About to take the FW Special Edition plunge...

[GrahamC1066]

Hi all, my first post - so here goes.

I found myself doing a factory visit today, the purpose of which was to get handle on doing an SDV build - oh how quickly that plan changed! 

Simon Westwood did the rounds with me, lets just say that he must have one of the easiest sales job going, those things just sell themselves! It wasn't long before my budget was binned and I have found myself deliberating about making the plunge for an FW Special Edition (so a slight change of plans then!). There was an FW in electric blue with black arches sitting on the ramp, just stunning.

So I have pretty much convinced myself now, however I'm seriously questioning the "value" of some of the options I've selected (given that I am stretching my budget) and would welcome the opinion of others who may have already plumped down this route.

I appreciate we have varying aspirations when we enter this field and all I would say is that I'm no boy racer (too long in the tooth) and will probably just find myself tootling around sunny Cheshire but you never know a track day may well beckon at some point (once my wallet recovers).

So it seems that my extras list looks like this:
#1) Wide track wishbones
#2) Westfield calipers
#3) 8" rear wheels
#4) Heater
#5) Sport Turbo seats
#6) Four point harnesses
#7) Tonneau

It's really #2 (the calipers) and #7 (tonneau) that have me deliberating. Simon indicated that pretty much everyone plumps for the calipers, and tbh I just couldn't help thinking  
would I really notice 4 pots that much and that I could always just paint the ones supplied if I fancied bling!

As for the tonneau, well really it was my nod to some level of practicality, but without really seeing one I'm not too sure - plus I was a little concerned that the studs(?) needed to fasten it in place would just look plain ugly.

OK, so I am splitting hairs and lets face it there are worse problems in life to have, but there you have it this is where I am up to.

One last thing, not signed up for the owners club yet - but given that my deposit needs to be with 'em next week I will do so shortly after. 

Are there any words of wisdom to help with my thinking? Or is there perhaps someone in Cheshire who might look kindly on my "predicament" and care to demonstrate/discuss the joys of ownership before I part with my cash?

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

from a cold Scarborough.

I am useless with cars but before long all your questions will soon be answered.

[David Oxfordshire]

9 minutes ago, Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO said:

from a cold Scarborough.

I am useless with cars but before long all your questions will soon be answered.

 Welcome....add to that the annual membership to WSCC because this place is invaluable....personal experience tells me that.

My only bit of advice....look here first for a building pointers.....Westfield manual second....

[CraigHew]

where in Cheshire are you Graham?

I'd drop items 4 and 7 personally 

[Andy (Sycho)]

I wouldn't bother with the cover until post IVA so no need to put it onto the extras, as for calipers not sure which ones you mean but if you mean the Westfield branded hi spec ali ones I think that's all Westfield sell now!

But if you mean the 4 pot race ones they are not really needed especially for road use.

[GrahamC1066]

All, thanks for the prompt replies.

CraigHew: The heater is a concession to my boss (ie my wife) and given that most of my joints have seen better days figured it would help keep em moving. (I'd actually have had heated seats if they were on the list!!). I'm in sunny Shavington, between Crewe and Nantwich.

Sycho: The calipers are described on the options list as "Westfield front & rear caliper", yours for an extra £450...they sure looked nice but I couldn't remember what was in 'em...guess they were 4 pot ali versions. Clearly it comes with brakes already though so just wrestling with the extra wonga.

I know I'm splitting hairs with this stuff, and if I'm already in this deep another £600 or so is barely worth crying about...but I have to draw the line somewhere - otherwise I'd just tick it all!!!.

 

[jonjh1964]

I followed the same route as you 6 years ago and thinks your options seem reasonable given the factory costs of an LSD, I'm thinking of a tonneau as a fellow WSCC member who uses his car 365 days/year swears by them.  After ordering the kit I upgraded to Jenvey Throttle Bodies, I believe that Westfield now have an Omex version, a 'relatively' cheap 20 bhp upgrade, also  if  you can still get Toyo R1Rs for a small amount extra then do rather than get T1Rs.

Part of the ownership journey is using and upgrading the car so I wouldn't be too concerned about the options, if you want an idea about what ownership could be like I've maintained a blog over the last 6 years and it might give you some ideas for what to upgrade/change  - http://2js-westfield-build.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Alan Cutler (Adge) - Dorset AO]

 from sunny Somerset. In terms of options, don't think there's a right or wrong answer, just what suits you. Whichever way you jump, enjoy the experience. Membership is invaluable, particularly if you're going for building it yourself.

