This Lister-Jaguar “Flat Iron” taught Jim Clark how to control his car

Chassis number BHL 5, registration HCH 736 will make connoisseurs look twice, three times and then do a few laps to take in the details. These are details of a car that looks very different from when it was first delivered in 1955. It was very successful in its first year, with victories in the 2-litre class by Roy Salvadori, Peter Scott-Russell and David Hampshire at the Castle Combe International, the Goodwood 9 Hours and the British Grand Prix, at which it was scrapped a year later under new ownership.

Although a new chassis, engine and body were required, the car retained its original identity. However, in 1957 the 2.0-litre Bristol was swapped for a 3.4-litre Jaguar engine (later 3.0-litre) and the original bodywork was replaced with alloy panels specially designed by Gomm, earning it the famous nickname 'Flat Iron'.

From there, the patchwork of star drivers that make up its history only grew, with Archie Scott-Brown, Brian Naylor and eventually even Jim Clark. But we'll come to that. The 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans was no picnic for the first factory-backed privateer Lister, with drivers Brian Halford and Brian Naylor driving it well despite mounting problems. Eventually, with a broken camshaft, failing rear brakes and a seized gearbox, it limped across the line in 15th place overall, making it the only Lister-Jaguar to ever finish the world-famous enduro race. It was also the only car with a 3.0-litre Jaguar engine to finish, outlasting the clipped-wing D-Types that had been so dominant the year before with the larger XK engine.

The Lister lived on, got its 3.4-litre heart back and eventually came into the possession of the Border Reivers Racing team of a certain Jock McBain, who had a young driver named Jim Clark in his squad. Clark, who shone as a driving talent wherever he turned a wheel, drove the Flat Iron from the start to three wins at Mallory Park in early 1959. These were drives that caught the attention of his future wife, Sally Stokes.

Clark famously had great respect for the car and spoke publicly about the valuable lessons he had learned from it. It was a car with which he relished every challenge: lively but controllable, aggressive but willing.

Over the years that followed, the car changed hands to a number of notable names, collectors and personalities from the racing and historic racing scene. Under a new owner, it was restored to Clark's racing specification by CKL Developments in 2013.

The current owner echoes Clark's fond memories of the car, telling us: “It's incredible to drive.” The car will be driven this weekend by Marino Franchitti and Nick Padmore, a duo not often associated with the modest 11th place qualifying finish. The owner expects them to climb up the order relatively easily as the soggy qualifying conditions dry out. “The gap will close in the dry tonight as the Lotus 15s are better in the wet.”

For those who know, this car is an inimitable unicorn and as such a golden ticket to any historic motorsport event. The owner, who acquired the car in 2017, is to his credit for taking it everywhere with him. “I bought it because of its originality and because it takes part in the big events. I drove it twice in the Le Mans Classic. I race it with Peter Auto. This year I won with it at Spa and Dijon and next year I will be at the Le Mans Classic.”

What a stunning sight – it is certainly more elegant than its Knobbly half-siblings – to see racing the Sussex Trophy at the 2024 Goodwood Revival.

The Goodwood Revival 2024 will take place on 6.^th-8^th September. You can follow every moment of the historic motorsport action here in our live stream!

Photography by Nick Wilkinson.