Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Knowing how we all like a build thread on here It’s been in the back of my mind for a long time to build another Westfield, having put out a few feelers a couple of months back I suddenly suffered a momentary lapse of common sense and parted with a few of my £££ on what can only be described as a basket case. What I was thinking when I bought it god only knows but thankfully the price was a steal and the opportunity too good to pass up. So what did I buy? She’s a 1990 live axle narrow body that has suffered quite a tough life. From what I know of the history she has never been on the road and has spent the later years of the 21year life as a track car running up until recently a pinto engine. It’s almost a rolling chassis, less for a front corner that been knocked off and now very much in need of a rebuild. I’ve never been one to do things the conventional way. I could simply rebuild the car, drop in a pinto and have an easy life, but that would be too simple. Sat at the back of the garage for the last year or so I’ve had a spare MX5 engine and box that I picked up way to cheap off eBay after the Ma5da race car that donated it was written off in a race. Continuing on with the MX5 theme I also happen to have a complete set of front uprights and brakes kicking about in the garage, so that should go some way to fixing the missing front corner. Up till now progress has been quite slow. The evenings and weekends have been too nice so I’ve been out lots in the other car, but what I have been doing is lots of planning and gathering of bits. As well as stripping the car down to the bare chassis. There’s not a lot of room in my garage for two cars though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 So this is where I’m up to so far…. First job has been lots of measuring. With the best will in the world there was no way the MX5’s gearbox is going to fit in the 9” wide type9 tunnel even if I did sit the engine a long way forward, so a bit of planning and plenty of angle grinding would be needed to make it work. A few years back I worked as a Mechanical Design Engineer so lucky for me still have access to some of the tools of my trade and 3D CAD software, for this I’m using Solid Works. Having got a basic model drawn up of the important bits, I can then start thinking about what needs cutting where and more importantly how it’ll all be welded back again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Chase (NICO) - Shropshire & Mid-Wales AO Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 OOOOh good, a new build thread You can never have too many of these. Good luck Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 watching with interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Looking forward to this one very much! Are you going to join us in th Narrow Owners Club and claim your free badge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 Looking forward to this one very much! Are you going to join us in th Narrow Owners Club and claim your free badge? A chance to join such an exclusive club put me down for membership captain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Looking forward to this one very much! Are you going to join us in th Narrow Owners Club and claim your free badge? A chance to join such an exclusive club put me down for membership captain A pleasure to have you on board! Badge in PM to you tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I think you'll need a better silencer than that. great to see a build thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 I think you'll need a better silencer than that. great to see a build thread Yeah it's pretty useless, but works quite well at stopping me keep skinning my shins on the end of the manifold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8grunt Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I think you'll need a better silencer than that. "Marigolds" tend to fall off, and the noise is then noticeable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 I should probably also add at this point the other reason for all the drawing and planning is because I cant weld!... Well I can sort of, but I haven’t done any since I completed my enginering aprenticeship 15 years ago. Instead I’ll be calling on the services of my good friend Ben, who lucky for me owns a local fabrication business and owes me a massive favour after I drew some fabrication drawings for him to build a 90% scale Comanche helicopter Yes really! Sadly it never got built after the paintball company he was to make it for pulled the funding from the project at the last minute. The intention is to get the car over to his workshop so as to be able to do all the welding in one hit and then hopefully reassembly can start after that and through the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanoecosse Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 About time you started a thread Mark. That narrow chassis looks tiny with the Mazda engine in it, compared to our wide bodied cars. Any predictions on when you think it will be finished? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 About time you started a thread Mark. That narrow chassis looks tiny with the Mazda engine in it, compared to our wide bodied cars. Any predictions on when you think it will be finished? It's quite a squeeze but I'm pretty sure I can make it fit The plan is for a 2-year build, but much of that depends on how easy I can gather the parts I need. As I'm planning on building it as a track day toy and I'm trying to keep costs down I'd rather avoid buying new parts where possible, it's a case of waiting for the bits I need to appear on the boardroom and eBay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 I like day's like this... no real progress to report, but the postman came knocking this morning with a small package of parts from Westfield. Thanks chaps It's not much to show but the bolts will now allow me to get the rear axle back on the car and make it much easier to move around. At the same time I also got a pair of steering rack adaptors for the MX5 uprights a throttle cable and a couple of radiator mounting brackets for the polo rad I'll be fitting. Last week I also bought a shiny new pair of rear shocks from Gaz so I'll be fitting them at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Seabrook Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Looking forward to this one very much! Are you going to join us in th Narrow Owners Club and claim your free badge? A chance to join such an exclusive club put me down for membership captain A pleasure to have you on board! Badge in PM to you tomorrow! Am I allowed such a prestigious honer being the owner of both a wide and a narrow bodied car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.