[Chrysler300] Don Rook

[MITCHELLEINSAUK@xxxxxxx]

My wife and I stayed at Don & Kathy Rook's bed & breakfast over  Christmas 
2009, and had a wonderful time. News of his death comes as a huge  shock.
 
During our stay, Don gave us the "one dollar tour" of his cars under cover, 
 and the parts cars outback in the woods (Ford owners got the nickel tour 
and GM  owners got the dime tour). But more to the point, he gave up his time 
to show us  around the local countryside and show us all the highlights. We 
got to know Don  very well during those few days, and he enjoyed reciting 
all of his many stories  to us as we explored, and we enjoyed hearing them. 
Yes, Don was a character, and  we both count ourselves lucky to have known 
him, and our condolences go out to  Kathy and the family. Its seems very 
poignant now, to look back at the video  footage we took, and see Don, with my 
wife, on the back of his  "four-wheeler", followed by his loyal posse of dogs, 
motoring around the very  pond where he would tragically lose his life - it 
looked so innocent in the  winter sunshine. 
 
Don claimed he had around 80 vehicles on his land when we visited, down  
from a peak of around 124. Most were Chryslers, with some Packards, and one or 
 two others. The Chryslers ranged from a 1940 New Yorker convertible, a 
couple of  late forties Town & Countrys, up to his beloved mid to late sixties 
300s  which were his everyday drivers. However, as impressive as his car 
collection  was, it was the hoards of spare parts he had. By memory, he pretty 
well knew  everything he had, but locating it would be a problem; parts were 
just stuffed  everywhere. Ram manifolds, letter series and pace car hub 
caps, medallions,  grilles, seats, door panels, you name it. Anyway, our 300L 
is graced with a few  parts I purchased, and I'll always think of Don when I 
look at the car. In fact,  I took it to a show only this weekend, in his 
memory. I'm so glad I filmed  our trip, and recorded Don as he gave us the 
grand tour, and told us his well  polished stories. He will be missed in this 
little corner of England.
 
 
Geoff Mitchell
1965 300L, 1957  New Yorker, 1970 Barracuda 383

Penshurst House,
163 Fleet  Road, Farnborough,
Hants., GU14 9SL, England
Tel: +44 (0)1252  519294
Fax: +44 (0)1252 519894
Email:  mitchelleinsauk@xxxxxxx


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