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I'm back on the road after blowing the engine up at 3 sisters, so thank you to blink... and I will see you at aintree so I have a new bottom end (as I was always 10bhp down compared to smeg since day 1) now have a ported and polished head, kent cams. so now dyno'ed at 175bhp on my 1.8 zetec also had protecs fitted on the front. so don't tell Mrs Panda as I have sold the families bamboo fund see you on the road or track Panda

I think there will be more people entering on them if there is a chance of winning something without shelling out an extra £500 for otherwise 'must-have' tyres. Makes the barrier to entry much easier to overcome.

Do you have to crash to get the morphine or can you just ask? It may help my driving skills a bit. Also any discount codes going lol (edit for the morphine)

I'm wasting fossil fuels so future generations don't have to. The sooner we burn it up, the sooner we're forced to find expensive new energy solutions that reduce what can spend on pointless weapons and armies. Go out and thrash your Westfield dry - you're helping to bring new technologies forward and working towards global peace. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

See you at the campsite tomorrow

We'll just take the fossil bit out of the equation if we really need to. Plant material converted straight into ethanol instead of it being decomposed and buried underground for millions of years would be the simplest solution.

So, the saga of getting a reg number continues. Today after 4 weeks I finally get to speak to the chap in charge of my application and he is happy to get it all through for me today - sounds good right? Wrong! In order to get a 'Q' registration, the DVLA now have to generate a new VIN. This new VIN must be stamped on the chassis and the old VIN has to be ground out! Now, while I have no problem whatsoever getting a 'Q' Reg - I have a very, very big problem having my brand new chassis number ground out and a new one stamped in - it will make the car look like it's been stolen and recovered! What the nora is that all about! I have asked them to hold on while I find the V5 of the donor I used (to maybe change tack and go age related)- either that or I need to "buy" a new gearbox and "magically" refurb my engine to as new - then go through IVA again. I really have no words to describe how I feel about this!

I have started another topic to keep the discussion away from the Class topic..... I see from a number of post the start up costs are seen as a barrier to "having a go". We all know that once you have a go, most (if not all) are well and truly hooked. This outcome is even more probable in the WSCC Speed Series because of the friendliness and banter in the paddock plus the mentoring and advice that is freely given by those with a little more experience. So how do we reduce the cost of "having a go". What do you need to start..... 1. MSA Licence - unfortunately this is mandatory and can't be avoided or borrowed. Speed Non Race Nat B - £43 2. Car - most Westfields are built to a spec that needs very little to enable it to be eligible and pass scrutineering. You do not need ignition cut off switches and fire extinguishers but you do need a 1l oil catch tank, some stickers to show where the ignition key is and direction to turn it, 2 throttle return springs and not be too noisy. You do not need sticky sprint tyres. There are other things but not big cost items. £ depends on the spec of your car, most of it is your time in preparing your car. Timing strut, Stickers and an oil catch tank cost very little c£20 3. I would recommend as a minimum a 4-point harness and a MSA spec roll-bar with bracing. Though you can compete with a standard Westfield roll bar and 3-point seat belt. £0-£100 4. MSA spec helmet - motorcycle spec helment tend not to be valid for motorsport. Can be borrowed but personally it is one bit of me that I want to have properly protected so I wouldn't borrow a helmet and would buy one that fitted me perfectly. There are plenty of budget helmets that are compliant for not a lot of money. From £150 5. Fire proof race suit and gloves - can be borrowed and budget versions exist. Borrow for £0, eBay for under £80 or new start from £250 6. Entry in the WSCC Speed Series £25. Even this is not actually necessary as are own event at Blyton is open to all WSCC Members. £0 7. Event entry fee - can't be avoided £100-120. 8. The desire to have a go. If you are still reading this then you are probably a candidate to have a go. So if you go down the borrow route and your car is about there, other than a bit of time to sticker properly and make a timing strut out of an old bit of ali sheet, then start up costs can be no more than the MSA Licence (£43). Then you have your event entrance fee (£220 for 2 days at Blyton or £115 if only do 1 day) and travel costs. Read the "Beginner's Guide" by clicking here for some excellent guidance. When I started in 2009 I went on eBay and manged to buy a pair of racing boots and suit (valid for hillclimbs and sprints) all for £70 and oil catch tank for £20. The boots lasted me 2 years and the suit is now rather faded but still is within the regs. What happens is the more risky forms of motorsport (circuit racing, rallying etc) have tighter regulations on safety equipment and they go out of date but are still valid for hillclimbs and sprints and perfectly serviceable - so bargains are out there on eBay. I already had a valid helmet and a Westfield car so for under £100, a bit of time plus MSA licence fee I got started and won the novice championship in my first year! I don't think I am alone in the WSCC SS in so far as not only do I upgrade my car I also upgrade my kit - so I have a spare suit (the one I purchased on eBay in 2009) that I carry around as a spare for when I get rained on. I also have (but still valid) 4 point harnesses (but in all honesty most road based Westfields already have them fitted) and various other bits in the garage that I should sell. So we could have a "pinned" post on here offering surplus kit that new starters could borrow for the odd event/short time period. So I will start with free loan of.... 1. Nomex Race Suit 2. 4-point harness 3. RAC type braced roll bar (for an SEiW) 4. Advice, guidance and mentoring

That's where the Pope can help...