[Kevin (Mr T)]

from Essex

[GrahamC1066]

jonjh1964: I will read your blog this weekend, not sure I have the capacity to do a blog myself but am looking forward to yours.

Guess I should have mentioned that I'll be on the self-build path - not sure I have any particular skills in this area but at least the build manual had colour pictures which I'm sure will help overcome my shortcomings. 

Anyway, I'm just trying to spread the dosh in places where I'll feel I'd get most value...as pointed out, there is no right nor wrong answer.

Time to do some hard thinking over the weekend before taking the plunge. Bizarrely my wife seems not particularly phased over committing to this spend...I suspect she is thinking of the many hours when I will be out of her hair and stuck in the garage. 

There are no two ways about it though, the electric blue FW with black arches was the dogs danglies....I took my young teenage daughter with me today (she could not care less about cars), but you know what even she was blown away by that one. Very impressive.

And finally (and happily), there would seem to be the opportunity to knock 10% off the kit prices in February (not sure what exactly it applies to), if nothing else it has encouraged me to expand that options list just that little bit further than I otherwise would have considered. 

 

[jonjh1964]

21 minutes ago, GrahamC1066 said:

jonjh1964: I will read your blog this weekend, not sure I have the capacity to do a blog myself but am looking forward to yours.

Once you start the build I'd recommend you post your progress on the forum as it's an excellent way of getting advice and feedback.  The support I've had from Mark Walker at Westfield has always been excellent but nothing can beat the timely advice available from the forum, especially on a Bank Holiday weekend.

[Peter (Monty)]

Welcome Graham, as others have said you can build the car the way that suits you, that's the beauty of it 

I wouldn't worry about tonneau cover right now as you can add that at a later date, discounts come up fairly regularly and it's another thing you'll need to store throughout the build. I think the rest of the list looks good though.

As for brakes, I went as big as I could. Your ability to stop should always exceed your ability to accelerate!

Definitely make a build thread, it is great to be able to look back over your progress and everyone here is incredibly helpful.

Other options I haven't seen mentioned yet which you could consider (although not sure what's standard on an FW special):

- Roll bar (there are three different ones)

- classic gauges or digital dashboard

- chrome or black hardware (I assume black based on the demo car you saw)

- taller windscreen

- protech dampers

[Rhett Turner - Black Country AO]

Hello and welcome to the club, I too built an FW Special edition. 

I'd agree with John re the blog. I was not sure I'd but the sort to keep up with a blog, it's not what I'm normally like, id very much recommend it. Not only does it serve as reference later but I was surprised how often when updating my blog and describing a problem I saw the answer to my issues. Writing the blog makes you think logically about describing an issue, it's surprising how often when doing that you see the answer yourself.  here is mine

As for options. 

Assuming it's the Hi Spec Westfield branded calipers then probably worth it, they are lighter than the standard ones.

Probably would not bother with the 8" rear wheels, unless your going to do some expensive upgrades to the Zetec you won't need wider rears, but if they still offer the R1R upgrade I'd go for those tyres of the T1R every day. I run 205 R1R rears tyres on the standard rims and would not go bigger.

Protech dampers are worth a punt, though not sure of the upgrade price compared with purchasing later. 

I'd agree with the heater, not something I'd initially included myself but after a discussion at a club meet decided to go for it. I'm glad I've now got it, surprising how useful when returning from a late meet or going out early even in the summer.

the other one I'd serious consider is upgrade to the standard roll bar, the standard "Jap bar" is really cosmetic and quite low, the RAC or MSA bars are both higher and both allow easy addition of a half hood at a later date. One of those needs to be on your upgrade list.

 

Good luck with the build and enjoy.

[Kingster]

I’ll echo what @Rhett - Joint Black Country AO Just said other than the heater. Who needs one of those 

[Thrustyjust]

6 minutes ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

I’ll echo what @Rhett - Joint Black Country AO Just said other than the heater. Who needs one of those 

I found that anything over 20 mph and the heat doesnt stay in the car. But, with the half hood on, I felt warm and toasty in there, even at 3 deg outside air temp. In traffic I had to turn it off before my legs became charcoal . If I built a car again, I would use a ceramic heater under the dash. 1/its smaller 2/ less plumbing and potential leaks 3/ its lighter