Leaderboard

Well, spring has reluctantly sprung and my autocross season has finally opened.I made a number of changes over the long Montana winter and was excited (and a bit nervous) to see how they worked when put to the test. This first event of the season was hosted in Helena, Montana at a police and fire training facility where they learn to slide firetrucks around! The place is huge and there is absolutely nothing to hit so the speeds are high for autocross. This means that there are lots of high speed violent lane-change maneuvers where the car is moving at 80 mph and one needs to change lanes and back again as quickly as possible. Honestly this can be scary stuff and it takes full commitment and trust that the car will be with you when you flick it at 80+ mph. This past winter I installed a new Siltech +35 sidetrack front suspension, changed the spring rates to suit the different spring angle, made a new front ARB to work with the Siltech parts and lastly I made a new ultralight rear spoiler to help keep the rear end from wanting to pass the front during high speed transitions. Saturday was cold (50°F) but dry in the morning and the brand new Avons needed a few runs to get properly scrubbed in so I could tell what the car was doing. After a few runs the car was telling me it wanted a stiffer front bar and that helped with turn-in while still keeping the rear end in line. I made a small shock adjustment (one click softer) on the Nitrons and my last run of the morning felt very good and my confidence was growing. After a lunch break it got just a bit warmer and grip was improved and I felt even better in the car I was able to set the fastest time of day (FTD) over a supercharged Ariel Atom and a full-race 600hp Corvette on 14” wide (!) slicks. My winning margin was .6 seconds on an 80 second run. Not a huge margin but it proved to be a winning one. Sunday was warmer (70°F) so the grip was much better and the course was faster (different courses for each day) and after adding a bit of toe out to the front to aide turn-in on the tighter parts of the course the car felt just right. It felt planted and supple and it could really work with the surface instead of against it. The turn-in was very crisp but the rear end stayed in line even at high speeds. With my old narrow track front it would turn in well but then you’d need to mind the tail - now I can stay on the gas without having to worry that the rear end will come around. Simply brilliant. I set FTD again this time with a 2 second margin on a 77 second run. The new widetrack front is no doubt mostly responsible for the change. The rear spoiler might aide a bit at high speed but the car felt awesome even during 60 mph full throttle, long radius sweeper turns. I’m sure I have more room as a driver to take advantage of the new set up and that will hopefully come as the season progresses and I gain more confidence. I wish I had photos of the car in action but I had no one to take any so some static shots will have to do. The first is of the car loaded on the trailer to make the trip to Helena (100 miles), the next is the pits for the event with my car and a 500+ HP Nissan and the Supercharged Atom, and the last two are of my car safely back home with lots of pick up from pulling off the course and over dirty pavement with hot tires. Thanks to Siltech for helping make me quicker. Dennis went above and beyond the call of duty to answer the countless emails to get everything sorted out for my car. The next race is next weekend. Hoping for sun and warm pavement! Thanks for reading. Dave

Hi All. I'm picking up my new 11 at the factory on Friday. Bit scared looking at the build manual! I built a Caterham some 15 years ago, but that was from a wreck with a new chassis, this will be my first full build with SVA at the end. Hoping to get it on the road for next summer, time allowing. I have scrapped a very rotten midget to get the mechanicals which I will have rebuilt, as I want as many parts as possible to be new. You will see me on the technical forums!

Another job ticked off the list this evening and the new carb is fitted. I need to source a throttle linkage kit at some point but I can’t decide on whether to go top or bottom mounted.

