Crosslé C7S: rare example of ‘60s giant-killer

It was more or less by chance that the late John Crosslé ended up being one of the world’s most successful specialist racing car manufacturers. Although a champion grass-track rider, he didn’t consider himself talented enough for road racing so decided to move to four wheels – and because he couldn’t afford the price of a Colin Chapman Lotus he bought an old Ford van, parked it in a turkey shed on his Ulster farm and turned it into his ‘Mk 1 Special’.

Crosslé took the car to victory in his very first race, at Ards airfield in 1958. It impressed a young RAF officer so much that he asked if he could build another – and suddenly the Crosslé Car Company was born.

Formula Junior, Ford, 5000 and 2 models have been among the 1000 or so competition cars to have been built by the marque, some of which helped set drivers such as Nigel Mansell, John Watson and Eddie Irvine on the path to F1 success.

Crosslé also built some highly successful sports racing cars, among which was the C7S. This exceptional and interesting example is on offer through Adam Sykes.

Chassis 65 25 was ordered in May 1965 for the Irish Supertune team whose drivers were Mervyn Wingfield (10th Viscount Powerscourt) and fellow Irishman Jim Cooney. The pair had entered two Crosslés for a race at Solitude near Stuttgart in July that year but with 65 25 yet to be finished, Wingfield set off from Ireland with a two-car trailer carrying only his own 7S.

In the best tradition of ‘golden era’ racing, no sooner had Cooney’s car been completed than he jumped into the driving seat at the factory, took ferries from Ireland to England and from England to Europe and completed the drive to Germany in time to make qualifying and take part in the race – in which he finished ahead of Wingfield.

The car remained with Supertune for further races at Phoenix Park, Dunboyne and Montlhéry before being sold to driver Des McCoy in 1968 and then on to Sweden where it spent more than 30 years in the ownership of jazz drummer Arne Maltuse. In 1997, Crosslé sold the company to loyal customer Arnie Black – and, in 2006, he acquired 62 25 from Maltuse and brought it back to the factory where it was painstakingly rebuilt.

The car has since competed in classic meetings at circuits including Spa, Oulton Park, Croft and Goodwood and is now being offered by Adam Sykes on behalf of Black (who sold Crosslé to oil company executive Paul McMorran a decade ago).

With new bodywork, a fully rebuilt twin cam engine and Hewland gearbox, the car is in “immaculate race ready condition” and comes with FIA HTP papers valid to 2027.

The buyer will also get an extensive history file together with a copy of the book Hidden Glory by Plum Tyndall which tells the story of this giant-killing marque – and was given the seal of approval by John Crosslé shortly before his death in 2014, aged 82.

1965 CrosslÉ C7S

On sale with Adam Sykes & Co, Knutsford, Cheshire. Asking: £89,950. adamsykes.co.uk

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