Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Chassis No: BHL128
Mot Expiry: N/A

"This car offers the best combined price to performance, power to weight, and power to frontal area ratios available anywhere in the world for a sports car. The 1957 racing season has now ended and out of the 14 races for which they were entered Scott-Brown and the Lister-Jaguar won 11, finished second in one, and had minor mechanical trouble in the other two when in the lead, nevertheless setting up the fastest lap in both races. They have also either equalled or broken the existing unlimited sports car lap record during either the racing or at practice on all circuits where they have appeared" (Lister Press Release, October 1957)

A director of his family's Cambridge-based light engineering firm, Brian Lister was better placed than most to become a racing car designer. Enlisting the considerable talents of Don Moore and Archie Scott-Brown to help with engine tuning and driving respectively, he built his first car in 1954. Powered by a MG XPAG engine, it proved an immediate success notching up five 1st and eight 2nd places in quick order. Upgraded that summer with a Bristol straight-six, the sports-racer won its class during the British Grand Prix support race. A serious thorn in the side of both the Works-backed Aston Martin and Jaguar teams from then on, the Lister-Bristol / Archie Scott-Brown pairing proved the sensation of the 1955 and 1956 UK sports car racing seasons.

With their giant slaying credentials firmly established, the Cambridge trio (Lister, Moore and Scott-Brown) set their sights on Formula 2. However, the threesome's plans were disrupted by an approach from Bryan Turle. Charged with promoting the Shell BP Mex brands via motorsport, Turle had been somewhat thrown by Jaguar's decision not to field a Works team for the 1957 season. With Aston Martin and Ecurie Ecosse contracted to Esso, he sought to convince Lister that its next move should be to challenge for outright victories (as opposed to class wins) in the World Sports Car Championship as well as at various unlimited capacity International events. Attracted by the prospect of major sponsorship, Brian Lister lost little time in concluding an engine supply deal with Jaguar.

Debuting at Snetterton on 31st March 1957, the first `official' Lister-Jaguar took pole position and set fastest lap (though clutch failure denied it victory). The following month, the new car proved itself the class of the field with dominant overall victories at both the British Empire Trophy race (Oulton Park) and the Easter Monday Sussex Trophy race (Goodwood). Capable of showing a clean pair of exhaust pipes to both the ageing Jaguar D-type and new Aston Martin DBR1, the Lister-Jaguar was quite simply a revelation.

Boasting a ten percent reduction in frontal area despite full compliance with appendix C regulations, its 1958 successor was styled by the artist Cavendish Morton. A riot of swooping wheelarches and air scoops punctuated by a pronounced bonnet bulge and low-set windscreen, it was affectionately christened the `Knobbly'. Upgraded with a 3.8 litre version of Jaguar's legendary XK DOHC unit (though it could be had with a WSCC compliant 3.0 litre), it maintained Lister's performance advantage.

Thus, when after four successive wins Scott-Brown was beaten into second place at the May Silverstone meeting, it was by another `Knobbly' mounted driver, namely Ecurie Ecosse's Masten Gregory (the rivalry between these two tragically cost Scott-Brown his life a fortnight later at the Belgian Sports Car Grand Prix). The Scottish team was not alone in its appreciation of the new car, Briggs Cunningham using his pair to devastating effect in both the 1958 and 1959 SCCA Championships, while Stirling Moss piloted another of the seventeen production examples reputedly made to win the sports car race at the 1958 British GP.

Eager to maintain a performance advantage, Brian Lister commissioned former de Havilland and Lotus aerodynamicist Frank Costin to create a new body for his sports racers over the winter of 1958-1959. Although, the resultant Lister Costin cars possessed a far smoother and sleeker appearance than their `Knobbly' predecessors, they proved slower and less wieldy due to an enlarged frontal area and increased ground clearance. Under the skin the `Knobbly' and `Costin' frames were very similar albeit that the newer version had revised body mounting points and strengthened wishbones etc. For all its shortcomings the Lister Costin was still a ferociously quick car in the right hands; Walt Hangsen using one to capture the 1959 SCCA C-Modified National Championship. In total some eleven Costin-bodied Listers are thought to have been built.

According to Doug Nye's seminal work `Powered by Jaguar - The Cooper, HWM, Lister & Tojeiro Sports-Racing Cars', this particular Lister - chassis number BHL 128 - was "supplied as chassis only to accept American-made Special body and Chevrolet V8 engine by Brian Lister (Light Engineering) Ltd, Abbey Road, Cambridge - to Carroll Shelby Sports Cars Inc, Dallas, Texas, 1959, and fitted with record-attempt aerodynamic bodywork said to have been conceived by an aerodynamic consultancy somehow connected with Boeing Aircraft . . . The special-bodied car is understood to have been unused in that form (although during its Historic-class career it has often been referred to as `the Boeing car'). It was retrieved, apparently from a near-derelict state, in Florida, USA, by dealer / broker Chris Renwick and returned to the UK, circa 1971-72".

