1951 Nash Healey Roadster Roadster

The prototype for the newest creation of Nash's George Mason and sports car builder Donald Healey was shown at the London and Paris Auto Salons in 1950. These new roadsters wore aluminum-alloy bodies and rode on a chassis based on the Healey Silverstone. The powertrain and driveline were borrowed from the Nash Airflyte. The powerplant was a modified Nash six-cylinder unit with a hotter camshaft, dual SU carburetors, higher compression, and an aluminum cylinder head.

After the car made its United States debut at the 1951 Chicago Auto Show, the roadster became available for sale. To stimulate sales, Nash entered several specially-bodied Nash-Healeys in the 1951 Mille Miglia, where one example finished in ninth in this grueling event. At the 24 Hours of LeMans, a Nash-Healey finished fourth overall. In 1952, an open-bodied Nash-Healey finished third overall, and second in the Index of Performance.

There were a mere 104 examples of the first series created. This first series Nash-Healey LeMans Roadsters were clothed in alloy and only a few have survived. This example has been given a professional restoration and is finished in Mint Green with a tan cloth top and a gray interior with blue piping. There are Cibie headlights, Nash-Healey wheel covers, blackwall tires and pull-up side windows. It has a factory-fitted three-speed manual transmission with overdrive and there is a spare tire and jack, and a heater.

In 2009, this Alloy-Body Roadster was offered for sale at the Automobiles of Amelia Island auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $100,000 - $125,000. The lot was sold for $67,100, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2009