Leaderboard

On my way home from a car show at Tatton Park, Cheshire. Made a quick stop to use the scenery as a back drop.

Echo the sympathies to staff and sad news sentiments. @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman is doing a great job to gather support from the kit car industry. Just wanted to commend your efforts Dave. Personally, I feel confident a solution is out there. The AV business could be split from the sports cars, along with GTM and Chesil. Time will tell. This is a great passionate and supportive club. The knowledge within will help all in years to come. Andy

Afternoon all, Nick here from TigerRacing, due to unfortunate events it’s with great sadness that Westfield has gone into administration, even though it’s a competitor it’s always sad to see company’s in this industry go under especially a company as big as Westfield. That being said we also understand the great stress owners / builders of westfields will now be under. So here at Tiger we’d like to extend a helping hand to anyone with a Westfield who’s struggling for bits or parts, MOT’s or anything else. We know the fall out from this is going to affect many enthusiasts and we don’t like to see the community struggle. King regards, The Tiger Racing team

This is incredible that companies that could easily be classed as competitors are so willing to assist in anyway possible as opposed to saying "tough, don't care". Just goes to show that we really are part of a small but unique group of enthusiasts keen to help others out! Shame the rest of the world wasn't the same🤔 I take my hat of to you @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairmanand the others involved in the background rallying around. Amazing work👍

Popped down to Lydden Hill to see the Ferrari club track day. Managed to blend in amongst the paddock 😂

Folks, keep in mind that WSC Ltd was part of a group of companies, you may find it’s not so straightforward in terms of ownership of individual elements as you think. Until the insolvency practice has prepared their report, all this is just wild speculation, which may turn out to be well off track. As much as it’s in our nature to pick over the bones, and speculate, we need to hang back until we have more facts to go on.

Just posted on Facebook, the team at Tiger have offered a helping hand to people who are mid build.

I don't believe that Potenza Enterprises Ltd has any external investors. Their last balance sheet is healthy, with plenty of cash at hand (as well as debtors of c. £2m - see below). The accounts show less than £20k liabilities, so Potenza is clearly solvent. I've met a couple of the directors / shareholders of Potenza back when they bought Westfield - they were clients of a financial adviser I worked for at the time. They seemed like good people, although I accept that appearances can be deceiving and times can change. Looking at the Westfield books, the debt position to Westfield Technology Group Ltd increased from c. £1.2m in 2020 to £1.3m in 2021. Interestingly however, Westfield Sports Cars are owed £1.3m by Westfield Autonomous Vehicles, up from c. £0.7m the year before. Westfield Technology Group Ltd is an investment company - they owe £2.2m to their parent, Potenza Enterprises Ltd and are owed £1.3m by Westfield Sports Cars Ltd and £0.75m by Westfield Autonomous Vehicles Ltd. It's a tangled web of inter-company debt, although not that unusual in a group structure. The only significant debt that doesn't appear to be to a parent company is to Birmingham City Council - a mortgage on property. Purely hypothesising, but it's conceivable that Westfield defaulted on their mortgage payment to BCC and the council have called the debt in and Potenza don't have any more money to bale out Westfield. Maybe Potenza does have the money, but on the eve of a likely recession, are they willing to pump more cash into a business that will likely suffer a downturn when potential owners rein in their discretionary spending. Regardless, I really hope that the administrators can find a way to keep the company trading in one form or another. My own opinion (for what it's worth) is that if they concentrated purely on cars, there's a profit to be made. They could sub-contract their fabrication and composite expertise to external customers if required in order to supplement the income. Good luck to everyone involved, especially the 30-ish people at Kingswinsford that are facing redundancy

Now spoken to Neil at MK Racing/Kit Car Direct; who was also extremely sympathetic and helpful. I'm going to start putting a separate page together for this. Please note though, it will be a developing thing!

Here’s mine. I’ve had it 23 years and still loving it.

Everyone loves a photo, the weather's come good the season officially here and in theory we should be out and about a bit more ...be it a track day or by the beach, so let's have a look! A recent snap of your westfield in the wild! Blat down Avon gorge and back for me on Monday night....good times

Could be a bargain if anyone is after some IVA body mouldings... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195121722644?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TdUG7YXcQIq&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=n_TSApjaTBm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I know who the current supplier is there was talk of Poland for bodywork and chassis manufacture but that was in the pipeline and didnt happen before they went under Its a very sad situation i know many people at the factory very well and i can imagine they are in a state of shock as some have working there 20 plus years and I'm sure its had a massive impact on everybody and i wish them all the best in whatever they go onto do . I would like too think the Westfield brand will continue one way or another but it could take sometime to get things sorted out. Isnt it strange how things happen Chris Smith sadly passed away and just over 6 months the brand goes into administration.

Easimap 5: https://www.sbdmotorsport.co.uk/app/uploads/software/20071126A-R33-SBD-5.5.zip Instruction sheets. https://www.sbdmotorsport.co.uk/instruction_sheet_categories/mbe-ecus-related-wiring-information/ Note though, that the MBE ecu's use a specially wired version of a serial lead. Can be purchased: https://efi-parts.co.uk/product/mbe-serial-comms-programming-lead/ or SBD https://www.sbdmotorsport.co.uk/MBE-MAP-LEAD-mapping-lead-for-mbe-serial-based-ecus.html Or made, if handy with a soldering iron!

