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1959 Costin Lister Jaguar Goes Under the Hammer

After the previously-announced 1956 Jaguar D-Type, auction house Gooding & Company revealed another rare Jaguar which is going to be put up for grabs at the upcoming two-day auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, after the previously-announced 1956 Jaguar D-Type. This time the announcement concerns a 1959 Costin Lister Jaguar Sports Racer (BHL 123), still in race-ready condition.

The vehicle’s first competition outing was the inaugural 12 Hours of Sebring race in 1959. The drivers included the Lister works team driver and Jaguar Le Mans veteran, Ivor Bueb, and the great Stirling Moss; American Russell Boss was listed as reserve driver.

In 1961, the Lister was bought by well-known eastern US dealer/racer Bob Grossman. Grossman sold the Lister to Phil Forno, who raced it with co-drivers Ed Crawford and Dr. Dick Thompson. By 1976, the car was back in England where it was campaigned by Tony Crossingham. Two years later, BHL 123 was purchased by William Symons who kept it until 1983 when it was sold to Chris Drake.

It returned to America that same year to Dean G. Watts and in 1989 it went back to England. The following year it was owned by well-known vintage dealer Dan Margulies, who registered the car with the FIA Historic Vehicle Identity program. It passed through the hands of a few appreciative UK collectors until it once again returned to America, where the present owner purchased it in 2000.

The car went through a full mechanical restoration in 2000 by Lister experts The Vintage Connection in Oklahoma City. In 2003, the same team completed a comprehensive, body-off restoration. A more recent restoration was conducted by the same team during 2008 and 2009, including freshening the 3.8-litre racing engine that now develops 300 bhp at 6,200 rpm.
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