When you think of Nash, the image of bathtub shaped cars come to mind. As one of the independent manufacturers who were always struggling with the “Big 3” for market share, Nash had to be on the lookout for niche markets and areas where they could respond to the marketplace quicker than the competition. One such market was for sports cars. A chance meeting of executives who were crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the Queen Elizabeth resulted in a partnership. This partnership came to fruition as the Nash Healey sports car. One of these handsome beasts is currently for sale on eBay, and it has not hit reserve yet. With under $26,000 bid as of this writing, someone may be motoring over to Dripping Springs, Texas to pick up this 1953 Nash Healey Le Mans coupe at a bargain price if the reserve isn’t too high.
In a nutshell, George Mason, who was president of Nash Kelvinator, and Donald Healey, who was a British sports car designer, happened to meet on the Queen Elizabeth because both had a strong interest in photography. Always looking for a way to produce his own sports cars, the ever resourceful Healey had a sports car deal made before the ship docked. Production started in 1951, and the first version was a two seat convertible with a Nash powertrain and a British body and frame. Despite the beauty of the car, sales were lackluster.
The next version, which was produced from 1952 through 1954, sported an updated body design by famed Italian coachbuilder Pinin Farina. The Nash style grille with trademark inboard headlights took some getting used to, but the rest of the update was elegantly beautiful. In a deal that would make Fed Ex proud, Nash powertrains were shipped from Wisconsin to England to be installed in the Healey built rolling chassis. Then, the whole apparatus was shipped to Italy for bodywork. Finally, completed cars were sent from Italy to America. Not exactly the cheapest way to manufacture a car. With a price that hovered around $6,000, there were not many buyers. Even the addition of a coupe in 1953 did little to bring buyers to the showrooms. Only 520 of the cars were sold, and that number includes race cars and prototypes.
While they certainly could be considered sports cars, these cars more closely resemble luxury gran touring cars like Aston Martins and some Mercedes coupes. With the big Nash inline six under the hood and a three speed manual transmission with overdrive, these cars were equipped to travel from place to place at high speeds. The luxury interior and solid Italian bodies solidified their reputations as a gentleman’s automobile. However, Donald Healey did build a very capable chassis for the cars. Healey and his crew took lightened racing versions to Le Mans in 1951, 1952, and 1953, taking an amazing 3rd overall in 1952. This miracle appears to have done little to boost sales.
The car being sold on eBay appears to be a very nice example of the breed. The car was supposedly restored in 1998, and it won an AACA first junior prize in 1999. It then sat in a museum for 12 years before being purchased at a Mecum auction by the current owner. The seller has posted a link to a web page that tells the car’s story in detail. Reading the story, it is obvious that the current owner has spent a lot of time and money to make this car into a very reliable and solid driver. There are some flaws due to age, but it seems that this Nash Healey could be driven back to wherever you lived if you purchased it.
While I think the car will likely not meet its reserve during this auction, everything points to this being a car that is a relative bargain compared to its competition. Early Corvettes, Kaiser Darrins, and Porsches go for higher prices than the market value of this car, and they are all less comfortable to drive. This is the kind of car that would make a week long classic car driving tour as effortless as driving your modern car (except for air conditioning). Nash Healeys were an underrated car then, and equally underrated now. If you have the means, I would give the seller a call. He may be open to an offer that makes this car an even bigger bargain.
It’s funny that you mention Mercedes in the article Jeff. My first thought when I saw the photos was that this car definitely has a touch of the Gullwing Merc from some angles. I really like this. Perhaps as I’m getting older Grand Tourers are starting to appeal more to me.
I’ve only seen one in person at the Imperial Palace in Vegas. Outstanding.
Andrew, in case you didn’t see it, Richard DeLonghe Johnson was the name my enemy parents gave me. Mom always liked my brother best.
Dick Johnson, did you know that the Imperial Palace (although the name change about 4 years ago) museum has closed? I lived in Las Vegas from 1998 until 2015 and always made an effort to go the museum at least annually. I was there when the hotel was sold and remodeled in 2013-14 and the built a gigantic ferris wheel thing: https://www.caesars.com/linq
I noticed in the Las Vegas paper online a few months ago that the cars were all for sale and finally an announcement that it was closed: https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/the-strip/long-running-auto-collection-on-las-vegas-strip-shutting-its-doors/
Makes me sad. I always liked seeing cars there, even though sometimes they were a little rundown. The Duesenbergs were always amazing.
We used to have 30 hour Vegas overnights. The Palace at that time had coupons for a free museum visit. I had heard that the Palace shut down. What a great time.
