Nash-Healey

Nash-Healey

1951 Nash-Healey

Manufacturer Nash Motors

Production 1951–1954

Assembly Warwick, England

Turin, Italy

Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA

Class Sports car

Body style 2-seat hardtop

2-seat roadster

Layout FR layout

Engine Nash Ambassador I6:

1951: 234.8 cu in (3.8 L) 125 hp (93 kW; 127 PS)

1952-1954: 252 cu in (4.1 L) 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS)

Transmission 3-speed manual with overdrive

Wheelbase roadster: 102 in (2,591 mm)

hardtop: 108 in (2,743 mm)

Length roadster: 170.75 in (4,337 mm)

 hardtop: 180.5 in (4,585 mm)[1]

Width roadster: 64 in (1,626 mm)

hardtop: 65 in (1,651 mm)

Height roadster: 48 in (1,219 mm)

hardtop: 55 in (1,397 mm)

Curb weight 2,400 lb (1,089 kg) approximate

The Nash-Healey is a two-seat sports car that was produced for the American market between 1951 and
1954. Marketed by Nash-Kelvinator Corporation with the Nash Ambassador drivetrain and a European
chassis and body, it served as a halo (or image) vehicle, or flagship car, for the automaker to promote the
sales of the other Nash models. It was "America's first post-war sports car",[2] and the first introduced in the
U.S. by a major automaker since the Great Depression.[3] The Nash-Healey was the product of the
partnership between Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and British automaker Donald Healey. Later on, the car
was restyled by Pinin Farina and subassembly begun in Italy.

Origin

Donald Healey and Nash-Kelvinator CEO George W. Mason met on the Queen Elizabeth, an ocean
liner going from the United States to Great Britain. Healey was returning to England after his attempt to
purchase engines from Cadillac, but General Motors declined his idea. His idea was expand production of
the Healey Silverstone that race car driver Briggs Cunningham had customized with Cadillac’s new 1949
overhead-valve V8 engine.[4] Mason and Healey met over dinner and a production plan ensued during the
remainder of the voyage. The two became friends because they were both interested in photography.
Mason had a stereo (3-D) camera that intrigued Healey.

1951

1951 Nash-Healey

Nash Motors supplied the Donald Healey Motor Company with the powertrain components:
the Ambassador’s inline six-cylinder OHV 234.8 cu in (3.85 L) engine and three-speed manual transmission
with Borg-Warner overdrive, plustorque tube and differential. Healey fitted a lighter, higher-compression
aluminum cylinder head (in place of the cast-iron stock item) with twin 1.75-inch (44 mm) SU
carburetors that were popular on British sports cars at the time. This increased power from the stock 112 hp
(84 kW; 114 PS) version to 125 hp (93 kW; 127 PS). Compared to other contemporary British sports cars,
the Nash-Healey's engine was long, heavy, and bulky. [5] However, Donald Healey's original plan was to use
an even heavier 331 cu in (5.4 L) Cadillac V8 engine and the car was designed with an engine bay that
allowed a few later owners to convert their cars to V8 power. [6]

The chassis was a widened and reinforced Healey Silverstone [7] box-section ladder-type steel frame.
Independent front suspension, also Healey Silverstone, was by coil springs, trailing link, and a sway bar.
The rear suspension featured Nash's rear end and coil springs replaced the Silverstone’s leaf springs, while
the beam axle was located by Panhard rod.

Healey designed the aluminum body, but it was outsourced. Panelcraft Sheet Metal
of Birmingham fabricated the body.[8] It incorporated a Nash grille, bumpers, and other trim. [9] Healey was
responsible for the car's final assembly.

The car had drum brakes all round. Wheels were steel, dressed up with full-diameter chrome hubcaps and
4-ply 6.40 x 15-inch whitewall tires. The interior featured luxurious leather upholstery, foam rubber cushions,
adjustable steering wheel, and a cigarette lighter. Completed vehicles were shipped to the United States for
sale through the Nash dealership network.

