Nash Healey 1951 Full Restoration - Welcome to ClassiCarGarage

This 1951 Nash Healey is being fully restored, overhauled and rebuild to concours condition on behalf of the owner. The Nash Healey with early ‘Panel Craft’ bodywork is very rare; only 104 examples were built. You can follow the full restoration on this page.

To be continued.

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Early history of the Nash‑Healey

The Nash‑Healey was created through a partnership between Nash‑Kelvinator and the Donald Healey Motor Company. Nash supplied the Ambassador’s 3.8‑litre OHV inline‑six engine and three‑speed manual gearbox with Borg‑Warner overdrive, while Healey provided a widened and reinforced Healey Silverstone ladder‑frame chassis with independent front suspension and a Nash‑supplied torsion‑tube rigid rear axle. Healey fitted an aluminium high‑compression cylinder head and twin SU carburettors, raising output from 112 to 125 hp.

Healey designed the aluminium bodywork, manufactured by Panel Craft Sheet Metal in Birmingham, with grille, bumpers, and trim sourced from Nash. Final assembly took place at Healey. A prototype appeared at the 1950 Paris Motor Show, and the production model debuted in Chicago in February 1951.

Competition entries followed immediately. A prototype ran in the 1950 Mille Miglia but retired after a collision; a further‑developed car again failed to finish in 1952. At Le Mans, however, the Nash‑Healey performed strongly: in 1951, a Le Mans Coupé driven by Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton finished 6th overall and 4th in class. In 1952, a Pininfarina‑bodied Nash‑Healey Le Mans Special, driven by Leslie Johnson and Tommy Wisdom, achieved an outstanding 3rd place overall.

The Nash‑Healey was created through a partnership between Nash‑Kelvinator and the Donald Healey Motor Company. Nash supplied the Ambassador’s 3.8‑litre OHV inline‑six engine and three‑speed manual gearbox with Borg‑Warner overdrive, while Healey provided a widened and reinforced Healey Silverstone ladder‑frame chassis with independent front suspension and a Nash‑supplied torsion‑tube rigid rear axle. Healey fitted an aluminium high‑compression cylinder head and twin SU carburettors, raising output from 112 to 125 hp.

Healey designed the aluminium bodywork, manufactured by Panel Craft Sheet Metal in Birmingham, with grille, bumpers, and trim sourced from Nash. Final assembly took place at Healey. A prototype appeared at the 1950 Paris Motor Show, and the production model debuted in Chicago in February 1951.

Competition entries followed immediately. A prototype ran in the 1950 Mille Miglia but retired after a collision; a further‑developed car again failed to finish in 1952. At Le Mans, however, the Nash‑Healey performed strongly: in 1951, a Le Mans Coupé driven by Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton finished 6th overall and 4th in class. In 1952, a Pininfarina‑bodied Nash‑Healey Le Mans Special, driven by Leslie Johnson and Tommy Wisdom, achieved an outstanding 3rd place overall.

Technical data:

Six‑cylinder in‑line engine (OHV)
cylinder capacity: 3,848 cc (234.8 cu in)
induction: 2 × SU carburettors (Healey‑modified; early prototypes used Carter units)
capacity: 125 hp at approx. 4000 rpm
torque: approx. 298 Nm (220 lb‑ft)
top‑speed: 103 mph / 166 km/h
gearbox: three‑speed manual with Borg‑Warner overdrive
drive: rear‑wheel drive
brakes: hydraulic drum brakes all around
weight: 1,089 kg (2,400 lb)