# What Kind of (Weird Little) Car is This? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447 "2012-01-23T23:52:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/1 "2012-01-23T23:52:56Z")
For sale just down the road from my friend’s house is a vintage sports coupe. It’s a 1957; this I know because the “For Sale” sign says 1957, it just doesn’t say the make & model. :smack: The car is a two-seater sports coupe, hard top. The shape is vaguely similar to that of a [Ford Thunderbird from the era](http://photo-voiture.motorlegend.com/high/ford-thunderbird-i-1955-1957--2095.jpg), although the car I saw is smaller and lower, and lacks the air intake on the hood that the Thunderbird in the pic has. On the front is the …crest? trademark? whatever it’s called. It’s three parallel red lines, oriented kinda SSW-NNE. Is this ringing a bell for anyone at all? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/2 "2012-01-24T00:06:15Z")
Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/3 "2012-01-24T00:48:24Z")
Why don’t you take a photo of the actual car, rather than a T-bird that we all recognize? ---
**Author:** ![sniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@sniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/4 "2012-01-24T00:54:56Z")
Nash metropolitan ? [![](http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1958-nash-metropolitan-hood-ornament-3-jill-reger.jpg) ](http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1958-nash-metropolitan-hood-ornament-3-jill-reger.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/5 "2012-01-24T01:19:49Z")
The usual suspect for a “baby Tbird from 1957” is a BMW 700, but that logo is easily recognizable. Sounds like you have a Nash Metropolitan coupe and a bad idea of what an old Tbird looks like. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/6 "2012-01-24T01:54:05Z")
The 57 Corvette also resembles the 57 Tbird, but the logo described doesn’t fit. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/7 "2012-01-24T01:57:58Z")
Did it also have fins? I’m thinking it could be something European. Is the logo #46 [here](http://www.frontweb.com/AUTO_DEALER_LOGO.gif)? That’s SSW to NNE but it’s three lines anyway. Unfortunately there’s no key so I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure someone else could identify it. And if not someone could crop it out and Google search it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/8 "2012-01-24T02:02:43Z")
> [@sniz](#): > > Nash metropolitan ? > > [http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1958-nash-metropolitan-hood-ornament-3-jill-reger.jpg](http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1958-nash-metropolitan-hood-ornament-3-jill-reger.jpg) Aha, that logo looks closer to what the OP described. And [here’s a full pic](http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1950-1959/1957-Nash-Metropolitan.jpg) of a 1957 Nash Metropolitan. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/9 "2012-01-24T03:12:12Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > On the front is the …crest? trademark? whatever it’s called. Marque. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/10 "2012-01-24T03:34:35Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Is the logo #46 [here](http://www.frontweb.com/AUTO_DEALER_LOGO.gif)? That’s SSW to NNE but it’s three lines anyway. > > Unfortunately there’s no key so I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure someone else could identify it. That’s a Mercury logo. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/11 "2012-01-24T03:37:46Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Is the logo #46 [here](http://www.frontweb.com/AUTO_DEALER_LOGO.gif)? That’s SSW to NNE but it’s three lines anyway. Nope, that is a modern, post-1957 Mercury logo. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/12 "2012-01-24T03:41:25Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Marque. > [@Fubaya](#): > > That’s a Mercury logo. Not what the OP was looking at–production didn’t start until [1967](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Marquis). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/13 "2012-01-24T05:59:18Z")
I’ve been looking at [carnut.com](http://www.carnut.com/photo/nifty/06/niftind.html) and haven’t found it yet. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/14 "2012-01-24T12:17:23Z")
Definitely a Nash Metropolitan. Thanks! > [@panache45](#): > > Why don’t you take a photo of the actual car, rather than a T-bird that we all recognize? Yeah, sorry about that, but my phone doesn’t have a camera, and I really didn’t think the whole situation was worth grabbing Mrs. Homie’s phone and making a 10-mile drive. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/15 "2012-01-24T12:39:53Z")
An I the only person who thinks that using a '57 bird to describe what a Nash Metro looks like is just somehow wrong? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/16 "2012-01-24T12:59:46Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > An I the only person who thinks that using a '57 bird to describe what a Nash Metro looks like is just somehow wrong? 😃 Yeah, sorry. I did the best I could with limited information. Cars aren’t really my thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/17 "2012-01-24T13:05:54Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > An I the only person who thinks that using a '57 bird to describe what a Nash Metro looks like is just somehow wrong? 😃 Yes. I was going to nominate the [Studebaker Silver Hawk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker_Silver_Hawk) based on the T-Bird comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/18 "2012-01-24T13:14:25Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > but my phone doesn’t have a camera What… is it a 1957 also? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/19 "2012-01-24T17:16:57Z")
Is it a Sunbeam? Pictures here: [http://www.google.com/search?q=sunbeam+car&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JOceT\_ujJIjhiAL2w6GCDA&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1536&bih=697](http://www.google.com/search?q=sunbeam+car&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JOceT_ujJIjhiAL2w6GCDA&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1536&bih=697) ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447/20 "2012-01-24T17:43:41Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > An I the only person who thinks that using a '57 bird to describe what a Nash Metro looks like is just somehow wrong? 😃 Well, describing a Nash Metropolitan as a “vintage sports coupe” is kinda hilarious. They’re great little cars, but not sporty. On a good day, a Metro could do 0-60 in, well, finite time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-weird-little-car-is-this/610447.md?page=2)