But it matches my bloodshot eyes 😂

Definitely 🤣🤣🤣

Red cars are so last year 🤣 🤪 🤔

I think this is very wonderful

I like to start my build threads with a little bit of background and history and although this cars history started all the way back in 1968 my knowledge and involvement with it began much later than that. Those of you that have seen my other posts and build thread will know that my involvement in single seaters and specifically Johnny Walker's F4 cars began in around 2014 when I bought my first JW4 Formula four car, one of the first 1966 250cc Mk2 chassis. Walker only made 56 cars of which only 12 were Mk2's and search to find original parts to rebuild my particular car lead me on an unexpected journey which culminated in me obtaining much of the original factory records, drawings and tooling for the JW4. One car that had always intrigued me during my research was the very last car that Johnny Walker made; the Costin Walker. This car was something quite different to any of his previous F4 chassis and for which Walker had employed the talent's of Aerodynamist Frank Costin to design the chassis and bodywork who was famed for his early work with Lotus cars then later Marcos. More used to working with a wooden monocoque for his chassis construction on previous projects, for this commission his 18th car Frank Costin chose to adopt a space-frame construction and in his words to "carry it to its logical ultimate". Costin set out to design what was to become one of the stiffest space-frames ever produced for its weight and this very car went on to be displayed at the 1969 Racing Car Show at Olympia. I will continue the full history in later posts but, the history of the prototype was short lived when in 1971 during an F4 race at Lydden, the car spun striking the bank which caused damage to the front suspension upright and steering rack. Rather than rebuilding the car a disillusioned and financially strained Walker sought to sell the car, but it was not to be run again by any of the subsequent owners. The last recorded information I had of the car was a magazine cutting from 1991 where then then owner of the remains was seeking information about it's past. This article was the first breadcrumb in my search to find the whereabouts of the car as I wanted to learn of it's fate. As luck would have it the owners name in the article was quite unusual and after a session of googling I was able to find somebody with the same name but promisingly working in the motorsports industry. An enquiring email was sent and luck was again on my side as I had not only found the right person but also they were still the owner of the car having by then had it for nearly 40 years. I would add that at this time I had no intent in buying the car as my interest was in the researching the history of the marque. I arranged to meet the owner Denis and I was grateful that he was also willing to show me the car and fill in a few blanks about its history and whereabouts over the preceding years. Denis had bought the car in 1976, 5 years after its Lydden accident. back then it was in a sorry state having languished in a damp and draughty barn for 5 years and it's original 85bhp imp engine and jack knight gearbox had long since gone. After a period of storage Denis had set out to restore the car and at the time I first saw it in 2016 the car was still in pieces and the only part which had then been restored was painting of the chassis. A pleasant afternoon was spent kicking tyres and talking cars then I went on my way back home. A few more emails were exchanged between us over the next few weeks as I found out more about the cars history and we shared information and then that was it.

Hi all I going to drive up to The Ponderosa from South Wales on the 18/06/22. Image below of the proposed route, taking in the Senny Bridge Ranges, Elan Valley, Devils Bridge etc. Route below. Its a long route and I plan to go there and back in 1 day, I think a couple of the Bristol group fancy coming but of any wants to join me on the way up or meet us at the Ponderosa then stick a post on here.. Praying for the best of Welsh weather 🤣

Evening all just joined up and a newcomer to the Westfield cars. purchased a 2009 XTR2 about a month ago. been enjoying it when it works. Have had some chain issues and also the drive nut vanished on a track day but otherwise all good. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcOGp4SKO7C/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Registered 1993 and MOT’d April 2022 Only 1820 miles since total engine and full drivetrain rebuild. Where listed below as new to mean new at time of rebuil or later. 2.1 Pinto dyno-ed 165 bhp 145 ftlbs torque Piper 300 cam New hardened valve seats, shortened and baffled sump, high pressure oil pump, oil separation tank, oil catch tank. Lightened flywheel and new clutch. Twin 45 DCOE’s, rebuilt and jetted to engine on dyno Electronic ignition All engine machining carried out by Coltec (Holbay), cylinder head by Terry Nighingale New Revotec fan & rebuild copper cored radiator Gearbox rebuilt by BGH - E6HD 5 speed Type 9 gearbox with long first gear & heavy duty bearings Diff rebuilt by Dave Rae and Quaife ATB lsd fitted New EBC Green Stuff pads and driled discs at front New Spax coilovers all round, progressive at rear New rear wheel bearings New driveshafts U/J’s SW gauges rebuilt by Speedy Cables ltd 4 wheel geometry set up by Darren at The Little Car Clinic Luke 4 point harnesses Heater 6½” re-packable silencer New Toyo Proxies T1R tyres Electrics well thought out and protected with fuses & relays - box located below dash above passenger knees Box of receipts I do prefer the long winged and well used (some call it patina) Westfield look. Being a mechanical perfectionist I regret not taking BGH advice to fit a better quickshift gearlever extension. This would have been next winter’s job. Always garaged. I love this car and I have really enjoyed rebuilding it. I am now getting too old to properly use the potential and with only 1820 miles since 2018 (12 miles in last 2 years) and most of the jobs done it is time for me to move on. £ 8500

I'm shocked and amazed that Terry "Seems" to have got the scores right but time will Tel (pun intended) See if you can prove me wrong, results for Blyton below. Blyton Race 4 - Sat Blyton Race 5 - Sun Tiggs

As for the customer service its all ok, it seem,s to be reputable company, always re to e-mails, I had fair leading time (dont know now) quality is very , very good , much above original, Westfield seats I had, rigidity etc., But those seat are not lightweight ones. And definitely try to seat in it before order or exactly check the dimensions on their www/pdf in tables. Some models have high around hips sides and those sides are really stiff, no compliance at all.

To be honest….I can do Black …or a lighter Blue be perfect 😍 Red isn’t my fave colour but hey..I depends on spec and paperwork, service books and full weather gear…! Think we need a new title on this chat?

