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BUILD

A Message from Bryan Thatcher on How the Metronator Was Built

The Metronator Xtreme Machine started as a stock 1956 Nash Metropolitan, which was acquired from a gentleman named Moe in Escondido, CA. I told Moe that if he sold me the car, I would promise to make it into something he would always be proud of. I purchased the car for $50, brought it home, and started removing everything. Once the car was a shell, I had it completely sandblasted and mounted on a custom car dolly I designed. Soon after, measurements were taken to start the design for the tube chassis. The chassis started to take shape as two custom frame rails with a custom-designed cantilever rear suspension and a custom Mark Williams front axle assembly were introduced. Click the button below to watch: See the creation and build of the World Famous -1956 Nash Metropolitan, known as "The Metronator". Sit back and enjoy the sounds of the "Beach Boys" and "The Guess Who" as "The Metronator" is created in preparation for the Las Vegas -SEMA Show.

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A Plastic Big-Block Chevy Motor with an earlier Pro/Stock Intake Manifold, Empty R-400 Transmission Case was used to establish the locations of the front and rear motor plates. A roll cage was designed, along with all the mounts, transmission, steering, fuel tanks, rear end, wheelie bars, headers, seats, gauges, etc. After all the items were mounted and checked, the chassis was disassembled and sent to a Powder Coating shop, while the body was sent to Paint & Place for custom body and PPG paintwork. The motor was sent to BEP Performance Center in Orange, CA, for Alan to build. After everything was completed, this is what it looked like during and after its final assembly. Complete Build Time 11- months
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