Armchair classic car owner turns Westy Builder

[IainCameron]

Hi all,  I've been WSCC member for a few months, and I thought it was high time that I should introduce myself and my project...

Having spent many years yearning for a classic, vintage, open-top sports car, but taking a sensible tablet and realising that my then career precluded it, I subsequently had the better idea of building a kit car.  A friend had a spare Cortina, and exchanged his 2.0L Pinto and other bits and pieces for an agricultural water pump that I had loafing around, so that I could get started.  That was in 2007.  In 2008, I finally settled on building a Westfield SEiW, so went to Kingswinford to select the kit:  Dark Blue, SDV Sierra, FW nose, Basic kit.  The plan was to ditch all but the Cortina's engine and gearbox (the rest wasn't in good shape) and get the relevant Sierra parts from my local scrappy.  

All went well for a very short while, albeit that the Build Manual appeared to have been written in German and translated to English via Japanese BY someone WITH A penchant FOR RANDOM capital letters.  The short burst of enthusiasm was curtailed by work etc, and it was only in May last year that I took off the dust sheets and started again from where I left off.

It was then that I discovered that I hadn't ordered (or received) an SDV kit after all, and so the push-in half shafts weren't going to work (wrong uprights) etc etc... in summary, most of the products from my weekend at the scrap yard were not in fact useful SDV components but (expensive) scrap metal.  I've recently spent a bit more money on more useful stuff, and have completed the rear axle, fitted a set of Protech shocks (from last year's show), reconditioned Sierra front uprights and calipers, and I've bought a set of 15x7" Team Dynamics wheels (trusting that 19mm offset will be OK: they came off a Westfield...)

I'm nearly at the stage of having a rolling chassis, but I'm sure I have some alterations to make before dropping the chassis off its stands, not least because I bought the kit under SDV regs.... I'll ask some questions in Tech Talk about fuel and brake pipe runs, cable sheathing, among other things.

Anyway, I suppose my biggest question is fairly fundamental: is it going to be possible to pass IVA with a 2.0L Pinto, given the new emissions regs.  I can get the original Cortina V5, and I'm not too concerned whether I get a new or registration or a Q plate. 

I'm looking forward to getting completed before my Kit Car turns into a vintage classic, and hopefully the WSCC experts will be able to guide me along the mysterious route!

Iain

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

We like pictures 😉

 

[Jim RS]

Hi Iain, and Welcome to Westfield Forum.

I bought mine from Westfield at the end of 2010 and was to fit the donor Sierra Cosworth, which to all intent is Pinto. After work got in the way I didn't get the car finished until mid 2018 with IVA pass on second attempt late September. My pass was to 1988 emission standards albeit in a injected turbo engine so I have no cat and no other forms of emission controls.

First question is why are you using a Sierra front upright when the purists on here prefer the Cortina as apart from other things it's lighter.

Secondly we all like pictures so get snapping, IVA like to see build trail and photos are a must.

I think you may have problems with the carb engine from a Cortina as emissions have tightened but it wouldn't be difficult to put EFI set up together at very cheap prices, or other options are available at a cost, others with carb experience may assist.

If going to use Cortina V5 your will need to keep a track of all parts used, with photo proof, and if you have enough major components they will give you an age related number which is not essential but pleasing non the less.

There are lots of rules with brake pipe and fuel line but keep asking when your up to that stage and members will help - jolly good lot WSCC members😀

[Jim RS]

You'll have to check the offset on your car because they do change around a bit according to the set up.

My offset is 38 to 40mm but although ok on front I have used spacers on the rear to make them look less like a milk float.

[IainCameron]

Thanks for the welcome guys.... you weren't ever in the RN were you, Snags?  It's a fairly unusual moniker, which I last heard in the late 80s/ early 90s!

I'll try to upload some pictures when I'm back home... currently 120 miles from making any progress, which is part of the trouble.

The reason for the Sierra front uprights is 'cos my build manual (and the WSC helpline) said that's what I needed... and WSC modified the uprights to accept the lower ball joint for free.  They also said that Sierra calipers were the thing to choose, even though they appear to be a slight overkill (massive vented discs at the front), but at least I'll be able to stop.  Bit of a shame about the unsprung weight, but there's always room for upgrades.

If I can get through IVA with a 2.0L Pinto and twin Weber 40s, it would be a bonus.... but I have no idea how I'd check before building everything.  It seems like a bit of a waste of effort to put it all together for a dummy MOT, only to find that it would fail the IVA.  Any clues?  And if I went for the EFI, could I revert to carbs after?  I've never worked on electronic mapping etc, so I'm even more in the dark....

 

[Gary Taylor]

Welcome to the fold, I’m sure help will be along soon regarding the emissions 

you can download the Iva manual which will give you the details re brake and fuel lines

start a build thread and put up plenty of pictures, that way there are many helpful pairs of eyes and I look forward to the pictures

[Jim RS]

No my tag comes from a seminar I attended in Sweden where all the details referred to me as Jum Snager (Jim Sanger real name). When I got home my customers got to know of this and as my job was technical sales they christened me Snags, which has stuck ever since.

To be honest I am using Sierra Cosworth uprights as they were part of donor vehicle and they are heavier than base Sierra but with different caster angle.

For the emissions I would stick with the set up you've got getting it as perfect as possible for the year and give it a go, if get fail on first attempt(which a high  percentage do) the examiner will tell you what needs to be done as they are very helpful. Then you can rectify for retest which is much cheaper if done within time.

[Alan Cutler (Adge) - Dorset AO]

 from sunny Somerset. As Gary suggested, start a build thread, helped me out no end.

 

Link to IVA manual. Don’t be put off by the number of pages, quite a few blank ones, but is logically laid out.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/iva-manual-for-vehicle-category-m1