A prototype was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in September 1950. The production model debuted at
the February 1951 Chicago Auto Show and Donald Healey gave the first example to Petula Clark.[8] The
only colors available were "Champagne Ivory" and "Sunset Maroon", and the suggested retail price (MSRP)
of US$3,767 F.O.B. New York City proved uncompetitive.[10]

Restyle

1952 Nash-Healey roadster

Nash-Healey roadster

1952
For 1952, Nash commissioned Italian designer Pinin Farina to revise Healey's original body design. One
objective was to make the sports car more similar to the rest of Nash's models. The front received a Nash-
style gille incorporating inboard headlights. The sides now featured a distinct fender character lines ending
with small tailfins in the rear. A curved windshield replaced the previous two-piece flat windshield. The
restyled car appeared at that year's Chicago Auto Show.[11]

Carrozzeria Pininfarina in Turin built the bodies which, save for aluminum hood, trunk lid and dashboard,
were now all steel.[12] The aluminum panels, plus careful engineering, reduced curb weight. [13] The Nash
engine was now the 252 cu in (4.1 L) with American-made twin Carters producing 140 hp (104 kW;
142 PS).

Shipping costs were considerable: From Kenosha, Wisconsin the Nash engines and drivelines went to
England for installation in the Healey-fabricated frames. Healey then sent the rolling chassis to Italy, where
Pininfarina's craftsmen fashioned the bodywork and assembled the finished product. Finally Farina exported
the cars to America. The result was a $5,908 sticker price in 1953, while the new Chevrolet Corvette was
$3,513.[14]

1953

The 1953 model year saw the introduction of a new closed coupé [15] alongside the roadster (now termed a
"convertible"). Capitalizing on the 3rd place finish at Le Mans by a lightweight racing Nash-Healey purpose-
built for the race (see below), the new model was called the "Le Mans" coupé. [16] Nash had already named
the powerplant the "Le-Mans Dual Jetfire Ambassador Six" in 1952, in reference to the previous racing
exploits of the lightweight competition cars.[13]

Some describe the new design as "magnificent".[17] Some "people didn't take to the inboard headlights".
[18]
This headlight mounting was described as "Safety-Vu" concentrating illumination, and their low position
increased safety under foggy situations. The 1953 "Le Mans" model was awarded first prize in March of that
year in the Italian International Concours d'Elegance held at Tresa, Italy. [19]

1954 Nash-Healey "Le Mans" coupé

The Nash Ambassador inline-six engine with twin Carters

Leveraging the popularity of golf to promote their cars, Nash Motors and Nash dealers sponsored what the
automaker described as "more than 20 major golf tournaments across the country" in 1953, and golfer Sam
Snead was shown with his Nash-Healey roadster on the cover of the June 1953 issue of Nash News.[20][21]

A roadster owned by Dick Powell was driven by George Reeves, as Clark Kent, in four TV episodes of
the Adventures of Superman.[22][23]

1954

Nash Motors became a division of American Motors Corporation (AMC) that was formed as a result of a
merger with Hudson Motor Car Company in January 1954. Nash was faced with limited resources for
marketing, promotion, and further development of this niche market car in comparison to its volume models.
[24]
By this time AMC knew that a similar luxurious two-seat Ford Thunderbird with V8 power was being
planned. In light of the low sales for the preceding years, Nash delayed introduction of the 1954 models
until 3 June and discontinued the convertible, leaving just a slightly reworked "Le Mans" coupé,
distinguished by a three-piece rear window instead of the previous one-piece glass.

Healey was focusing on its new Austin-Healey 100, "and the Nash-Healey had to be
abandoned."[25] Although the international shipping charges were a significant cost factor, Nash cut the POE
(port of entry) price by more than $1,200 to $5,128. Production ceased in August. A few leftover 1954s were
sold as 1955 models.[26]

Racing

Panamericana pace car

A Nash-Healey served as the course car for the 1951 Carrera Panamericana, described as one of the most
dangerous automobile race of any type in the world. Driven by Chuck Stevenson, the Nash-Healey ran
ahead of the racers to ensure the way was clear on "the world's greatest road race". [27]

Endurance racers

To create a racing pedigree for the marque Donald Healey built four lightweight Nash-Healeys
for endurance racing[28] Like the road cars, they had Nash Ambassador engines and drivelines. However,
fitting higher-compression aluminum cylinder heads, special manifolds, and twin SU carburetors increased
their power to 200 hp (149 kW; 203 PS). The cars had spartan, lightweight aluminum racing bodies. Three
open versions were built, and one coupe. These cars competed in four consecutive Le Mans races and
one Mille Miglia.