It has been postulated that once bodied chassis BHL 128 participated in a series of experiments aimed at facilitating an attempt on the absolute Land Speed Record. Unfortunately, there is no documentary evidence to substantiate this claim. Surviving photos of its supposed `Boeing' bodywork show a high nosed, slab sided and severely Kamm tailed silhouette (see `Powered by Jaguar' by Doug Nye and `Les Métamorphoses du Jaguar' by Roland Urban). The Land Speed Record was a hotly contested prize during the late 1950s / early 1960s and a `cutting edge' sports racer chassis such as the Lister would have provided a stable platform for evaluating numerous aerodynamic concepts (though, the precise usage of chassis BHL 128 whilst Stateside remains unclear).

Intriguingly, the expired FIA Historic Vehicle Identity Form which accompanies the car claims that it was Anthony Crossingham rather than Chris Renwick who was responsible for repatriating it in 1969 (or thereabouts). Mr Crossingham had several famous Listers and Jaguars pass through his hands and may have employed Mr Renwick as an intermediary. Chassis BHL 128 is reputed to have been acquired by Peter Sargent of Sussex in 1970/71; the latter being better known for his involvement with the unique Lister Jaguar GT prototype and the reprofiled Jaguar E-type Lightweight. Thereafter the time line suggests that the two-seater was sold by Sargent to noted connoisseur Sir Anthony Bamford (of JCB fame) who in turn is understood to have tasked Geo. Lister & Sons of Cambridge with reconfiguring it as a Jaguar powered `Knobbly' (interestingly if BHL 128 had been supplied as a complete car when new it would have worn Costin bodywork). From Sir Anthony it ended up with Bobby Bell of Bell and Colvill in 1975, while the last recorded keeper listed on the FIA HVIF papers is renowned collector Eduardo Baptista of Mexico. Mr Nick Linney purchased the car during 1996 before selling it to the vendor some six years later.

The car was raced very successfully throughout the 1970s and 1980s in the JCB series with Bobby Bell. It also won the Lloyds and Scottish Championship and was consistently one of the quickest Listers campaigning (taking numerous victories with Nick Linney behind the wheel). Plus it set the fastest practice time at the 1978 Le Mans Retrospective where it reached 175 mph on the Mulsanne Straight; a speed beyond the capabilities of several of the cars running in that year's official Le Mans 24-hours race!

In 1987/88 the `Knobbly' was extensively refurbished by historic racing experts Hall and Fowler (now Hall and Hall) and was then sold to Eduardo Baptista. The Lister had a limited race programme in America, never really being driven hard, but it was owned by a dedicated enthusiast. Shipped back to the UK in 1995 to compete in the historic racing festival and again at the Nurburgring, it was put into storage thereafter. During this downtime Lynx performed a major service and fitted a new clutch and it was subsequently purchased by Mr Nick Linney. Nick had his own team of mechanics who looked after the car for him and that included Mr Tony Jerams, who agreed to continue maintaining the car for the current owner - and still does. It has always been a very quick car and also one of the most reliable ones and certainly Tony cannot remember a time when it succumbed to mechanical failure. The engine has been thoroughly overhauled by Headshop UK Limited of Warrington and every year the unit goes back to them for a complete check. The car is reportedly in race ready condition and would be an exciting addition to any collection.

We are not aware, considering there is always a question surrounding Lister pedigree, of another car claiming to be chassis BHL 128. Indeed, the `Boeing' car is seemingly able to boast a more continuous history than many of its siblings not to mention a very successful racing career. It has a chassis stamping visible on top of the frame to the nearside front of the car and another on the opposite side. A very competitive car that would be an automatic invitee to numerous major events, chassis BHL 128 has twice taken part in the Goodwood Revival (once whilst in Nick Linney's ownership and again during the current stewardship).

In addition to current MSA HTP papers, this magnificent Lister comes with some five lever arch files of history and an extensive spares package which comprises amongst other things: gearbox assembly, differential assembly, thirteen-row oil cooler, pressure lock valve (to create handbrake), exhaust system, discs / callipers (front and rear), front suspension upright / trunnion pins, springs (numerous), 3.03:1 / 3.33:1 crown wheel and pinion sets, camshafts (inlet / exhaust), four Dunlop wheels (two front / two rear) and assorted bodywork (front section, rear section and engine cover). A full listing is available upon request.