Reducing costs - Travel to events. No need to hire or buy a trailer! Drive to them in the Westie I drove to all sprints in my first year and to 60% last year & 2 trackdays. Pick a few sprints that are closest to have a go. (Chris Won Novice Champ in 2013 driving to many events, & that was with an aeroscreen) There's usually a friendly competitor near to you who will help with transport of gear if you cannot fit it all in the Westfield.

This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in ages. I hope you get it sorted soon. Failing all else you could try this avenue.......... Contacting our Chief ExecutiveIf you’re still unhappy with the response from the Customer Complaints Co-ordinator, you can contact DVSA’s Chief Executive. Our corporate office will independently review your complaint and provide a detailed response. DVSA Chief Executive DVSA Corporate Office DVSA Corporate Office 2nd Floor Berkeley House Croydon Street Bristol BS5 0DA Email vosa.corporateoffice@vosa.gsi.gov.uk Phone 0117 954 3274

" ( including Smeg ) are only a few points behind" - Ha, 4th in Novice Champ does look good on the face of it! But Barney was unlucky with his engine at Gurston, and my average is 9th in Novice Champ. " lets not spoil the classes and progression we have to do that" definitely, I would not want all Westfields to be equal, as the diversity is what is so brilliant about our cars with the innovation and development of the leading experts being awesome. The current class structure supports this. Including some extra variants to encourage others to have a go and some to stay after Novice should enhance this not subtract from it. 1A tyre award in A&B is a great idea, but there are many non competitors on harder compound 1B tyres (which makes a big difference, as I've found between my R1Rs and ZZRs at Blyton) so should we include those as well? At least if someone upgrades after having a go on 1As to a non sprint 1B tyre it's an investment for all their Westie driving. As for Nomex/Helmet costs - I borrowed to start off from several people and I've spotted several other members offering loan of theirs on the forum.

Great idea - it's about keeping the first step as accessible as possible

Nice simple summary Martin and I like the idea of a 1A tyres award ......if anybody is running on them!

Now the latest scores have been added I can't really see what's wrong with the classes as they are ?? From a novice prospective with five rounds completed the top three of us are split by only a few points ( might I add in three very different cars ) and our averages are all very similar the next few again ( including Smeg ) are only a few points behind and chasing hard. I agree we should do all we can to encourage new speeders but lets not spoil the classes and progression we have to do that. The start up costs are there regardless, but to help keep those costs to a minimum perhaps we could simply have some awards for drivers in classes A + B running on list 1A tyres ?

Mrs Panda is a sweetheart and will probably forgive you anything, but I'll keep quiet, no worries!

Gentlemen start your engines

Yeeeehaaaaa its dry ............here at least........bag in car waiting for Chris then were off.................

nick no one spent the cash because there was no need to. why bother with ****** little wind and wavestuff when we have an abundance of cheap oil and good old nuke power...... as for a crock of ****..... such a dumbass comment i dont know where to start.... i know lets think what we have now that would amaze people in 1930..... oh everything you say well blow me! i mean back then im sure they would have been scoffing at our ignorance and talking with their mates on the internet using an ipad? 85 years is more than enough to get rid of fossil fuels just at the moment the system is such that the powers to be and the people with the money dont want us to. well done to the G7 for trying as pointless as it is.

The most reliable and cost effective is hydro power , the UK has some of the biggest tidal ranges in the world yet we have done practically sod all to harness the power of the sea , we spend billions on offshore wind farms which are a big white elephant , yet very little is heard or written of using manmade lagoons to harness the tide , Could it possibly be because of objections from the greens who would have us all riding push bikes and living in caves

I spoke to them yesterday and there was a mention that "people aren't sending in their receipts for the engine and gearbox" - I said I provided a receipt for my used engine and pointed out I am going for a 'Q' - they said "oh that's OK then". ETA: The built up vehicle report is where you state where the major components come from and it asks for receipts. To get a new reg, you are only supposed to have 1x refurbed item (usually the gearbox or engine), the rest has to be new. So strictly speaking, to be allowed a new reg either your engine OR gearbox will need to be brand spanking new, the other will need to be refurbed to 'as new' condition and they will want to see receipts to prove it. My engine is 2nd hand - was actually completely rebuilt a couple of thou miles ago by previous owner, so I might have managed to claim a refurb, but my gearbox and diff are off an 80's Sierra - so I went for a 'Q'. I guess, being someone who has produced print ready artwork as a living before, I could have been creative and 'found' the receipts - but I really have no burning desire for any kind of 'kudos' forming plate on my car - and a Q has it's merits at MOT time and says "I built this!".

that's me booked on

Not for a while yet but there is this date which some of us will be going to. http://www.trackaction-online.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=1_12&products_id=27