1950 Le Mans

Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton debuted the prototype at Le Mans in 1950. It was the first-ever Le Mans
entry to have an overdrive transmission. Not only was the car one of the 29 finishers from the field of 66,
[29]
but also finished in fourth place. This outstanding achievement sealed Healey’s contract with Nash for a
limited production run of the road cars.[30] Roger Menadue, head of Healey’s experimental department,
played a significant role in the success: He filed slots in the backplates of the brakes and extended the
adjusting mechanism to a small exterior lever. Thus in a matter of seconds he could adjust the brakes
during pit stops without jacking the car up—an innovation that was said to save as much as half an hour at
each stop.[31]

1951 Le Mans [edit]

In the 1951 Le Mans race Rolt and Hamilton (who would win two years later in a Jaguar C-Type) took fourth
in class and sixth overall behind a Jaguar, two Talbot-Lagos and two Aston Martins. They finished
immediately ahead of two Ferraris and another Aston Martin.[32]

1952 Le Mans

Scale model of the lightweight Nash-Healey that placed third in the 1952 Le Mans 24-hour race

1952 Le Mans racer (model)

In the 1952 Le Mans race, when only 17 of the 58 starters finished, the entry driven by Leslie Johnson—a
driver with the flair of Nuvolari, said Louis Chiron—and motoring journalist Tommy Wisdom[33] took third
overall behind two factory-enteredMercedes-Benz 300SLs; also first in class, ahead of Chinetti's Ferrari,
and second in the Rudge-Whitworth Cup for the best performance over two consecutive years. In addition
they won the Motor Gold Challenge Cup. The drivers said the car was more nimble through the corners
than its more exotic competitors. It delivered 13 mpg-US (18 L/100 km; 16 mpg-imp) and the engine needed no
oil or water during the entire 24 hours.[34] The car had been built from scratch in a fortnight, Menadue and
his assistant Jock Reid fabricating the body in less than a week, by eye, without any drawings. Healey said:
“That’s an ugly bugger, isn’t it, Roger?”[31]

1952 Mille Miglia

The same year, Johnson raced the car in the Mille Miglia, the thousand-mile Italian road race that would be
banned as too dangerous five years later. Daily Telegraph motoring correspondent Bill McKenzie rode as
passenger.[35] They finished a creditable seventh overall to Bracco's winning works team Ferrari, the works
Mercedes-Benz 300SLs of Kling and Caracciola, and three works Lancias;[36] they also took fourth in class.
The coupe driven by Donald Healey and his son Geoffrey crashed out. [34]

1953 Le Mans

For the 1953 Le Mans race the factory partnered Johnson with Bert Hadley in one of two cars with
redesigned bodies. Johnson started from 27th place. Although he and Hadley advanced steadily up the
race order they were 11th at the finish, 39 laps behind the winning Jaguar, despite an average speed of
92.45 miles per hour (148.78 km/h)—higher than the previous year’s run to third place.[16] However, they
beat both of Donald Healey's new Austin-Healey 100s. The second Nash-Healey of Veyron and Giraud-
Cabantous retired after nine laps.

