VIN: the John Studholme / Chris Dawes McLaren F1 chassis 017
History of chassis 017
Chassis 017 was the 16th F1 built and one of 26 road cars assembled in 1994.
1994 was the biggest year for F1 production and several were built without a pre-order from a customer.
McLaren painted 017 a unique shade of Calypso Red Pearl. It was road registered M970 GGP in September 1994 and subsequently delivered to its first owner, John Studholme.
Studholme, who hailed from Boston, Lincolnshire, was the co-founder of Dynamic Cassette International which initially manufactured typewrite cassettes and later, compatible inkjet printer cartridges.
In June 1995, chassis 017 was displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This was the weekend after McLaren’s famous Le Mans win. 017 was shown alongside several other F1s and GTRs as part of the victory corral.
The Calypso Red McLaren was later joined by a second F1 in Studholme’s collection when chassis 14R (the ex-Lark GTR from 1996) arrived fresh from a factory rebuild to LM specification.
In April 1998, John Studholme took delivery of a brand new F1 road car (chassis 059) against which he part-exchanged 017.
In February 1999, chassis 017 was purchased from McLaren by Chris Dawes.
Dawes was an Australian ex-pat living in England. Twelve months earlier, Dawes’ company, Micromuse, had floated on the stock market. This provided him with a huge influx of cash; as hired executives now took care of the firm, Dawes checked out and went on a lavish spending spree.
Properties, a jet, a helicopter and up to 60 cars were purchased in a very short time frame. Some weeks, Dawes spent in excess of £10m. However, he quickly descended into a drug-fuelled lifestyle and allegedly started to front the cash for some major narcotic deals.
In the midst of legal problems for drug possession and sexual assault, chassis 017 was one of two McLaren F1s Dawes purchased in February 1999. The other was chassis 068, a delivery mileage example painted Mercedes Brilliant Silver.
068 never made it into Dawes’ rapidly expanding collection as he and two passengers were killed in a fiery road accident on March 21st 1999.
Just after 1pm that day, Dawes had taken 017 out for a drive with his personal assistant and a friend.
Following a heavy downpour, the roads were greasy and Dawes crashed 017 at an accident black spot on the A120 less than half a mile from his Essex mansion.
He left the road at over 100mph and the McLaren hit a tree which split the car in two and ruptured the fuel tank.
The ensuing fire was so intense that even the carbon tub burned ferociously.
Such was the force of impact, the engine was found 50 yards further up the road.
All three occupants were killed instantly and the remains of 017 were crushed.
For the full article on Chris Dawes click here.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