Viva!
While having the potential to be a true ‘Grand Routier’, I believe that the $6K price was the killer of the Nash-Healey, when the base-priced ’53 Corvette was $3498 and the ’55 T-Bird was $2944, as well as the XK120, Porsche 356 and Austin-Healey 100.
Breathlessly Beautiful. Not gonna pass anything with that six, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, you wouldn’t have to.Looks like 48k now and it still hasn’t hit reserve. A true museum Piece!
Good luck to the new owner!
Drop-dead gorgeous! One of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen a picture of (having never seen one in person). And, no, I can’t afford it. But I can drool.
They’re quite lovely to look at, in person, Jim. I remember seeing Nash-Healeys turning up on used sports car lots from time-to-time, back in the 1970s. Even then, they commanded a significant premium over the ‘big’ Austin Healeys.
If this were the roadster version, the Vette and GS would be on the block and the Nash would be heading to a new home in California! Obviously named Sabrina for the original movie, I fell in love with this car the moment bazillionaire David Larrabie drove one into the courtyard. I had no idea what it was, but it looked gorgeous and fast, sounded gorgeous and fast, and I knew it was expensive! The red rusted wreck the seller shows in his ad for 49K is at Gullwing in NYC. They also have a roadster version with all Jaguar running gear but like everything else there, the price tag indicates they have absolutely no interest in selling them.
Don’t expect a low reserve. This car sold at auction for $80,000 in 2013 and a two toned 1954 coupe is available in Belgium wearing a €110, 000 ($135,000) price tag.
If only it had a V8. Clark Kent drove a Nash Healey. Plus, these had an incredibly funky front suspension. Neat cars, tho.
https://www.imcdb.org/v055761.html
I can just see Dick Powell driving this car! One of my favorite film noir good guy/bad guys after his singing career…..just a beautiful car.
Probably the best looking Nash ever, in spite of the unfortunate headlight placement and the oversized front bumper. The rest of the car is wonderful, especially for the early ’50s.
Rube: I have a AMC 327 V8 engine and auto trans that came out of Nash Healey that was put back to stock.. I have seen one with the conversion done, looked factory.. Your dream can come true… Righteous Bob, Life member of the Nash Car Club of America
The conversion could be done easily enough as both were set up with the same toque tube drive setup. Beautiful car, but too much money for me to afford. Looking at the radio I noticed the radio control knobs(both inner and outer)are exactly the same as the ones on my 3 “63 Rambler Classics I have owned in the past.
http://hanabi.autoweek.com/sites/default/files/styles/gen-1200-675/public/63-rambler-classic-conelrad.jpg?itok=EEpAmLWk
That 327 near Denver?
MTNBANDIT, No, It’s in Wisconsin…
The SU carburetors are definitely an English touch on an American engine.
This would be the car to collect. So beautiful and rare, and a great collaboration.
An absolutely beautiful car! If I had the means, I’d want a roadster, but wouldn’t turn this one down. I first saw one when I was 12 at the Concours d’elegance in Carmel. Had the second generation Pininfarina body like this one. Gorgeous!
Seems to me Mr. Healey’s cars came with a single leading arm on each side, which at least has the effect of increasing the caster angle of the outside wheel (for the record, the Citroen DS had a similar arrangement). This beats heck out of the warty little Subaru 360’s single TRAILING arm, whose outside wheel in a tight turn could suddenly try to flop over into the turn, making it the only car I’ve driven whose chassis couldn’t deal with 17 hp.
I was nuts for these cars when they were new, and actually saw at least two on the road in or around Terre Haute, IN, which was some sort of hot market for interesting foreign cars in the ’50s; who knows why? All I know is it made one car-struck teenager pretty happy.
American pickers bought 2 of them
Might be funny to hear, but many consider this car to be the beginning of the American Sports Car era.
“…beginning of the American Sports Car era….”
agreed.
Like the other (earlier?) frnt end better. Seems the grill & lghts (up on fenders) were different?
Any 1 got pic or links?
All ways enjoyed these cars!
Saw one of these in person at the vault in the Petersen Museum. Very cool!
The ’55 Nash Ambassador front end styling is heavily copied from the ’53 Nash Healey. Same shaped front fenders, same oval grill, same placement of parking lights although different shapes and same headlights placement in the grill. The bumpers are a different style and the Ambassador doesn’t have a hood scoop.
Some lucky cat somewhere. Ended: Apr 05, 2018 , 7:56PM
Winning bid:US $69,100.00
[ 22 bids ]