Masten Gregory – 1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly Ecurie Ecosse at the 2016 Silverstone Classic Media Day (Photo 1)
Image by Dave Adams Automotive Images
This Lister Jaguar, chassis number BHL104, was delivered to David Murray, owner of the Scottish racing team Ecurie Ecosse in 1958. Originally promised the first chassis off the production line, it was actually the fourth that got delivered after the first was re-directed to Briggs Cunningham. To say the car was delivered from the production line is perhaps a little misleading, as the car was sent in kit form to Wilkie Wilkinson and Stan Sproat who then constructed it and made it race ready.
The car was to be raced for Ecurie Ecosse by the American driver Mastern Gregory, who developed a reputation for writing cars off, having destroyed two and damaged a third. This Lister Knobbly was damaged at Silverstone in 1958 during the Grand Prix support race, where Mastern Gregory mamanged to put it on top of the earth banking, taking team mate Ninian Sandersoni with him. As a consequence of the Silverstone accident, BHL104 was stripped for spares. Ecurie Ecosse also owned chassis number BHL109 that they initially ran in a unique single seater configuration, they converted this to sports car form, and Mastern Gregory then crashed it (I can see where the reputation was coming from). Ecurie Ecosse then created a new car using the front of BHL104 and the rear of BHL109. The remaining parts from BHL104 were sold on to John Pearson, a Jaguar restorer who rebuilt the car into the Lister Knobbly configuration (www.pearsonsengineering.com/about.html).
The car subsequently passed through the hands of JD Classics who restored the car to FIA specification, including a 354bhp competition engine, period correct Webers, and its original 341 SG registration number. The car is currently for sale via Sam Thomas Racing for anyone wanting a little piece of motoring history.
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Dave Adams Automotive Images
