Westy, optimum power output ?

[McDuff]

As a newcomer to Westy ownership I was talking to a well known engineer recently' who did quite a lot of work on engines for Westfield some years ago.

 

He made the point that after many hours of track testing, 170 BHP was probably the optimum power output of this type of car, since with that output, with practice it was possible to consistently keep ahead of the V8 powered examples, at least on the track.

 

I have limited experience with Westfields,  but would be interested to hear other people's thoughts .

[Rory's Dad]

I have 185bhp which is one thing and 165ftlbs of torque which is another.  i have 'plenty' of performance and don't have to change gear all that often.

[Dommo]

I have 260bhp/240lbft. In many respects it's too much for the road, in that I can't use it all. On the flip side of that of course it's nice to have in reserve. On track the power is much more useful. Overall I think I enjoyed road driving more when I had 170bhp, but it's marginal as I do quite like having lots in reserve. It's much less marginal when the roads are slippery

[jeff oakley]

Steve Hole from TKC magazine has always said that 150-160bhp is for a road going Caterham type car is about the right level. With that on the road you have to drive it to get the best out of the car.

I have 200bhp and you never get to use it at all on the road but on the track it is never enough. 10 years ago 200bhp was a big number but now 250-260 is common with ease, which makes a really fast car and keeps you in front on track days of the 500-600bhp EVO guy's who otherwise come past on straights and then teeter around corners.

[D7PNY]

A lot depends on the setup in my experience.

 

I 'only' have 175bhp in mine but at sprints so far this year I have been quicker than a 220bhp westfield, 225bhp caterham an R500 and an arial atom.

 

Granted the latter 2 were poorly driven but the former had a lot to do with gearing.

 

Mine with 175bhp, MT75 box and 3.92 LSD seems to be a real sweet spot though in my opinion.  Suspension has been well set up and I can drive it HARD right on the limit and it's not come back to bite me (yet!)

 

Eventually, I will look to get it up to say 225bhp at which point you get seriously quick car if teamed up with a good all round setup.

 

Dave

[carbon-nv]

At a trackday last week at Rockingham, there was a youngish lad driving a Narrow bodied car running a Zetec engine on carbs, which he estimated was putting out around 165bhp. Aside from track orientated tyres (not slicks) the car was pretty standard, Spax shocks, M16 brakes etc..

 

However, he was passing with ease all the other, slightly more powerful, Westfields there and a chap running a turbo-charged and highly developed Locost which was putting out high 200's in terms of power also struggled to keep up

 

I believe that the lad had a bit of race experience behind him in other marques and it was clear that he was skilled enough (and brave enough) to enter and exit corners much quicker than most cars there. He said that he was taking the part of the track that took in the corner of the banked oval flat out and pushing 130mph before braking for the hairpin. Watching him drive I didn't doubt it

Even guys driving Radicals doing some pre-race testing were clearly lifting off there. His car even had a windscreen!

 

This brought home just what a difference driver skill can make

[stephenh]

I am astonished that a Westfield with 165 bhp (and a windscreen!) can pull 130 mph between the banked turn and the hairpin where you leave the banked circuit.

My car has considerably more power than that, and an aeroscreen, and I doubt that I was reaching that speed when we were there early in this season for the first round of the Speed Series. A narrow would probably be lighter than my car, but not much as my car is stripped out for sprinting.

I must be doing something wrong!!

[Mattt]

I don't think my gears will even go to 130mph....

 

I've got just over 160bhp and it feels enough for the road.

[corsechris]

At a gnats under 170bhp in ours, the power to skill ratio is more than high enough to cause trouble if I forget myself.

[TAFKARM]

190bhp

[carbon-nv]

I am astonished that a Westfield with 165 bhp (and a windscreen!) can pull 130 mph between the banked turn and the hairpin where you leave the banked circuit.

My car has considerably more power than that, and an aeroscreen, and I doubt that I was reaching that speed when we were there early in this season for the first round of the Speed Series. A narrow would probably be lighter than my car, but not much as my car is stripped out for sprinting.

I must be doing something wrong!!

 

I admit to only having the lads' word for it (and I felt it to be pushing the limits of possibility given the car's spec), but all other elements I wouldn't doubt for a minute, having seen the way the car progressed around the circuit and made others and I look positively slow

[Terry Everall]

As the fastest Westfield at the Rockingham sprint this year I was hitting 120mph on that section so I agree with Stephen that its high unlikely with 160 bhp!

 

For comparison, I have a super bike spec Honda fire blade engine in an Aeroscreened car car that weighs around 410 Kgs and I was on full soft A15 Slicks. From accurate data you need a lot of bhp/torque to pull more than 120 mph on any circuit even with long straights. Maybe his speedo was out , my figures are backed up by a Datalogger as well as similar data from other competitors and we are often some of the quickest cars on track including single seaters

[pete g]

I hit 124 mph with 270bhp

[CrisisWolf]

At a gnats under 170bhp in ours, the power to skill ratio is more than high enough to cause trouble if I forget myself.

 

Quite true. Mine is around 175-180hp at the fly. It has plenty more ability than I have so before I add more power I need to add more skill and practice. Even before I went for TBs etc and was running 130hp it was plenty on the road for me. Only really notice 'being slow' on a track day with the more skilled drivers on here... and if on the road if someone decides to go beyond the speed limit on a dual carriageway. I think the Westfield adds more fun/speed feel factor over a 4 door saloon with 400hp plus tho. At least I feel some essence of speed and thrill at 70mph. Driving fun not outright speed.

[Onliest Smeg David]

'Driving fun not outright speed' absolutely & even modest power gives good acceleration in such light cars.

 

I recon around 150-180 is about right for an allround Westie.