The first Costin-bodied Lister to be powered by Chevrolet race car
Unique ONES The world's racing car history has always been decorated with many remarkable four-wheeled vehicles which were specially made and designed by many capable designers and engineers based on science and technology according to its era. As the result, not infrequently from those R&D process there's a vehicle is born that looks unique and amazed many people while said, 'How come?'
1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner was designed by aerodynamicist Frank Costin, and powered by the Chevrolet Corvette V8 engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d3G7p9)
The unique-shaped racing cars began to appear a lot in the racing season of 1950s and have continued until now. And one of them is the cynical-gazed Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner race car of the 1959 and had a fierce performances on the circuits. It's said that the Lister Costin Chevrolet race car represented a new direction for the British Brian Lister's car maker company through the slippery streamliner body was designed by aerodynamicist Frank Costin, and powered by the Chevrolet Corvette V8 engine.
1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner is instantly recognizable by its low, streamlined bodies, which shows a striking difference from the previous Lister's 'Knobbly' design with its large wheel arches. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d3G7p9)
As we already know, that Frank Costin is a former engineer at the de Havilland Aircraft Company and also known as one of the leading minds at adapting aircraft aerodynamics to racing cars. Previously, he had worked for Lotus on an advanced bodywork development project for the Lotus Mark VIII. If You wanna see several of Costin-designed cars, here they are ie the 1957 Maserati 450S Costin-Zagato Coupe, and 1970 Costin Amigo.
1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner has extraordinary abilities so that it becomes the holder of the highest Top Speed among its Lister-badged brethren. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d3G7p9)
And in 1958, he was hired by Brian Lister to develop a new, more aerodynamic body for the Lister car. Reportedly, as part of the agreement between those two men that mentioned if Frank Costin designed a body for the 1958 car, so he would be allowed to design an entirely new frame for it. It's the first car to be powered by a Chevrolet Corvette V8 engine. In appearance, the Costin-designed race car is instantly recognizable by its low, streamlined bodies, which shows a striking difference from the previous Lister's 'Knobbly' design with its large wheel arches.
1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner 1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner's cockpit has a single seat, a steering wheel on the right side and a 4-speed gearbox. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d3G7p9)
As quoted of DriveTribe, the OHV Corvette V8 engine is well mounted behind the front axle for optimal weight distribution and the top is covered with 8 mesh-covered velocity stacks that serve as an air cleaner. Then, its exhaust exits into long-tube headers that run to tubular mufflers on either side of the car, and there’s a rear-facing scoop on the bonnet to ensure plenty of cool air to feed the American V8.
For the car construction, most Lister cars of the time used a similar tubular ladder chassis, a de Dion rear axle, and inboard drum brakes (but with a few exceptions).The body is made of lightweight aluminum with a tiled front hood to allow track side mechanics to have plenty of access to the engine room, and the cockpit has a single seat, a steering wheel on the right side and a 4-speed gearbox.
1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner's cockpit has a single seat, a steering wheel on the right side and a 4-speed gearbox. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d3G7p9)
The Costin designed car is also touted as a streamliner prototype which is famous for being more aerodynamically slippery than other Lister designs. Besides that, the 1959 car has extraordinary abilities so that it becomes the holder of the highest Top Speed among its Lister-badged brethren, this is understandable partlly due to the use of the latest American V8 engine.
And in 1959, the car with the chassis number of BHL 121 was purchased in new by John Ewers, and also raced on several circuits during that season at Crystal Palace (as number 64), Silverstone (as number 1), and in the following year at the Goodwood B.A.R.C. Members’ Meeting (number 98), where he enters a Whitsun Cup and Whitsun handicap race.
1959 Lister Costin Chevrolet Streamliner is real one-of-a-kind, and could be provided a front-running entry at many of the prestigious historic motoring events on its hey day. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d3G7p9)
Then in 1960, the Lister's race car was then sent to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), because it was bought by Mr. Jimmy de Villiers, who had it campaigned in Africa by driver John Love. After a lengthy stay in sub-Saharan Africa, the BHL 121 found its way to America, where it's raced extensively on the west coast. Eventually the car was brought back to England after finished a comprehensive restoration by Canepa Design, a company based in California.
And throughout 2015 and 2016, the car had seen to public while driven by its owner in that time to be raced at the Goodwood Revival in 2015 and 2016, the Goodwood Members' Meeting 2015, and the Donington Historic Festival 2016. After that in the 2019, the car had been known to be offered through the Fiskens in London. This is real one-of-a-kind, and could be provided a front-running entry at many of the prestigious historic motoring events on its hey day. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FISKENS | SILODROME | DRIVETRIBE ]
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