newbie seeking info

[paulprior21]

Hi, my name is Paul, I have just joined your club after buying a megabusa last week, normally I do a lot of research first, but I saw this one locally,liked it and bought it, I have only had the chance to drive it a few miles but I have some questions, the brakes are very poor cold, reading through the FAQ section I found that mintex 1144's seem to be recomended, but how do I know what calipers I have? Are they all the same on a megabusa?, can I buy these at halfords, or go online?.

My wife wants me to fit a windscreen instead of the standard wind deflector, is this possible? And how effective are they?, I also need to fit some sliders for the seat so my wife can also have a go, any advise?, or are these just standard items?.

I need to look at the pedals because even with fairly narrow shoes I kept hitting the accelerator while braking, any thoughts?.

Last one is that I have intron racing shocks fitted, they seem a bit harsh on my local country roads, will these have enough adjustment for general road use, or are they to track orientated?.

Is there something already available to make a usable space above the diff?, at the moment there is a lid, but no boxing.

I bought this car to put a smile on my face, it certainly does this

I don't have pics available right now, but it's the blue one recently advertised on this site.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

[Pistol Pete]

Welcome. Your shocks should have a adjuster at one end - generally anticlockwise softens them and clockwise makes them harder.

You can fit a windscreen ( will require fitment of wipers) but you get a lot more buffeting with windscreen and no side screen. Seat runners should be available but will make the seat a little higher.

Boot boxes are available from the factory or playskool - you can get two ruck sack bags in.

Enjoy.

[Pistol Pete]

Re the pedals, you can either try to bend the accelerator pedal a little to the right and/or see if you can increase the ratio on the throttle linkage so the pedal sits slightly lower than the brake pedal.

[Norman Verona]

Or get a pair of Pixie boots from Playskool. Normal shoes or trainers are far too wide.

 

If the aeroscreen is a good one it should deflect the majority of wind above your head. You'll still need goggles. Some buy very expensive goggles, me, being of the faith, spend as little as possible and get Birdz goggles, the ones that go over my glasses.

 

The brake pads may be track pads which will need warming. However this may not be as bad as it seems. I had Pagid pads on an Elise which didn't work when cold. But a few seconds of touching the brake pedal as I drove off warmed them enough to work. I'm a big fan of Mintex 1144s and you can get them from Questmead. If you speak to Alan and tell him Norman from DMS said to ask for discount you may be lucky. As far as Identifying the callipers we will need some pictures. Alternatively you can remove a brake pad pad, trace the profile on a piece of paper and send it to Questmead who will match it.

 

If will also help us help you if we knew whereabouts you are located.

 

Oh, and ed to add WELCOME

[pickmaster Andy Lowe]

Welcome and enjoy

My wife has a pillow behind her to drive, I might fill a bin bag with expanding foam that will mould to her bum and back like some racers do for double drives

You will find a few screens and wiper setups for sale as owners go down the aeroscreen route from time to time

The cars are a bit harsh on bumpy roads when compared to a normal sports ride car

The lack of a brake servo makes the brakes feel poor but mintex 1144 pads are twice as good as the old halfords ones that were fitted when I got the car

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Welcome,

 

There are pics of the car in the gallery, though sadly, couldn't just see the front brakes in them. The ad does say it's got four pots though, so a quick photo of the actual calliper will reveal all.

 

if they were factory supplied, they will either be AP, (which have Westfield written on the side in silver, with AP Racing next to it in yellow), or Hi Spec ultra lights, which have Westfield written on the side in white/silver.

 

Your seats look like JK Composites, I think I can see signs of a moulded in base - it looks a bit like a box underneath the seat, with supports that reach up the back. In which case it should unbolt from the floor, and you can fit runners to it. (They do a version of the seats without the bases that bolts directly to the floor and rear bulkhead, theses versions can't have runners fitted).

 

Looks a tidy car in the photos.

[paulprior21]

Hi guys, firstly, I'm from Shrewsbury.

Thank you all for the above info, I can't check the brake info as I'm away for a few days, I checked with the guy I bought it from, he thinks they are whatevever Westfield used as standard in a megabusa, I guess I need to get home and check.

On the windscreen front it's mentioned that I would get a lot of turbulance, does that mean they are not much use?, I was just thinking that as my speed built up my Vision started to blur, not sure if this is because of the wind or the stiff suspension, are there any thoughts on the race suspension being ok for the road on softer settings?.

I looked at a boot box from playskool, does anyone know of one with a lid?.

Thanks again everyone.

Paul

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

AA Composites do a great lidded boot box.

 

I don't  mean to ask a daft question, but what eye protection are you using - some safety glasses can vibrate a little at speed and cause blurred vision, as can spectacles under a crash helmet.

 

Likewise, some eye ware can let too much air flow in over your eyes that can make you tear up a little. You don't necessarily have to pay a fortune, but some brands seal better to some peoples faces than others, so a little bit of trial and error is occasionally needed.

 

Harshly set suspension will of course also play it's part on less than smooth Tarmac.

[paulprior21]

[Norman Verona]

Sunglasses are not enough, you need a pair of sealed glasses or goggles. There are glasses which are sealed and have a band around the back to keep the glasses pressed to the eye socket. 

 

Look at THESE

 

The suspension should be OK for the road. You may want to soften the Nitrons by backing off the knobs a few turns.

 

My advice is to take the car to the local ares meet and ask some of the chaps to drive round the block with you to see what they think.

[pickmaster Andy Lowe]

I had a thread on here

http://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic/106968-what-are-the-best-driving-glasses/?fromsearch=1

And had some good advice I bought the Dixons, they are great and I don't think I look like Biggles

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Yeah Dixon's do a great range; they have ballistic rated polycarbonate lenses too, so offer real eye protection from any flying stones you might encounter.

 

You'd be surprised the difference an elastic strap makes though, (let alone the bits that seal them to your face), I've had the same pair of goggles vibrate enough at speed to give the blurry vision you describe, yet the minute I swapped the interchangeable "normal" sides for the strap, it cured it completely.

 

If you can make it Mike Dixon's company is usually at Stoneleigh (and other big shows). Or they are on-line

[paulprior21]

[pickmaster Andy Lowe]

I'm on the right

Paddy dog has his own Doggles he has his own harness that clips to the seat belts when out in the car and used to ride in the tank bag when I had a Harley (he loves it)

He gets all the girls when we stop too

[Yanto]

Hi Paul, regarding windscreens and buffeting; when i was looking for a car i went out in one that had aeroscreens, the owner remarked that despite having a full windscreen originally his wife preferred aeroscreens as the wind was constant and not buffeting.

 

My car has a windscreen, without doors i find it very turbulent, with doors it is ok but there is still a substantial buffeting air flow from rear to front, Westfield sell a wind diffuser to fit between the rollbar, which might help.

 

Just a word of caution though if you keep the aeroscreens, the windscreen on mine was hit and is now cracked by a stone thrown up from a vehicle going the opposite way, it hit just off centre towards the passenger's side, the trajectory was such that it would have hit the passenger in the face/head, so maybe a helmet would be better with screens?

 

Cheers

 

Ian