New guy restoring a Crossle 16F

[Pete Wrisley]

Hi everyone - I've just bought a completely disassembled Crossle 16F that hasn't raced for many years (neither have I!). It still has the aluminum side fuel tanks, I need to replace them with a fuel cell. Any Crossle owners out there with a recommendation about where to put a cell? Under/behind the seat? Where's a good spot for the battery? I'm thinking maybe at the nose.
I'm in southern New Hampshire and if anyone has a 16F near me I'd love to look it over.
Thanks,
Pete Wrisley

[Denney Bridges]

I have a Crossle 20F- it has the fuel cell (wedge shaped) between the back of the seat pan and the firewall. if you would like to have some digital pics e-mail me at fspilot1@msn.com

[Pete Wrisley]

Thanks, Denny. A former owner of my car (!) saw my post and sent me a dimensioned drawing from Fuel Safe of a custom cell for the car. Like yours, it mounts behind the seat. I'll probably mock it up in cardboard so I can make sure it won't interfere with positioning the seat where I want it.
Here's another question - how is the aluminum belly pan supposed to be attached?

[Denney Bridges]

My belly pan is thin steel and stitch welded to the chassis from the bottom. It sounds heavy, but the empty weight of my car is only 928 lbs. While you're doing the restoration, if you digital pics , I'll be glad to send whatever you might need-- this is a good time of the year, the car is kind of apart for winter maint.

[J Vigs]

Hi Pete,

I have a Crossle 16F (converted to a 20F) also with a wedge shaped cell behind the seat. When I got the car it only had a 2.5 gallon Fuel Safe cell which I soon found out was not nearly enough. I contacted Fuel Safe (Harold) and he told me to send in some drawings so they could make a custom cell. I made a mock-up of cardboard and then aluminum and found I could fit 4 gallons if I modified the back of the seat to move it forward about 2 inches. I was surprised to hear that Fuel Safe already had some drawings for the 16F. How big a cell is it? Where does the filler neck come up through the frame?

My battery is in the nose bolted to the floor pan. My car is a late 16F (Chassis # 39) and has the pedals hanging from the top. I saw an earlier 16F that had the pedals and master cylinders mounted on the floor which might not allow enough room for the battery up front.

My floor pan is also steel and either welded or brazed to the bottom frame tubes.

Be happy to send you pictures if you need. I think these old Crossles are great cars.

John

[J Vigs]

Hi Pete again-

Another option for you might be to add foam and bladders to your existing tanks. I believe this has been done before with good result. Neil Porter (http://porterracing.com/) and I discussed this option, but for me to buy the tanks and then modify them became too expensive. Since your car came with the tanks it may be doable.

Neil can supply almost anything for the 16F and has given me good advice.

John

[Pete Wrisley]

So it looks like my belly pan is non-original. This car was once restored from a bare chassis that may have been in the process of conversion to a sports racer, so that's not a surprise.
My car has a stitch-welded pan under the nose, ends at the pedals. Anybody know what gauge steel Crossle used?
John, I like the idea of converting the saddle tanks to fuel cells - not sure it's possible because of the very deep channels in them to fit around the frame diagonals, but definitely worth a conversation with Harold at Fuel Safe.

[Denney Bridges]

Pete- my belly pan is 18 ga steel. I'm pretty sure that I saw a 16F at Sears Point that Neil Porter had converted the original tanks to fuel cells. Neil has also been a great help to me with parts and advice.

[size="1"][ November 25, 2004, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Denney Bridges ][/size]

[Pete Wrisley]

It would be very cool to be able to use the original saddle tanks, and would likely give me a little more cockpit space to fit in a safer, modern seat to replace the fiberglass shell.

[Comp89]

Picture of a 20F which is very similar
http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/cr...99269100pp.htm

[Jonathan Hirst]

Finished a frame up 16F this past summer and still have it in the shop.

We had Crossle send me a replacement seat as the original was a mess. There were two options from the factory - the original and an uprated which is flatter than the original to accomodate a wedge tank fitment under the seat.

I made some drawings for the tank and had ATL in New Jersey make the bag. Fantastic service- fast and reasonable.

My battery is laying on the steel floor under the drivers knees. I have a small halon fire extinguisher on the floor ahead of the pedals which are mounted from overhead.

We also looked at converting the side tanks but is was cost prohibititve and for the length of races that we compete in, the capacity was not necessary. The side tanks also made for a big target for an errant front A arm or what have you in the case of an accident. They would look just as cool mounted empty while the fuel was tucked elsewhere (wish I had kept the tanks now...).

The belly pan was originally just a fibreglass panel bolted to the steel under the pedals and hooked on the rectangular tube at the base of the rear cockpit bulkhead. The side panals clipped into a flange running the full length of the floor panel. Any aluminum or steel floors under the drivers bum or legs is non original (but a damn good idea!)

I would be more than happy to send pics if you would like another reference while you do your restoration. I always find it helps.

Jonathan

[Pete Wrisley]

Thanks Jonathan. Any pictures would be very welcome. I've been trolling the web for pictures of 16F's (and 20F's). Race-car.com has been very useful! I notice you're in Brooklin - we practically drove right by you on our way from Niagara to Lindsay, where we bought the Crossle!

I gotta say that I have gotten such a tremendous response here, both online and off - much more than I expected. Thanks to everyone - what a great bunch of guys!

[EYERACE]

i have my crossle 32F totally apart, finally.....the 6 3/4 gallon fuel cell that sits as a wedge under and behind me, has the filler neck come up in the space between me/back of seat and the firewall in the area under the main roll hoop....fuel safe part # CB-302

[Jonathan Hirst]

Then you must have been to see Doug. Hope he is doing well.

The previous owner (before DF)of that car is on this forum - I'll send you some more details offine.

Jon

[Comp89]

Yes John! Peter & I have been in contact.

[problemchild]

Maybe Jon could post the pics of his 16F when he bought it as a licensed road-going street car! Not too many of those around.

[Jonathan Hirst]

Hmm -

I'd have to dig deep to find that - the car was purchased with Crager SS rims with BFG's, a cross bar welded near the top of the roll hoop with forward and rearward facing (tractor) lighting.

Driveline was removed and replace with a VW fox engine (with Weber DCOE) and transaxle - chosen as it didn't require the removal of any tubes to fit.

License plate was zip tied to the nose of the car where the air exits behind the rad. Oh yeah - I can't forget the cool pin striping either!

Registered as a "homebuilt" it ran on public roads from 1985 to 1994.

Apart from the above - it was still fairly original and has made a nice restoration project.

Pete - I haven't forgotten about the promised pics of the resto - I will get them scanned this week.

Jon

[Jonathan Hirst]

Sorry for the bump folks -

Pete - I have (finally) scanned the before and after pictures.

I would love to send them to you but I cannot find your email in your profille.

Drop me an email offline and I will reply with a couple messages full of pics.

jthirstATrogersDOTcom

Jonathan -

PS - the 16F in the pictures is chassis #31 - any chance your is sequencial? Seems as though they were both orginally Canadian imports.