Vehicle Description
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Lister Costin #1, Prototype
Chevrolet 327 CI (5.4 L) V8
4-speed manual transmission
<font size = "4">Raced at Goodwood in its 1959 debut
Completely restored and race prepared
Invited to the Goodwood Revival
Eligible for historic racing worldwide
In all of vintage racing, there is no more desirable or collectible
category of cars, than the front-engined sports racers that ran in
International and SCCA competition from the mid 1950's into the
early 1960's. As a group, they embody the beautiful shapes,
wonderful sounds, and exhilarating performance that defines
historic racing.
During that era, probably the most respected and successful
independent manufacturer was Lister of Cambridge, England. In the
early 50's, out of a personal love for racing, Brian Lister steered
his third generation engineering and fabrication company into
building racing cars. Beginning with MG and Bristol powered sports
cars, the young team immediately made a mark on the European racing
circuits. After a fire at Jaguar's Browns Lane Plant destroyed the
competition department in February 1957, Lister was there to pick
up the pieces. Now with a supply of Jaguar D-Type engines, Lister's
cars started to dominate racing in Europe. In the U.S., Lister's
cars were fitted with Chevrolet V8's by the likes of Briggs
Cunningham, Jim Hall, and Carroll Shelby. By 1958 Lister was a
force to be reckoned with on both sides of the pond.
The Lister Knobbly, as the 1958 car was commonly known, was
regularly seen beating the best Europe and the U.S. had to offer,
including the factory Jaguar entries sharing the same engine. To
maintain Lister's competitive advantage for the 1959 season, Brian
Lister hired noted aeronautical engineer and aerodynamicist Frank
Costin to redesign the Knobbly. His credentials included years of
work for de Havilland Aircraft company, as well as designing the
sleek bodywork for the Lotus Mark VIII, Lotus Eleven, and the
Vanwall VW5 - the winner of the very first F1 Constructor's
championship. Drawing on all of this expertise, Costin penned the
design for the Lister Costin, which was in many ways a true D-Type
successor. In total, thirteen Lister Costins were built; one
Chevrolet V8 powered prototype, and twelve production versions;
three with Jaguar power, eight with Chevrolet V8 engines, and one
with a Maserati V8.
BHL 121 holds the distinction of being the prototype, and very
first Lister Costin. Fitted for a Chevrolet V8, the car was cloaked
in Costin's new, lithe body design. The car was delivered to its
first owner, gentleman racer John Ewer, in early 1959. Ewer would
go on to successfully race BHL 121 at Snetterton, Goodwood, and
Silverstone over the next year.
Ewer sold the car in August 1960 to Jimmy de Villiers of Southern
Rhodesia. Villiers would export BHL 121 to Africa to participate in
the 1st Rhodesian Grand Prix. The car ran next with Rhodesian
driver John Love at the wheel, and is believed to have won a South
African Championship for him.
In 1986 the car was found and purchased by Cedric Selzer, a former
Team Lotus F1 mechanic turned restorer, and returned it to UK.
Shortly after, veteran club driver David Beckett purchased the
disused, but original racecar, and engaged in a complete
restoration that was completed in 1987. Beckett would go on to race
the car at historic events throughout the late 80's and early 90's,
with Beckett winning the HSCC and AMOC Championships in 1988 and
1991.
Beckett would go on to sell BHL 121 in the early 90's to David
Clarke of Taylor and Crawley, who subsequently traded the car to a
new owner who hired accomplished sports car drivers Tony Dron, and
Soames Langton to pilot the it at historic events.
The car would eventually be sold at the Brooks Auction at the 1995
Goodwood Festival of Speed for $184,000. The high-bidder was
Vintage Racing Motors from the USA, and they exported BHL 121 to
the U.S., where it would join their fine historic race car
collection in Seattle.
In 1999 the Lister Costin found a new owner, Pat Hart. Hart handed
it over to New Zealander, Tony Garmey of Horizon Racing and
Performance in Maple Valley, Washington, for a complete restoration
and race preparation. Garmey completed the restoration in record
time, and went on to take 2nd in class at the Monterey Historics
later that year. He would continue to race the car for the next
decade, both on the West Coast and in New Zealand. He returned to
the Monterey Historics in 2001 to sit on pole and win his class
against Ferraris, Maseratis, and other Listers.
Since arriving at Canepa BHL121 has been mechanically sorted, and
cosmetically refinished in its original stunning Crimson Red paint
with Wimbledon White roundels. A hand painted number 1 is
emblazoned on the side, just as it was when it raced in 1959.
The car is running period Hilborn fuel injection on its fresh 327
cu in Chevrolet fed through a T-1O 4-speed dog-leg transmission. It
sits on new Dunlop rubber wrapped around alloy Dunlop wheels. The
wheels were handmade in Australia to be 100% visually period
correct while at the same time meeting modern racing stress
specifications. The car has been fully crack checked.
Period Racing History
Raced at Snetteron, March 22, 1959 - Driver: John Ewer
Raced at Goodwood, March 30, 1959 - Driver: John Ewer
Raced at Snetteron, September 6, 1959 - Driver: John Ewer, 4th
Place
Raced at Martini Trophy Silverstone meeting, May 21,1960 - Driver:
John Ewer, 3rd Place
