NEZZER Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 That's it! Rusting panels, welding, sanding down and painting! I've had it!!!!!!! My MK1 Escort Mexico is going!!!!! I think it's time to convert to more fun things(sprinting/hillclimbing) but which chassis would i use for the old x/f or pinto?(old fords don't die they just get faster) The SE,SEWI or the SDV? Is the SDV(sierra) a more up to date version of the SE(escort live axle) and the SEWI mix of both? For road/track use is the extra money for the mixed suspension worth it? I know quite a bit about retro fords and their parts suppliers. Quote
knipex Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 SE will use the rear axel from the mark 2 so no independant rear suspension. Will take xflow engine. SEIW (W is wide body as far as I know all westy's are now wide body) Will use a Sierra diff and custom drive shafts. It will use parts from a number of donor cars and have independant rear suspension. Will take x-flow engine. SDV Is basically a SEI but uses a Sierra to source all donor parts. It just makes building a car that bit easier. Will take x-flow engine. Full explanation here (pfd format) Read page 2 That was taken directly from the westfield home page Quote
stu999 Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 Until the advent of the SDV, pretty much all of the Westfield kits use a healthy proportion of all things Ford. 'Live axle' Westys use a Mk1/2 Escort rear axle, usually a Ford gearbox, Escort steering rack, Cortina uprights, and whatever engine you care to choose. 'Independant' Westys use a Sierra diff/calipers/C.V. joints, the rest is as above. This is assuming that you are thinking of building a kit from new, the first description is refered to as an SEW, the latter SEiW, 'W' donoting 'wide'. SE/SEi are the 'original' cars, which are not as wide/long as current models and AFAIK not offered for sale as kits anymore from the factory. SDV denotes Single Donor Vehicle, where so much more of the Sierra donor vehicle is utilised on the kit. All models have been fitted with Xflows/Pintos. Are you looking to start afresh or buy an existing car and tinker? HTH Stu. Quote
ChrisG Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 You might be better off going the Locost inspired route (Stuart Taylor, MK, Luego etc) if you want to use it as a donor for a new build, as I dont think you can get a live axle based Westie kit any more can you? Chris Quote
stu999 Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 So the choice is yours then really, limited only by budget. The SDV (which has independant rear suspension 'as standard' is likely to save you a bit of hassle, but whether it works out cheaper in the long run is debatable IMHO. Also, if track days etc are likely to be your thing, bear in mind there are far fewer upgrades supported by the factory (if any). By this I mean things like aluminium uprights, ant-roll bars, stuff like that. HTH Stu. Quote
NEZZER Posted December 19, 2003 Author Posted December 19, 2003 Does the SDV use cut down macpherson struts for the front suspension? If so, is it possible to use escort steering racks(2.4 turns)?and is it a better or worst set up than the SEIW for road/race? Quote
NEZZER Posted December 19, 2003 Author Posted December 19, 2003 Sorry Chris, I not scrapping my Escort am selling it for a new project. I am just a bit confused with westfields redesign of the SDV(they have just gone full circle back to where they started! I can see the point in getting back to SDV on money grounds but will it lose me seconds in the corners? Quote
ChrisG Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 Ah I see, thought you were gonna use the 'scort as a donor for a kit. Quote
NEZZER Posted December 19, 2003 Author Posted December 19, 2003 Now i'm confused SEW!!!!! A live axle chassis but wide!!!!! does it bunge in the middle or do you lengthen the axle? Quote
Blatman Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 Does the SDV use cut down macpherson struts for the front suspension? No. All Westfield front suspension is bespoke double wishbone, with coilover shocks from either Spax (nasty), AVO, or Gaz........ Quote
ChrisG Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 Does the SDV use cut down macpherson struts for the front suspension? No. All Westfield front suspension is bespoke double wishbone, with coilover shocks from either Spax (nasty), AVO, or Gaz........ I think he meant does it use the hub part of the McPherson Strut, like several other Sierra based kits do. Its still fabricated double wishbone arms, it just has a knuckle joint or insert mounted in where the strut would normally go, and the top wishbone attaches to this, so saving the need for expensive fabbed uprights or scarce Cortina ones. Chris Quote
ChrisG Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 Just had a quick look on the Westie website and it does look like they do use the Sierra uprights as I suspected: SDV Page Chris Quote
stu999 Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 IMHO probably worse, because the unsprung weight of the front corners is likely to be a bit more, and as I mentioned before, the various upgrade paths presently available for the other models do not apply to the SDV at present. Who knows, this might change in the future though..... Quote
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