1959 Lister Special Roadster

With financial resources and engineering know-how, Brian Lister built his first racing car in the mid-1950s with the assistance of Don Moore and Archie Scott-Brown. The car proved to be a competitive machine, earning 1st or 2nd place whenever it raced. Its success with MG and Bristol power was such that Lister soon had the financial backing of Shell/BP and a deal with Jaguar to supply engines for a car that would be capable of winning the World Sports Car Championship. The result of this union was the Lister-Jaguar that was eventually developed into the 'Knobbly,' nicknamed for its curvaceous and bumpy bodywork.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, U.S.-built engines were added to the British-built sports car. The Lister-Chevrolet became 'the car to beat,' sweeping the SCCA Championships in 1958 and 1959. Unfortunately, this powerplant was introduced at the end of its production life span. As production wound down in 959, fewer than 50 examples were produced, only 16 of which were Chevrolet-powered.

With very few Listers produced and relatively few having survived the hard life of track cars, these racing machines are highly sought after in modern times. This example, BHL127, was supplied new in 1959 as a Frank Costin-bodied car with a Chevrolet engine. It was reportedly owned in its early years by Chuck Howard and Tracy Bird and raced at tracks like Road America and Elkhart Lake. The car was later owned by Jim Mullen and in the 1970s, was approved by the Vintage Sports Car Club of America. A short time later, it was sent to England and into the care of Barry Simpson and David Clark, and later Walter Becker of Switzerland. At some point, the car was rebodied with its present Knobbly-style bodywork, believed to date back to Simpson's ownership and to have hailed from his shop.

The car was later rebuilt by Mark Lewis Design Engineering and went on to win the BRDC Championship outright. At the British Grand Prix support race. It also won the Sussex Trophy race at Goodwood twice. In the early 2000s, the car achieved 34 top-three finishes at some of the most prestigious races in the world, setting all-time lap records for a '50s sports car at Oulton Park, Goodwood, and Spa. It is a multiple winner with the BRDC, the Stirling Moss Trophy, the VSCC, and the HGPCA.

The car is currently powered by a 283 cubic-inch Chevrolet V-8 engine rated at 436 horsepower. There is a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission and four-wheel Girling disc brakes.

In 2013, this car was offered for sale at RM Auctions Scottsdale, Arizona sale. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for $528,000 inclusive of the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2013