Funny but the photos are captioned 'Meredi' where I got them from, so his involvement is there.
Below are a few extracts from various sites about this car. It's currently owned by a prominent collector in Switzerland and he's looking for information. The way these are worded though, some seem to think this is the original Lister MG from 1954, which was rebodied with an Ashley body in about 1959!
We need a Lister expert to clear this one up..
QUOTE
Lister-MG Chassis
H Modified
Introduction
Engine: MG TF
Current Owner: Antoine Vauthey in Switzerland
It has an Ashley body but shortened to fit the chassis.
The log book is from May 1956 and at that time they wrote the engine number XPEG RS/5053 in it. It can also be XPEG 125/5053 or XPEG 12S/5053.
In 1962, the engine blew up (seriously) so they removed it and then the car was put in a locked up garage until 2004.
The old pictures are from the last guy who drove the car ... in 1962!
The fiberglass shell was fitted to the car in the late 1950's (approx 1958). Antoine doesn't know which type of body was on before.
The car has independent rear suspension with a Dedion rear axle and inboard brakes.
"It was built for racing, but I have no records about it.
I am quite sure that this is not a Lester, because the dimensions of the tube are different diameter. The shape is more like the early Lister MG or Bristol," reports Antoine.
Antoine is trying to collect any information about these cars, so any help is welcome. Please contact Antoine Vauthey if you can help.
UNQUOTE
QUOTE
1954 Lister MG
The Story Behind the 1954 Lister
Lister Cars is one of the few smaller car manufacturers during the early half of the 1900s that managed to carve a niche in the automobile industry because of a product that is now considered as a classic car.
When the company was at its precocious beginnings, Lister Cars (then known as George Lister and Sons) was known for one major creation: the 1954 Lister, a classic car with a very rich history.
The 1954 Lister was actually developed specifically for the racer Archie Scott Brown, a renowned Scottish race car driver. Although Scott Brown was not able to win any major tourneys such as the Formula One or the Italian Grand Prix, he gained popularity due to his persistence despite his disability. He was born with major disablement on his right arm and both of his legs. These should have been sufficient reasons for anyone not to try professional racing. Still, his love for the sport made him moderately successful during his time.
At first, Scott Brown rode a Tojeiro (specifically, a John Tojeiro, a famed car manufacturer who has developed a number of classic car creations during the 50s and 60s). Later on, however, Scott Brown inspired Lister to create the now classic car, the 1954 Lister.
The car had an MG engine and tubular ladder chassis, pretty much like the Coopers during that time. But the competition proved to be too tight for car due to the engine, even with the talented racer behind its wheel. This prompted Lister to shift from an MG engine to a Bristol engine. The change in the engine worked, as Scott Brown proved to be the surprise star racer for the 1954 racing season, snagging top spots in competitions like the British Grand Prix.
The following year, the company created a few Listers inspired by the ones that raced the 1954 racing season. Year 1957 saw the Lister with a new aerodynamic aluminum body, making it the most refined Lister car at the time. However, the following year, the company further improved the car by giving it a sleeker body. The brakes of the car - one of the components of the Lister that was often criticized - were improved as well.
Unfortunately, the demise of Scott Brown also marked the halt of the Lister’s production. In 1958, Scott Brown suffered severe injuries after an accident at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - injuries that later caused his death.
Despite the unfortunate endnote in the history of the 1954 Lister, this amazing creation remains to be one of the most precious classic car creations today.
© CarshowClassic.com All rights reserved
UQUOTE