This concluded the factory's race program with the lightweight competition cars. The 1952 Le Mans/Mille
Miglia car passed into private ownership and raced in America.[37]

Legacy

In 1956, American Motors introduced its first V8, a 250 cubic inch, overhead valve engine with a forged
crankshaft, which put out an impressive 190 BHP when equipped with the base 2 barrel carburetor. In 1957,
AMC stroked its new V8 to 327 cubic inches and used it in the last year of AMC's luxury offerings, the Nash
Ambassador, and Hudson Hornet. However, when installed in the Rambler Rebel, the 327 was given
mechanical valve lifters and rated at 255 HP with a 4 barrel carburetor and 288 with the Bendix Electric fuel
injection system. A 288 HP 327 equipped Rambler Rebel was entered in the Pure Oil Daytona competition.
The 327 cubic inch Rambler Rebel was quicker than the Chrysler 300B, the Dodge D500, the Desoto
Adventurer, and all other full size American cars in 1957. The only car quicker was the 4 speed manual,
small block, 283 cubic inch fuel injected Corvette.

The 327 would have been quite an addition to the Nash Healey, but that was not to be. Instead, in 1962,
American Motors adopted a new advertising slogan, "Why don't we enter high-performance Rambler V-8s in
racing? Because the only race Rambler cares about is the human race!" [38][39]The automaker focused on its
successful compact Rambler American line, mid size Rambler and luxury intermediate size Ambassador.
The Ambassador when equipped with a 270 HP 327 cubic inch V8 was a powerful luxury intermediate sized
offering.

AMC would not have a true sporty car until the 1965 Rambler Marlin fastback. By 1968, AMC put out the 4
seater, Javelin, and the 2 seat AMX. The Penske Javelins dominated the Trans Am series, defeating the
Mustang, Camaro, Challenger and Barracuda.

Production

A total of 507 production Nash-Healeys were built during its four-year model run:

 1951 - 104 (roadsters) lhd N-Type plus 1 rhd G-Type G525 (An additional 30 cars were sold with
Alvis or 3 L Healey engines.[6])
 1952 - 150 (roadsters)
 1953 - 162 (roadsters and coupes)
 1954 - 90 (coupes only)

For contextual comparison, the Nash-Healey is framed in U.S. auto history with the 1953 Kaiser Darrin,
1953 Chevrolet Corvette, and 1955 Ford Thunderbird. The 1954 model year Nash-Healey price to the public
was close to $6,000 compared with around $3,500 for a Chevrolet Corvette and $3,000 for a 1955 Ford
Thunderbird.[4]

References

Inline

1. ^ "1953 Nash album". Oldcarbrochures.com. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

2. ^ Adler, Dennis; Shelby, Carroll (2008). 50 Cars to Drive. Globe Pequot Press. pp. 233–234. ISBN 978-1-59921-230-2. Retrieved 10 January

2011.

3. ^ "Nash Builds a Sports Car". Popular Mechanics 95 (3): 107–109. March 1951. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

4. ^ a b Wilson, Jeremy. "History and Production Notes". Popular Restorations. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

5. ^ Bonds, Ray; Robson, Graham (2003). The Illustrated Directory of Sports Cars. MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-1420-3.

6. ^ a b "1951 Nash Healey Roadster". Anamera. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2013.

7. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (24 October 2007). "1950 Healey Silverstone". auto.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved 6 February 2013.

8. ^ a b Hulme, Ann. "From Ann Hulme". Nash Car Club. Retrieved 6 February 2013.

9. ^ Vance, Bill (1994). Reflections on automotive history, Volume 1. Eramosa Valley Publications. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-9698922-0-5.

10. ^ Vance, Bill (16 September 2005). "Reflections: Healey’s creations helped make British sports cars popular". The London Free Press.

11. ^ "1952 Nash-Healey". Pacific Northwest Region Nash Car Club of America. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

12. ^ LaChance, David (1 October 2007). "1953 Nash-Healey LeMans Coupe". Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

13. ^ a b Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "1952 Nash-Healey". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

14. ^ Lyons, Dan (2005). Cars of the Fantastic '50s. MBI Publishing. pp. 43–45. ISBN 978-0-87349-926-2. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

15. ^ "Nash-Healey Adds LeMans Hardtop to Sports Line". Popular Mechanics 99 (5): 101. May 1953. Retrieved 18 December 2009.