Autocross is rather different. Sprinting like this above is every time, every event on the same track-line, no cones, not tyre-made chicanes etc. Onre can nail to milimeters, know every disturbance on track, practice scenarions in turn-sequences, which turn is prioritete , begining of braking, apexes etc. In Autocross every time is different. I drive on similar like @Davemk1 events, so interested in his experience. Especially how to stabilize rear, as there are many exists from tight corners where car is not settled down like on long fast turns onm real tracks. (on some events I attempt, there are often a photo-video crev and every driver gets his full record from all probes , good thing to see how tyres are contacting tamrac and how suspension work on bumps etc, example below. Would be great to see how is Your @Davemk1 Westfield behaving is similar conditions !

Ah, ok, thanks for that. You may be a life-saver. I'll sort something proper before I track it. Only had it a week and not had enough time to fully inspect it.

I'd have met you in Rhayader if we weren't planning our tour of Wales on 15/16. Still might if we get rained off and have to postpone. You gave me the idea of incorporating the Ponderosa in our tour though so ta for that.

Don't forget we all have a legs, A***, back, neck limit in these cars and make sure the route draws a nice picture too!

Defo I'm still a salad dodger. Well some may say 'it never rains', I've done some 'private investigations' and have possibly found a place on 'Telegraph Road' that may be willing to take them for 'Love Over Gold', however you're likely to catch an 'Industrial Disease'

You could try a diet 😘 less cake more salad !!! You can have Ian Kinders

And they're from Leeds.

No please don't! I'm cleared for the Sat and @RobP meant he would be able to do Sat NOT Sun... With @WSC Simon that would make x 4 so far... What about @the stoat @SXRORY are you free for a jolly?

We should be there !!! Excuse us if we’re late 🙄

I can remember that tour. I wore a M size then. Now thanks to steroids and a fondness for alcohol, M and L are way back in the rear view mirror…

Hope all goes well and you are clear of it and fit very soon!

Love these guys.

and one from just a year earlier

Hope you can get someone to video you and the course you run; 'a bit more open and quicker' sounds excellent!

Had a really great day at Donnington, damp start but then it dried out mid morning.. generally really good standard of driving and also often a fairly empty track. Car went really well. Also met Tim with a really smart red duratec Westy who was going well and his friend with a Caterham R500... Only downside was when one of the cars emptied it's oil all the way down the back straight so we lost about fourty minutes trying to clean that up while the track was still moist!

Hi, saw your motor at Stoneleigh I think, blue FW in great condition in the WSCC tent. Lovely car 👍 (sorry, don’t need the gear knob, but I recognised your BobMet name!)

Well isn't that fun - not only is that the type of racing I do but that is the exact location of the race I did this past weekend. Good ol' Helena, Montana. The course we ran this past weekend was set up much differently and was a bit more open and quicker but the video gives you a good idea of what it's like. Good find! dave

After a day eating great food and ice creams on one @Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative days out I need to call the truck of shame🤦‍♂️, with loss of drive and a horrible noise. This is what I found today when removing the gearbox and stripped down. Good news, is it’s all back together and had a little drive around the local area.

It is a fact that eating cakes and ice creams rots your teeth😃 Great news that you are back up and running👍

With the arrival of several more deliveries through the post I’ve been able to make more progress in the last week. First delivery was the manifold gaskets that I’d forgotten to order before. I actually found a complete new old stock gasket set that worked out cheeper than buying individually. Next onto the oil breather hoses for the rocker cover and gearbox. I’d opted to use Aeroquip pushfit socketless fittings but this turned into a much more difficult job to assemble them than I’d ever imagined. To push the hoses home fully you need hands with a vice like grip and the arm muscles of a weight lifter, by the time I was done several hours later my palms were red raw and my arms aching. I had to rethink the gearbox fitting as I’d originally fitted a 1/2” BSP to -08 JIC adaptor to then take a 90 degree hose fitting but there wasn’t enough room for that and it clashed with the gear linkage so I had to switch to a 1/2” BSP banjo. I’ve had to keep the hose length long to avoid kinks which I’m not happy with as I’d rather the hose sits flat across the top of the gearbox. It’ll do for now but I may change it later on.

On to todays jobs and all the rest of the engine ancillaries have been fitted and the coolant hoses connected up, I still need to route and make the hoses that run to the front of the car and connect to the radiator. The exhaust and inlet manifold have been temporarily mounted in place but due to a slight oversight on my part I’d forgotten to order a new manifold gasket so it’ll have to wait till another day before I bolt it on permanently. Oil catch tank fitted, a job for next time will be to make up the breather hoses to the engine and gearbox. The last job for the day was to swap the rocker cover over to something more befitting of the engine bay. The colour I haves it painted in is a hint at what’s eventually to come for the bodywork. Finally a few photos of how the engine bay looks now.

Thanks for that. Not sure if this is cosmetic but it feels pretty meaty. I've started looking into fitting a full cage.

Sorry I can’t be there @Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO as I’m mid-Covid 😬