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A 10 minute 🥶 drive to work this morning!

I’ve been away from competitive motorsports for far too long so for 2023 I’m making my long overdue return. The Westfield was the last car I raced and that was sold 3 years ago. Neither of the single seaters are quite close enough to finished for racing yet so a different plan and car is required for this year. It needs to be cheep and most importantly competitive, racing where there’s no silliness with expensive engines or won by the size of your chequebook. If I’m honest the search was quite brief and having wasted too many evenings in the past watching reruns of the red bull soapbox derby on the TV I had the urge to do something similar so in a moment of madness I’ve signed up and entered the Colchester soapbox rally. Race day is on 17th September so that gives me just 5months to design, build and test a car. https://incolchester.co.uk/soapbox-rally So far I have no team, and only some CAD sketches and a pile of old moped parts. What can possibly go wrong! Wish me luck! Mods: if you think this thread would be better in “Speed series Hillclimbing and racing” feel free to move it 😄

The other end of the day just home at 11pm 😂 a tad fresh as they say

Just a personal view, but: They have invested huge amounts into the business, are having to buy considerable stock up front, due to lead times normally "hidden" from the customers, as they aren't starting from scratch the way they are now. Plus, call me cynical, but I suspect the deals previous suppliers have put forward in terms of minimum order quantities and margins aren't exactly great, as those suppliers will be cautios and seeking to recoup any previous losses. I suspect over time things will stabilise and arrive at "true prices". Though I wouldn't expect any great price reductions. Costs of doing business have gone up so much since the "factory" was last open. We all want to see them do well, (I hope!!) and be around for a considerable time to come; equally I'm sure many look forward to seeing the products be developed further, and see their true potential. This is going to take investment in time and people, that will have to be paid for. Of course though, the quality of parts and availability etc, all has to match with the cost! It's a two way thing. At premium prices, we expect and have a right to demand, premium products and service.

There’s not much to show yet but these are the concept drawings I’ve been working on. The basic dimensions for the driver are not dissimilar to that of a Westfield. Chassis will be 25mm mild steel box with an aluminium floor. Most of the mechanicals such as the wheels, hubs and brakes are from a Peugeot Speedfight moped whist the narrowest steering rack I could source was from an MC2 Microcar. finished weight of the rolling chassis should be 55kg. The bodywork I’m loosely basing around the 1949-51 Ferrari 166 F2. I haven’t worked out how I’m making this yet but if time it’ll probably be fibreglass.

Glad I’m not the only dafty lol

Hi all, It's that time again for some food, drink and banter with friends! We'll be meeting at the usual Clock Warehouse (DE72 2GL) in Shardlow at 7pm in the upstairs room. Hope to see you there! Rob

As you'd expect from me it will be over designed and over engineered 😄

@Gary Taylor Should be warmer on the way home! ☀️

First run out today. Great weather for a shake down run. Test run of my new Keis jacket too. @AndrewBClarkeyou are quite right about the Keis heated jackets they are really good.