Fibreglass Sports Car Body Panels - NORCO Composites & GRP Suppliers to Westfield

Thinkin' aloud. The biggest asset is the BRAND IMO. The interest in Westfield by its competitors is for that reason alone IMO. The other assets are the bodywork and the rear uprights both of which could be reproduced. That's for the WSCC to acquire together with the archive, CAD stuff and drawings (if it can/wants to)!! The rest can be outsourced again through the wSCC. No idea about Chesil. GTM and the pod stuff - separate sale IMO.

Further update, had to cut the push rod thread down by 10mm so the brake pedal is in line with the clutch. Not so easy to do in situ with the end of a hack saw blade.

Take a break, with this limited edition WSCC YouTube mug! Getting your hands on one could not be easier! The next fifteen Video uploads we receive via westfieldupload@gmail.com will in return be given a limited edition WSCC YouTube mug! Visit the Forum - Video Talk section in the Start Line, for instructions on how to upload your Westfield video's. *Terms & conditions. Videos are to be sent to the email address - westfieldupload@gmail.com only! Please be the owner of the video created / submitted. Links to already uploaded video's on YouTube do not count. although you can send us an original video, that has been previously uploaded. Video's sent with music overlays may be changed, if we feel a copyright claim may be issued. This gift is from me personally & not a general issue item, from the Westfield Sports Car Club. First 15 email video's received after 18:00hrs on Wednesday 8/6/2022. Will be issued a WSCC Memorabilia YouTube Mug. Limited to one mug per recipient We will notify recipients. Get creating, uploading those video's! All the best. @HB46443

For those members active across the social media platforms, please don’t hesitate to pass on/post the link I gave previously, and repeat below. https://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/topic/148068-westfield-administration-help-for-members/#comment-1565709 While as a club we may have a duty to look after our own members in this troublesome time, we won’t turn our backs on any Westfield owner, new or old either. It’s why I’ve put it in the reachable by all, Start Line, then it’s right at the top of the forum. If you are a business, (or one of our own traders already), and want to reach out and offer support, please let me know. I can either post on your behalf in the thread above, or we you can post directly. Please pass this on. Forget brands, we’re all enthusiasts in the end, and now is the time we need to reach out and look after each other.

The more fervently active the club members are in the eyes of the administrators, the more they may realise that there is a very lively and enthusiastic membership out there, and therefore business to be had for the company if a buyer can be found. Conversely, a torpid and apathetic club membership would suggest the business is in the doldrums anyway. So, to paraphrase the desk sergeant from Hill Street Blues: "Let's be fanatical out there!"

Thanks Nick, I spoke to Jim earlier, who was also really helpful and sympathetic.

If any builders or purchasers of parts have paid for bits and not recieved them it may well be worth you contacting your bank or card provider. Yes credit cards give better section 75 protection but even debit card purchases can be pursued through your bank via the charge back scheme.

There is very little I can give by way of update at the moment, other than to confirm I've already reached out to Mark Bowen at the insolvency practioners. Already spoken to Jim at Tiger Racing, just trying to reach out to MK at the moment. We will put up a second thread with details of such offers, as and when.

@Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman @Scott Young (Captain Colonial) - Club Secretary I realise this may be in hand but could one of you email the Tiger Team to express our thanks and start a line of communication? Same for any of the other manufacturers who may have a vested, if somewhat tangential interest in maybe helping with outcomes in this particular industry sector...

I've sent mine in too. don't waste anymore of your hard earned money posting it out. You can throw it at me when you next see me. I hope they were made in the Potteries 😉 It's very kind of your to promote the club using your own funds this way! It's great to see such a relatively new member to our club, support us in this way and is clearly a measure of how quickly you've seen what a great club it is and you want to give back etc. Keep up the great work!

Thanks Dave, This is where our club really shines - the reassurance for owners that we have the initiative and expertise in the club to help protect Westfield owners and builders for years to come, no matter what happens to the factory 🙂

I've started a discussion amongst the committee re what "we" as a Club can do. One thing I would say though, some of the suggestions would result in massive changes to the Club, pushing us in opposing directions to some of those suggested in the membership thread, so very careful consideration is required. - please, that isn't a cue to begin debate here, there will be time for that, and we will open up a specific thread. I just wanted to update the membership, so that you know we are considering/looking into options, should a buyer not come forward for the factory as is.

I agree Mark and in these early stages I feel it would be beneficial for the WSCC to open communications with the administrator if only to make them aware of our existence at this time but likewise to gain an insight into the direction of things in the future and whether there would be opportunities for the club to acquire certain assets from them if a buyer isn’t found. @Scott Young (Captain Colonial) - Club Secretary @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman you likewise have my number and if you find in the future that there is a need for an archivist within the club I’d be happy to step up and help. To a certain extent but on a much smaller scale I’ve already been through similar when I acquired The rights etc to my JW4 racing cars so know what could be involved in documenting and recording records.

I was also thinking that and if things go badly in the end and we all hope they don’t, that would be one of several valid and serious propositions for the club to consider acquiring. It’s early days, but ideas are always good for being prepared.

This is very sad but could actually be good news for the brand, we were discussing about ensuring the membership doesn’t dwindle and if the brand is purchased then maybe we as a group can help re establish the brand with closer links to the factory….

Suspension setup….😎

That’s my Dad - who attached the fuel pump to my brain when I was small. 84, not very mobile, but was NEVER going to miss a gentle scream round the East Cheshire lanes…..😀

Very sad to see them in big trouble, especially as I'd bought a starter SDV kit and had delayed getting the bodywork until I needed it. I doubt i'll ever see that bodywork now