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And the Goden Egg of the Easter Weekend was this 1953 Nash Heaey Pninfarina Coupe
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images by Ernie Parrish

Built from 1951-1954 Only 500 produced

factory, non-synchro transmission. He had
Full Disclosure: There wasn't a head at Cars
the car retrofitted with a GM Hydromatic
and Coffee that didn't swivel when Randy
and then had it configured to work with
Bibb pulled into the parking lot with this
the original floor shift elements. It's likely
Nash Healey. And, although Bibb has
this is the only Nash-Healey so outfitted.
Condition 1 plus Mercedes Benz automobiles
that have won big prizes at significant A follow-on owner, the head librarian of
concours events, it will, arguably, always be the California penal system, did an
this American- British standout, purchased amateur restoration of the car. The car
by him two years ago, at the last Amelia came with volumes of notes, all written
Island Sotheby's auction before the COVID on the backs of book orders previously
pandemic shuttered car events, that can be submitted by prisoners (showing FS for
guaranteed to draw interested lookers. Folson, SQ for San Quentin, etc.) noting
whether they were looking for history,
Real people, not only concours enthusiasts,
comedy, drama, or law books to fill the
will be drawn by its elegance and joy in
hours. Once, a chrome piece that
design. They likely haven't ever seen a car
couldn't be replaced resulted in frantic
like this before and it's unlikely that they'll
calls during the restoration until the
ever see one again, at least any time soon.
missing piece was finally located at the
The average looker may not know a chrome shop.
pininfarina from a pine cone or a cereal
When Bibb became interested in
group, but anyone can see that even the
Above: Randy Bibb sits behind purchasing the car he went to Texas for a
aerodynamic style of the badging on the the wheel of his low numbered
test drive before the auction. Then,
Nash Healey means that this car is all about coupe. While his father had a
because the car had already been
details. Put another way if if you needed a 1953 Nash-Healey roadster, Bibb
consigned, he made the trip to Florida,
hat to drive this car in an Easter Parade only wanted both a roof and trunk
prepared to win the bid.
a Borsalino would do. This Nash-Healey space and looked specifically for
coupe is, in fact, a golden egg--perhaps not a coupe. He does not plan to do The car's most recent paperwork shows
a full restoration of the car but
the most expensive nor the best restored of that it was Auction Lot #289, valued at
will return its wheels to the
its type, but seriously interesting (including between 70-90K, and that it sold at the
correct "baby moon" style
its previous owners) on any given day. midpoint of the range. Bibb's
hubcaps with white walls on
granddaughter had control of the paddle
The original owner was a Cadillac dealer in modern radial tires installed for during bidding, something she'll always
northern California who was not a fan of its safety and better handling.
remember.
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