Now here is a piece of history! In 1963 the Johnson-Shipley Blown Hemi powered Lakester ran 255.501 mph on the salt to set a new record and get Don Johnson into the 200 mph club. And if you thought being in the 200 mph club was an exclusive honor now, think about what it was like in 1963! This is an incredibly opportunity. There are lots of photos, with more in the original eBay ad, and tons of information from the seller. This car has been lovingly brought back to life. It’s not just a museum piece that’s been sitting around.
In fact we’re going to let the seller tell most of this story because it’s that good. We do have to say that running this sucker at Bonneville again would be an absolute treat. I was lucky enough to slide into a pretty cool belly tanker a couple years ago and get a fee for what it’s like and there is nothing that compares. It’s weird, but fun, and you know for sure that you are in a race car at that moment. I still prefer mine with doors, but I’d drive this sucker!
Here is all the info from the seller:
Representing an unusual opportunity to acquire a true piece of a American motoring history and Bonneville royalty, this Lakester is roughly halfway through a comprehensive, world-class restoration back to its original 1963 record-setting configuration. The lengthy rehabilitation has been overseen by a well-known Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) judge and land-speed specialist, Steve Davies.
Steve Davies carried out a high level of research into specific details of the important Lakester. During this process the original driver (Don Johnson) and mechanic (Jeff Shipley) were recently reunited with the car during the full year spent researching the history of this Lakester. The following information about the Lakester has been highly documented and has yielded crucial details to ensure the restoration accurately reflects the car’s record-setting configuration.
Listed chronologically, here is the known history of the Johnson-Shipley Blown Lakester Special:
- 1960-1961: Built by Car Craft, owned and raced by Roy Fjastad as #121B, with early “lie-flat” body and an un-blown Hemi
- 1961-1962: Owned and raced by Johnson and Shipley as #299, still with early body and a blown 300 CI Hemi
- 1963: Johnson and Shipley owned and raced as #48-B, using a blown 300 CI Hemi with new, custom aluminum body. Clocks a two-way land speed record of 255.501 mph and a one-way top speed of 259.92 mph. Beating Tom Beatty’s 1962 record.
- 1964: Johnson and Shipley owned and raced as #45-B, using a blown Hemi. Clocks a one-way top speed of 263.350 mph (The rest of the meeting was cancelled due to high winds, yielding no return run)
- Late 1960s – Early 1970s: Owner was told that the car was displayed in Justice Brother’s museum.
- 1970s: New owner runs the chassis and body as #45X/L in the flathead class at El Mirage
- 1991: Car acquired by Montana-based collector
- 1998: Restored as #48-B as a rolling display and shown at Bonneville National Speed Trials
- 2008: Sold to a collector in Japan
- 2012: Sold to a collector in California who re-imported the car and began a comprehensive restoration with the intent to return the lakester to the salt
The rare and original hand-built aluminum body was recently completely restored by the Pebble Beach Concours-awarded panel beaters at Palmer Coachworks. Surprisingly, the bodywork has survived in largely original condition, save for the cockpit entrance which was enlarged during the 1970s and some dings and dents that occurred over the past half-century. The experts at Palmer Coachworks restored the cockpit and the canopy to its exact original shape using dozens of drawings and period images. Included images show the finished product both in raw aluminum and later in etching primer.
During the restoration of the body, Davies built a custom chassis table to ensure that the set up was per its original specifications. The Lakester is shown in images on the chassis table where hundreds of hours were spent measuring and mocking up the chassis and suspension set up.
Late last year a period-correct, date-coded, blown Hemi powerplant was completed and currently sits on an engine stand, awaiting use. The image below shows the engine on the dyno and being test-fitted into the car. With the bodywork finished, chassis table constructed, and engine completed the project turned to the mock-up.
Johnson-Shipley Blown Lakester Special
Included with the sale of the Johnson-Shipley Lakester Special are the following items:
- Original, hand-built aluminum air intake
- Original, hand-built aluminum fuel tank
- Various original chassis and suspension components
- Original firewall
- Two original Bonneville trophies, Bonneville programs and vintage magazines
- SCTA tag
- Two binders with extensive documentation and photos
Also included in the purchase are several missing items that were sourced through Steve Davies over the past three years:
- Period-correct wheels
- Period-correct suspension components
- Pair of NOS Firestone rear tires
- Original, crescent-handed Stewart Warner gauges
Crucially, this project is not being abandoned by the restorer. Should the buyer be interested in seeing the restoration completed by resident SCTA land speed expert Steve Davies, he has agreed to work with the buyers to continue the project where the seller has left off. Otherwise, the project could of course be completed by a shop of their choice.
Seldom available publicly, this is a rare opportunity to own one of the few surviving, belly-tank-derived, dry lakes racing cars and it could very well be the only chance to purchase an original, record-setting car from the golden era of Bonneville. Offered in 2007 at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction, a 1951 Tom Beatty Belly Tank Lakester sold for $440,000.
For more information on the Johnson-Shipley Belly Tank Blown Lakester Click Here.