Entries now open at https://barcwales.com/

Hi everyone, the first of our usual two track days per year is on Friday, May 5th 2023. The format for this event will be the same as the last September one. Please read all of the details below and contact me as requested please. Also, please read the following disclaimer: ** To save the WSCC from any liability issues I have to let you know that the Curborough track days have been booked by Warwickshire Area Organisers independently (as they have been for the last 15 years) and are not therefore organised or sanctioned by the Westfield Sports Car Club. ** As usual we are keeping it to only 15 cars, with first choice on the limited number of places to Warwickshire Area WSCC members, then followed by the wider WSCC membership. If all the places are not filled, I will post it on the Warwickshire Area Facebook page and accept non-WSCC members to make up the numbers. I have arranged to have the on-site cafe provide us with food and drinks for the day instead of my BBQ. Clearly there is an additional cost for this, so the fee has been adjusted accordingly. The cost this time will be £90 per car/driver, if all 15 places are filled. Any additional driver/passenger will be £16 to cover food (if required). I intend to open the gates around 9am, the track will open at 10am, with lunch from 1pm until 2pm and finishing at 5pm. The proposed fee will cover all the costs but any surplus will be donated to the appropriate WSCC charity (Air Ambulance). However, if we cannot fill all the places then I will have to ask for additional funds to cover the cost of the hire. Ideally, I would like to see all monies paid by the end of April. These track days are often oversubscribed therefore we will keep a reserve list in case of last minute withdrawals, but if places are not filled, refunds for non-attendance cannot be guaranteed. Please follow the instructions below; 1. Send me a PM with your full name and email address 2. Pay the full balance by bank transfer to the details I return to you, ASAP please 3. Read the track hire rules sent to you 4. Read the menu below and indicate a lunch preference Menu Breakfast - bacon & egg or sausage & egg sandwiches Lunch - Burger & chips or curry & chips Drinks - tea, coffee & squash available all day (Other items may be purchased from the cafe on the day) Finally, due to the requirements of managing the track entrance I could do with at least one assistant who is prepared to attend and help with organising without driving or alternatively a few drivers to give up driving time to assist. Please message me if you wish to volunteer. This is always a great day and a safe way to explore the limits of your car and yourself with only one car on the circuit at a time. If you need any more information on this event, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I will add names to this list as they are booked - NO PLACES AVAILABLE: 1. Justin Lever 2. Andrew Gilbert 3. Rob Hunter 4. Mike Williams 5. Geoff Hall 6. Nick Mucklow 7. James Race 8. Tony Shakeshaft 9. David Burr 10. Ken Shuker 11. Paul Medhurst 12. Ian Heawood 13. Andrew Rowley 14. Greg Blair 15. Dean Bakehouse Reserves Pulled out: Ade Parham Tony Marley

Not sure how others feel, but after waiting for the parts department to open up, I cant believe the inflated prices they are charging, unreal !!

No I didn't get the gloves. I only got the one jacket, but I've told Sue she can use it if it's cold.

I built a cart for my local race. Entered for a few years, now my creation sits looking for a new home. Won. Fastest over the course, fastest through the speed trap and longest distance rolled after the finish line. Please with the result considering I built it for less that £150, most expensive bit was some rod eyes from Mc Gill for the steering. Will find a pic if your interested. Happy to pass on FOC to someone who will use it. Kenton

Bought them from JK Composites 👍🏼

That would just mean a lot more holes in my doors/windows etc

@Andy Bennie There are two sides to every coin and prices need to be set not only to satisfy the customer, but also to make the supplier some profit. I reckon once you've accounted for increased raw material prices and energy costs across the board, there's not much profit to be made if you still want the cost to be competitive. Also, I can't say if this also applies to carbon fibre fabric, but finished CFRP parts imported into the UK now attract higher import tax as they can't be recycled. I'm just thankful that W-C has been resurrected and hasn't sunk without a trace, which is great for both us as a group and importantly for British industry. As for the cost of their products and spare parts and what we're happy to pay, we all have a choice.

Hi good morning Martyn , I’m now back in the land of technology. My email address is davidjburr27@hotmail.co.uk upon receipt of your bank details I’ll send you the money. Regards David

Another new bag! A nice bit of kit - I was very happy until Mrs B. decided it was an ideal birthday present and whisked it away...😢

My dad tells a story from when he was a stockman back in the '60s. He was working on a 10,000 acre farm which was large enough that there was a certain turnover of stockmen/shepherds/farmhands, so there was always a new guy. One of the initiations was to lock the newbie in the 8ft round concrete slaughter hut, which when the door was closed was pitch dark, the only reference being the walls and the sometimes hanging carcass in the centre. But on this one occasion, unbeknown to everyone involved, two wild cats had got in through the offal drain. By the time they had got the new guy back out, he had been shredded! Incidently, my dad, rolling a smoke...

Had a nice ride. Little issue whereby some cable ties saved the day and got me home 😂 now to find a new one before Sunday…