One of only 90 1953 Coupes built
Maroon over Maroon Leather
Numbers Matching Example 4.1 liter inline 6
Chassis 3019
Beautifully documented example
Runs and drives beautifully
Includes Original Wheel Covers
The Nash-Healey automobile was the culmination of an unlikely collaboration between the Nash Car Company, Donald Healey of Britain’s Austin Healey fame, and Italian coachbuilder Carrozeria Pininfarina.
Each vehicle’s construction began with Nash-Kelvinator Co. shipping its robust 6 cylinder overhead valve power train, including Borg-Warner 3-speed overdrive transmission, to Donald-Healey in Great Britain. There, Healey developed a special aluminum head accommodating dual carburetors (initially British SU’s), and installed the components in his own bespoke frame, which featured a unique aluminum trailing arm front suspension.
The assembled chassis was then shipped to Turin, Italy where the Pinifarina coachbuilders handcrafted each body and assembled it to the chassis.
Finally, the completed masterpieces were shipped to the US for sale in Nash dealerships around the country.
The cars were constructed in both open roadster and 2-door coupe configuration. The early roadsters were all-aluminum body, while the later 1952-54 bodies were predominantly steel.
The early Nash-Healeys racked up some impressive wins at the
important LeMans 24 hour races:
– In 1950 a prototype finished 4th overall.
– In 1951 a Nash-Healey roadster took fourth in class and sixth
overall behind a Jaguar, two Talbot-Lagos, and two Aston
Martins.
– In 1952 a similar roadster took first in class, and 3rd overall
finishing behind only two Mercedes 300SL’s.
The engine proved to be incredibly robust, required NO additional oil nor water during the entire 24 hours!
Sadly, the double-transoceanic shipment costs and exotic coachwork dictated a factory retail price of $5,908 in 1953, when the new Corvette was selling for $3,513.
All late production Pininfarnia bodied cars were powered by the larger bore 258.6-cubic-inch (4.1-litre) engine which used a pair of side-draft Carter carburetors in place of the earlier S.U. carburetor versions. How to ascertain which engine is in a Nash-Healey model is to check the car serial and engine numbers. If the serial number is under N-2250 and if the engine number. is below N-1163, it is a 3.8-litre engine. If the numbers are higher, the car has a 4.1-litre engine. The 1953 Nash-Healey hardtop (designated as the LeMans hardtop) was awarded first prize in March of that year in the Italian International Concours D'elegance held at Tresa, Italy.
