57 Cadillac 62 coupe - a couple of year's after my layout's 1955 time period but I had to make an exception, and a butt-ugly '50 Nash Ambassador police car, which will go into the trailer park scene with the cops and arrest.  I ordered two more cars along with the Nash, Brooklin '50 Ford 4-door police car, also for that scene, and a '54 De Soto sedan (figured I should have a De Soto) - but although the Diecast Direct website didn't indicate it, it turned out that they are both backordered, so no telling)

Lee:
A childhood friend’s dad had an ugly 1950 Nash. I was one of the roomiest Quitest cars of the era. At one time I had a 1956 Nash Ambassador with a 352 ci Packard V8 and a 3 speed stick with overdrive.  It was ugly but it was fast.

Not my Nash, Mine was 2 tone green

I can't remember an attractive Nash: I think all Nashs were at best, rather bizarre, although many were good cars, I understand.  But it was a matter of degree - some were uglier than others.  You and your Nash inspired me -- I really want one of squarer ones like you've pictured.  I went to DiecastDirect and found one vaguely like it: headlights up on the front of the fenders rather than in the grill (which is more bizarre, I think).  I bought it and intend to do a bit of body work and such on it to more it upscale in ugliness.

But the big thing is!!!! When I searched the site for "Nash" I came across a Metropolitan, not just any Metropolitan, but a turquoise and white one.  I could not believe it - been looking for years.  When I was seven years old, I thought the Metropolitan was about the niftiest car ever made - partly I think because they were sort of my size.  I told my parents I wanted to save half my allowance until I could buy one and they not only agreed, they insisted.  For years, I was on half pay because they said I had to stick with it - I never lost my intrigue and love for the car, but I certainly did regret opening my mouth.

I ended up with a small, hard earned pile of pennies when college started, which probably went to buy beer (most of my cash did, et.c).  I never did own a Metropolitan, although I did eventually have a couple of older English sports cars that had essentially the same Austin  engine under their hood.