16. ^ a b Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "1953 Nash-Healey". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

17. ^ Adler, Dennis; Moss, Stirling (2001). Mercedes-Benz: Silver Star Century. MBI Publishing. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7603-0949-0. Retrieved 10

January 2011.

18. ^ Langworth, Richard M. (1975). Kaiser-Frazer, the last onslaught on Detroit: an intimate behind the scenes study of the postwar American car

industry. Automobile Quarterly Publications. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-915038-04-6.

19. ^ Conde, John (8 September 1975). "Nash-Healey (1951-54)". www.carmemories. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

20. ^ Nash News (June, 1953) "Nash cashes in on the popularity of golf to sell more cars"

21. ^ "Nash-Healey Roadster - Auction 20-21/1, Listing Date: 6 December 2010". carandclassic.com. Retrieved 10 January 2010.

22. ^ Koza, Lou (15 April 2006). "This is a car ... for Superman!". The Adventures Continue Website. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

23. ^ Watterson, Thomas (31 January 1991). "Collectibles: Porky Pig Meets The Big, Bad Wolf". Boston Globe. "His collection includes the

"Superman car," a 1953 Nash-Healey driven by the Clark Kent character in the 1950s television series."
 24. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "The Nash-Healey's Demise". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

25. ^ Bonds, Ray (2003). Illustrated Directory of Sports Cars. MBI Publishing. pp. 378–379. ISBN 978-0-7603-1420-3. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

26. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "1954 and 1955 Nash-Healey". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

27. ^ Tipler, Johnny; Ramirez, Jo (2008). La Carrera Panamericana: "The World's Greatest Road Race!". Veloce Publishing. p. 26.ISBN 978-1-

84584-170-6. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

28. ^ Kaufmann, Richard M. (October 1970). "Nash-Healey at Le Mans". Special Interest Autos (Hemmings). Retrieved 23 August 2012.

29. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "The Nash-Healey and the 1950 LeMans 24 Hours". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

30. ^ Conde, John (8 September 1975). "Nash-Healey (1951-54)". AMX Files. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 23 August

2012.. Retrieved 25 February 2008.

31. ^ a b "Roger Menadue: Motor engineer whose unorthodox approach fuelled the race-circuit success of the Healey's stable". The Times. 22

March 2003. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

32. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "1951 Nash-Healey". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

33. ^ "Image Preview: Tommy Wisdom, winner of the Grand Turismo Class of the Mille miglia". Motoring Picture Library. 2004. Retrieved 10

January 2011.

34. ^ a b Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (27 October 2007). "The Nash-Healey's 1952 Racing Record". Retrieved 10 January 2011.

35. ^ "Sports Cars on Stamps". Car Keys. 12 August 2004. Archived from the original on 12 August 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

36. ^ "World Sports Racing Prototypes, Non Championship Races 1952, Mille Miglia results". wsrp.ic.cz. 24 December 2011. Retrieved 23 August

2012.

37. ^ Wheels TV Film about the 1952 Le Mans/Mille Miglia Nash Healey; includes Le Mans footage [dead link]. Retrieved 22 March 2008.

38. ^ American Motors Corporation (12 June 1964). "Only race Rambler cares about is the human race". Life 56 (24): 129. Retrieved 10 January

2011.

39. ^ Mitchell, Larry G. (2000). AMC muscle cars. MBI Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7603-0761-8. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

General

 Conde, John A. (1987). The American Motors Family Album. American Motors
Corporation. OCLC 3185581.

 Gunnell, John, ed. (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Krause
Publications. ISBN 978-0-87341-096-0.
 Clarke, R.M. (1997). Nash & Nash-Healey: 1949-1957. Brooklands Books. ISBN 978-1-85520-366-
2.
 Classic and Sportscar magazine, June 1996.
 The Motor magazine, July 1946.

External links

 Daniel Strohl "SIA Flashback – Nash-Healey at LeMans" at Hemmings Blog

 "America on the move: '50s sporty cars' postage stamps and postal cards roll out of Detroit" (Press
release). USPS. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2012.