The developing mystery of chassis #022...

[Peloton25]

Yes - I was somewhat disappointed in myself when I started looking around for info on him after finding the photo in question.

Oh well - can't know everything, right?

>8^)
ER

[mini magic]

Originally Posted by tdc911

I can't believe you both have/had never heard of Miles Collier before.

I know

[drewwtms]

The Collier Museum is in Florida but I'm not sure exactly where. I had e-mailed them a year or two ago about visiting while I was in Florida but no one replied. I got the impression that it was a private collection. While I was in Florida for the Cavallino Classic this past February I heard a few of the participants mention it. It must be an incredible collection to be private and only open to other collectors.

The Collier family built Naples and still owns hundreds of thousands of acres in the Everglades.

[BMW.WilliamsF1Team]

Originally Posted by drewwtms

The Collier Museum is in Florida but I'm not sure exactly where. I had e-mailed them a year or two ago about visiting while I was in Florida but no one replied. I got the impression that it was a private collection. While I was in Florida for the Cavallino Classic this past February I heard a few of the participants mention it. It must be an incredible collection to be private and only open to other collectors.

It's the Collier Automotive Museum in Naples, FL, but it's now closed. Of course I can't confirm, but it's according to this site: http://www.pbase.com/9146gt/nurburgr...n_lowes_photos

Edit: More info

2500 S Horseshoe Drive
Naples
Florida 33940
United States of America
1-813-643-5252

Did you use this e-mail from this site? http://www.collierenterprises.com/

[drewwtms]

I don't think I would have e-mailed through a website like that. It seems too general and most-probably would have gotten lost. I think I actually found a real e-mail address for someone but I lost it (I might have it at home).

A few guys were definately talking about 'going to Collier's to see his cars' when I was at Cavallino so the collection must still be around - just not open to everyone.

[Peloton25]

A friend of the program here has confirmed that the F1 now in Collier's possession is indeed chassis #022. They also confirmed that it was the F1 formerly owned by Wyclef Jean as we all believed was true before I started this thread. I'm told that the car was returned to the factory in Woking for a complete refit following the sale, hence the new colors inside and out.

I still find it interesting that Mr Bscher would tell me that he sold his car directly to Collier given that it spent several years in the hands of Wyclef in between. Strange to get that kind of conflicting info, but I do have great faith in the source/accuracy of this latest bit of news.

At least now we know we weren't crazy for calling Wyclef's car #022 for so long. I was a little unsure there for a while. I will update the "American fleet" thread to reflect this info shortly.

>8^)
ER

[mini magic]

I won't say it

[Peloton25]

When I saw you were the last to reply I was already expecting the "I told you so" post.

Of course I never said you were wrong... I just presented the information I had which seemed to suggest we had all been wrong about #022. I'd still like to get Mr Bscher's to clarify his side of the story, but at least we have the answer we were looking for. One less mystery is always a good thing.

>8^)
ER

[mini magic]

Its certainly a very quick turnaround for McLaren to repaint and refit the car in that amount of time. My hat is off to them.

[Peloton25]

Dragging this thread back from the dead to keep the story intact.

Chris found these new (old) pics of #022 taken outside the Collier Museum, likely around the time that it arrived back in the USA after its $300,000 refit Mr Collier paid for.







In fact these were taken in December 2005 before this thread even started.

The source and some brief details can be found here. I already contacted the original poster about the one dead/missing image from this set, but he didn't seem eager to go looking for it, so we take what we can get.

There's mention of the gearbox overheating in that thread. I would assume that's what McLaren had to send their technician over for, as you may recall Miles mentioned in his Sports Car Market article on the car.

>8^)
ER

[BRX880]

Is it the light, the camera or is there really some green in that shade of grey?

I always thought the car is solid grey with a light terracotta interior seen so in that scaned article...

[Peloton25]

These new pictures are skewed a bit towards the blue spectrum likely due to a white balance setting on the camera, but the F1's color is definitely a shade of green. I think the SCM article photos were just not a great representation of the color since it is sitting in a shadow. The earlier photo I pulled from SCM of this car that sparked this thread gives a better impression that it is green I think.

Also, if you read in the thread these new pics are from the first response is:

"Wait a sec is that the same green as my TT?"

To which the original poster replied:

"And yes, it is very similar to your color. First thing I thought of actually."

For those not familiar with the color they are referring to - Audi's Desert Green Pearl looks like this:



>8^)
ER

[hurstg01]

I like the colour, just like I like Rowans #061 - they are different, and I think this will be a colour that grows on people like #061 did on me

PS thank god he changed the interior from that awful white to something that goes well with the exterior colouring

[basman007]

Nice colour on this one

[svxit]

Very interesting thread, this. Several years ago, I remember reading a magazine article on Wyclef where he talked about his cars. The F1 he owned was blue. When asked, he mentioned that the fastest he'd driven the car was 185 mph in Florida. There was a picture of the car in the article. I'm not certain what the 'genesis blue' color is that's mentioned, but from memory it reminded me of XP4 (the car was in a bit of a shadow, but was obviously blue).

I don't believe this article was in a car magazine, so it would be a bit difficult to track down. I have a collection of thousands of magazines, so if I come across it, I will definitely scan and post, but it may be some time before I can do that. Still, just wanted to chime in, in hopes that it gives "some" clarity.