To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Paris event, 5 February
2020.
Estimate:
€5,900,000 - €6,400,000
- Highly original example with period race history
- The seventh customer D-Type produced
- Delivered new and raced by four-time Australian Drivers'
Champion Bib Stillwell
- Owned by 1970 Le Mans winner Richard Attwood
- Decades of care by marque expert Chris Keith-Lucas
Chassis number XKD 520 is the seventh customer D-Type built, and it
was ordered new in June 1955 through Australian importer Jack
Bryson on behalf of Bib Stillwell, future four-time consecutive
winner of the open-wheel Australian Drivers' Championship. Arriving
in Melbourne in January 1956, it was used extensively by Stillwell,
setting numerous records at local circuits, including the Bathurst
500 and the Rob Roy Hill Climb, and it took an outright victory at
the South Australia Trophy in Port Wakefield. After briefly being
prepared for a run at a land-speed record, XKD 520 returned to
sports car class competition, winning the Bathurst Road Racing
Championship in 1956.
At the Moomba Tourist Trophy at Albert Park in Melbourne, XKD 520
roared to a 2nd-place finish in March 1956. It also competed in the
Australian Tourist Trophy at the same location in November, where
the car finished 5th. Mr Stillwell's career in XKD 520 essentially
concluded the following spring on 24 March 1957, when he took 3rd
place at Albert Park.
A short time later, XKD 520 was purchased by AMPOL (the Australian
Motorists Petrol Company) on behalf of Jack Davey, who was a
regionally renowned wartime radio personality. It was entrusted to
Bill Murray of Surfer's Paradise and was prepared for the
AMPOL-sponsored speed trials, but unfortunately, an accident during
transport prevented the car's participation. The D-Type was sold to
enthusiast Frank Gardner, who rebuilt the still-capable race car
and undertook a competition campaign of his own, taking 2nd place
at Bathurst in 1958, 1st place at the Mount Druitt Hill Climb, and
3rd place at both of the Orange Racing Car Scratch Races (where he
notably only lost to grand prix cars).
In November 1958, XKD 520 was sold to David Finch, who soon fitted
the car with a factory-supplied 3.8-litre engine. This more
powerful motor was equipped on later D-Types and sometimes sold as
a replacement engine. The new engine prolonged the car's
competitive ability, allowing it to gamely participate in the
Longford event of 1960 and to take 1st overall at the Queensland
Tourist Trophy of 1961. Around this time a minor incident
necessitated work to the front end, and Mr Finch took the
opportunity to replace the nose with a long-nose bonnet crafted by
Sydney body man Ian Standfield in the style of the Le Mans-winning
long-nose D-Types.
In May 1962 this outstanding Jaguar was purchased by Ash Marshall
and treated to a thorough freshening, which included chroming
multiple components. The car passed through ownership by Peter
Bradley and Richard Parkinson before being acquired in 1967 by
future 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Richard Attwood. Attwood kept the
car for some 10 years before selling it to Sir Angus Spencer
Nairn.
In 1977 Chris Keith-Lucas picked the car up from Mr Attwood's
residence on behalf of the new owner. In a letter, of which a copy
is included on file, Keith-Lucas recalls the car fondly: 'It was
generally quite well presented, but [it] needed a straightforward
recommissioning before being sent to the new owner.' Whilst under
Lynx's care, the car was tended by managing director Keith-Lucas�a
recognised marque expert who later founded the highly regarded CKL
Developments�commencing nearly 30 years of his attentions.
Angus used his D-Type lightly, taking part on several track days
and competing in the Mille Miglia, although the car was never
seriously raced during that time. In 2004, XKD 520 was acquired by
Clive Jarman. It was sent back for maintenance work by Keith-Lucas
at CKL Developments. At Jarman's direction, CKL managed to source
an original short-nose bonnet that had been disregarded decades ago
during the restoration of an XKSS to replace the long-nose bonnet
fitted in 1961. Importantly, the Australian-crafted long-nose
bonnet is supplied with the car. Mr Keith-Lucas states: 'In my
opinion, [this] car remains one of the best production D-Types in
existence today. To the very best of my knowledge, [it] has
retained its principle components since the end of the 1950s. It is
one of my favourite D-Types.'
Acquired by the current owner from the collection of noted
Australian collector Peter Harburg in 2014, XKD 520 is accompanied
by extensive documentation, including a FIA Historical Technical
Passport. It is one of the earliest and most original examples of a
customer-specification D-Type, and it is eligible for the most
desirable events in the world. In the consignor's ownership, it
raced at the 2014 Goodwood Revival in the Lavant Cup, which that
year featured a grid exclusively comprised of D-Types to celebrate
the model's sixtieth anniversary. Following a recent service by
CKL, it remains ready to use and enjoy as a brilliant example of
its breed and would truly be an exceptional addition to any
world-class collection.
- Exemplaire d'une forte authenticit� et au riche historique de
course
- Septi�me Type D produite
- Livr�e neuve au quadruple Champion des pilotes d'Australie Bib
Stillwell, qui a couru avec
- Ancienne propri�t� du vainqueur du Mans 1970 Richard
Attwood
- Soign�e pendant des d�cennies par l'expert de la marque Chris
Keith-Lucas
Le ch�ssis n� XKD 520 est le septi�me des Type D clients ; il avait
�t� command� en juin 1955 par l'importateur australien Jack Bryson
pour le compte de Bib Stillwell, le pilote qui allait remporter
quatre fois de suite le Championnat australien des pilotes sur
monoplace. Une fois arriv�e � Melbourne en janvier 1956, la voiture
fut intens�ment utilis�e par Stillwell et �tablit de nombreux
records sur des circuits locaux, dont le Bathurst 500 et la course
de c�te de Rob Roy ; elle remporta �galement une �clatante victoire
au South Australia Trophy de Port Wakefield. Apr�s avoir �t�
rapidement pr�par�e pour participer � un record de vitesse
terrestre, elle revint � la comp�tition sur circuit et remporta le
Championnat de Bathurst Road 1956.
Lors du Tourist Trophy de Moomba � l'Albert Park de Melbourne, en
mars 1956, la XKD 520 remporta en rugissant la deuxi�me place. Elle
participa aussi au m�me endroit au Tourist Trophy d'Australie de
novembre et s'y classa 5e. Les exploits de Stillwell sur la XKD 520
prirent fin au printemps suivant, le 24 mars 1957, lorsqu'il se
classa 3e � l'Albert Park.
Peu de temps apr�s, elle fut rachet�e par AMPOL, la compagnie
p�troli�re australienne, pour le compte de Jack Davey, une
personnalit� de la radio bien connue dans la r�gion pendant la
guerre. Elle fut confi�e � Bill Murray, de Surfer's Paradise, et se
fit pr�parer pour les �preuves de vitesse sponsoris�es par AMPOL.
Malheureusement, un accident de transport l'emp�cha d'y participer.
Notre Type D fut ensuite vendue � Frank Gardner, qui remit en �tat
cette voiture de course au potentiel intact et s'engagea
personnellement en comp�tition ; il remporta la 2e place � Bathurst
en 1958, la 1�re � la course de c�te de Mount Druitt et la 3e aux
deux courses de l'Orange Racing Car Scratch, o� il ne perdit que
face � de voitures de Grand Prix.
En novembre 1958, la XKD 520 fut vendue � David Finch, qui se
d�p�cha de monter dessus un 3,8 litres fourni par l'usine. Ce
moteur, pl...for more information please contact the seller.