Our close friend and ardent competitor (on the track and in the workshop) Bill Rooklidge has been on a road trip across Route 66. “I’ve made it to Arizona and will be home in several days” he wrote September 12.
“On the subject of the August 24 San Marino Motor Classic, I didn’t take any photos as it was a bit of a lark. I’d heard it was an excellent concours, but I’d never been there before so I didn’t know what to expect. Turns out it is a delightful show, between Pebble Beach and La Jolla both in geography and quality of cars. The setting is lovely, a large park featuring an open central field ringed by a grove of trees. My car was awarded Best in Class for the Jaguar class (against, among others, Tom Krefetz’s XK140 that had never taken less than best in class) and “Best Sports Motif” (against a host of excellent sports cars). Next outing: the November 1 Las Vegas concours at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Bill has made sure that his D-type (manufacturer’s number 531) “wears its Jack Douglas livery as raced in California, Utah, and Texas in 1956” and in 1958 and 1959 by second owner Ray Seher. Jack Douglas was the Hollywood comedy writer who famously repainted the car in this rich cream color (often called ‘yellow’) from its original British Racing Green before its first race.
More about Bill’s car at https://dmtrg.com/jaguar-d-type-xkd-531/
This San Marino is not the enclave micro-state in Italy which gives its name to the annual F1 GP at Imola and the Moto GP at Misano, but a charming town near Pasadena 10 miles northeast of LA downtown. Red carpet, Bill. Take a peak at this photo, but pop your sunnies on first. That thing is SHINEY.
The San Marino Motor Classic is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit that funds local charities through one of the most incredible car shows in the world. Bill’s results, from https://sanmarinomotorclassic.com…
Best Sports Motif: 1955 Jaguar D Type (XK140-D) Bill Rooklidge
Class S-2 Jaguars
1955 Jaguar D Type (XK140-D) Bill Rooklidge
1956 Jaguar XK-140 MC FHC Tom Krefetz
1959 Jaguar XK150S OTS Ken Fritz
We’re proud to know you Bill.
p.s. for the nerds among us. I wrote to Bill “Is the D-Type strictly an XK-140? I thought that was a big two-seater like the 120.” Bill replied in nano-seconds “The D-type was known internally at Jaguar as the XK 140 D. All external use was D-type. The D type shared very few components with the XK 140.” Signed, [ed] Marcus Bicknell Oct 3rd 2025.
