My Car Quest: European Style With American Muscle In Monterey-Part 2

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

European Style With American Muscle In Monterey-Part 2

by Mike -

Cars with European styling and American power are of special interest to me. There are several cars in this unique category for auction in Monterey later this month. Here are my favorites - Part 2.

1953 Nash Healey Roadster at Mecum Auctions.

Mecum says:

- 4,141 CC OHV engine, 140 BHP

- Dual carter side draft carburetors, 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive, one of the most correct Healeys known to exist, formerly of the Skip Barber collection

- A truly international sports car, the Nash Healey is an English Roadster with Nash ambassador 4.1 L straight 6 and a hand made Italian body by Pininfarina. It was born out of a very successful bid at Lemans where Donald Healey campaigned a one-off Roadster in 1950 to 4th place in class. He decided to produce a small run of his racing car for the road in 1951, which would then receive the sexy Italian body for 1952. Nash Healeys would continue to race with great success including a 3rd overall at Lemans in 1952.

I think these are unusual looking but they did do well in racing.

- The road going Roadster you see here is one of just 150 built in 1953, and a very proper example. It has undergone an exacting ground up restoration to the highest standards.

1957 Dual - Ghia at Gooding

Estimate is $230,000 - $260,000

Gooding says:

Designed by Paul Farago and coachwork by Ghia.

315 cid Dodge D-500 Hemi V-8 Engine , Single Carter 4-BBL Carburetor , 230 BHP at 4,300 RPM , 2-Speed PowerFlite Automatic Transmission , 4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes , Independent Front Suspension and Live Rear Axle with Leaf Springs

This is not the most attractive Dual-Ghia style that I have seen but it is rare.

1952 Cunningham C-3 West Palm Beach Coupe at RM Auctions

Estimate: $675,000-$875,000

I am not sure that this car belongs on this list. But it is close enough and interesting enough to include it. The Cunningham Continental C-3s were bodied by Vignale of Turin Italy and this C-3 West Palm Beach, one of a kind model, is the immediate predecessor to the Continental C-3. The C-3 West Palm Beach was made in the Cunningham shop in Florida.

Could some Italian styling and chassis design been a part of this car? I do not know but the history as described by RM is fascinating.

RM says:

220 hp, 331 cid Chrysler ‘Hemi’ V-8, four Zenith carburetors on a Cunningham log manifold, independent front suspension, live rear axle, Cadillac three-speed manual transmission.

- Singular example of Cunningham’s Competition C-2R-based coupe
- Restored to exacting factory specifications
- Impressively documented, unbroken ownership history from new

1966 Sunbeam Tiger at Russo & Steele

Russo & Steele says:

The Tiger has near 0 miles on a meticulous rotisserie restoration from an award winning Sunbeam builder. The stock appearance of the entire Tiger has been carefully retained, yet the Ford V8 has been caressed to 250 HP and Ford top loader 4-speed transmission is upgraded to wide-ratio gears. Rear differential is the Salisbury Dana 44, also correct for the Tiger. Additional stock appearance “hidden” upgrades included in the restoration are a Hurst Competition Plus shifter with period correct shifter handle, 4-core CAT club radiator with 6 blade fan, 2-inch exhaust and LAT option “Traction Master” rear axle traction bars.

1953 Nash-Healey Le Mans Coupe at Russo & Steele

This car is offered without reserve. This is fairly new for Russo & Steele as they differentiated themselves at one time as the all reserve auction.

The Russo & Steele web site does not provide any specific information on this car. Usually not a good sign.