Nose-cone and Spare wheel

[BigSkyBrad]

V8 Nose-cone

I’m sure I read somewhere that a V8 nose-cone has been modded to look Audi(?). If so, are there pics about? My nose-cone has been bumped by the previous owner parking in his garage and two of the slats are cracked – it needs sorting one way or the other as one of my winter projects.

Spare tyre

My car has a spare wheel mounted, which looking about at other Westfields, seems to be very much in the minority. The pros and cons as I see it are…

Pros – compliments the GT/classic look my car leans toward, and I have a spare tyre (obviously!).

Cons – weight, drag, fuel economy, weight bias. I don’t carry the jack and brace to give more room in the lockable boot, I do carry a can of tyre-get-you-home,  and I’m with the AA.

 

Any thoughts on the above appreciated. Cheers.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

@Wilfman has replaced the slatted nose grils, which had some damage, with Audi style honeycomb mesh. 

As for the spare; it's down to personal taste and what you want from the car! I found mine, which has a sort of retro modern look, looked odd with no spare.

However, I didn't want the weight, or in particular, bulk of a 205/50 15@ wheel back there! so I used a space saver from a Ford Ka, which is close enough in diameter to actually be usable. But more importantly, with the cover on, looked the part. (And like you, I had no jack for the first year or so, with it on.)

(If you ignore the camping gear/luggage, you can see how much thinner the spare is, but yet gives the classic "look".

[Wilfman]

Here you go - latest look..... there is a link on here which shows the result in more detail too. 

Feel free to ask if you want any more detail. 

[BigSkyBrad]

Ok, I now have more questions!

@Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary I never thought of a space saver. A Ford Ka 145/80-14 is 0.3% difference in diameter/circumference from a 205/50-15 so is spot-on, and even though a steel rim should still be say 40% lighter than a 205 and alloy. I'm an industrial textile fabricator by trade, so the vinyl cover is a doddle, made so many of them for 4x4's over the years - could even add the Westfield logo or club logo.

1. Do you have the bulgy part of the rim facing into the body, coz the wheel looks flat in your pic?

2. The number plate arms are shortened to suit, yeah?

Really liking the swept wings with the V8 bonnet - jealous!

@Wilfman When the slats are cut out, that must leave V's in the lip that rolls in toward the rad? Needing glassed and filled (and matt black paint!)? Looks smart. I couldn't find that link - only a pic of a red nose-cone.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

The bulgy part of the rim does, as you say stand slightly proud, so I have it facing the back of the car, but the spare generally is designed to fit that way round so no problem! It certainly looks OK with the cover on.

Both the number plate frame and the bolts holding the wheel on are indeed shortened to suit.

Would love a cover myself, specially with the club logo on! Perhaps we can talk via pm on that one? (If you fancy making some that is).

On Mark's nose, yes, it left shark tooth style cutouts, so those need fibre glossing in. Then, rather than paint the whole nose, he added the nose band, which also reliably finishes the nose off nicely. They're very tricky to get the proportions right on a Westfield, due to the shape of the nose. But Mark's are absolutely spot on.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Not sure if this is the original thread...

 

[Wilfman]

1 hour ago, BigSkyBrad said:

 

@Wilfman When the slats are cut out, that must leave V's in the lip that rolls in toward the rad? Needing glassed and filled (and matt black paint!)? Looks smart. I couldn't find that link - only a pic of a red nose-cone.

Yes, take the slats out with a Dremel and cutting disc and gently take back to flat (or just beyond to allow a key and graded fill) with a rotary sanding disc.  Glass the back of the "v" cuts with a couple of built up layers and then fill with P38 and finish with sanding block (half moon) and medium grit paper.  Keep filling and gradually working away reducing to fine grit to achieve the desired smooth finish.  

Rinse the nose cone with cold water and wash over to remove dust and bits and once dry, I applied a 3M satin black wrap, heating gently and slowly forming / stretching it around the curves.  Trim with a SHARP scalpel to edge (I took mine about 6mm around the edge due to a small crack in the front edge that had happened when the nose was initially damaged).   The trick is to not cut all the way through the wrap but effectively "score" the surface so that it tears along that weakness - the stuff is really quite resilient.

I have added a piece of the plastic grille over the exit in the top of the nose (cut away the top of the radiator cowling and where it fastens to the nose.  The radiator is now "nailed" to the chassis using the top lugs and some aluminium angle and similarly, at the lower end using some more aluminium angle.  The nose is now held in place by the usual 3 bolts (two at the top and one underneath and can be removed in a couple of mins and without the need to remove the radiator.

 

I have attached the original link to the before and after as follows...

 

Feel free to get back to me if you have any more questions.

[Wilfman]

Looks like Dave beat me to the posting of the original link while I was busy compiling my reply!...... thanks anyway Dave

[BigSkyBrad]

Thanks Guys, you've both given me plenty to think about for winter projects.

[Wilfman]

12 hours ago, BigSkyBrad said:

Thanks Guys, you've both given me plenty to think about for winter projects.

Here's the eBay reference for the grille in case your interested..... search for item 221533152369