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Newbie looking to purchase a westfield


Gaz_b88

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Hi all,

 

i joined the Westfield group on Facebook and got pointed in this direction.

 

im looking at just purchasing just the chassis first and building up over time. I’m looking at using a focus Mk1 RS engine.

 

Is there just one option of the Westfield for the Zetec? Also what other options can I get when ordering the chassis I have been told of low floor (I’m 6’3) and widebody. Can these both be got with the Zetec chassis?

 

also I’m looking at about 400bhp does the chassis need any strengthing?

 

Thanks

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Welcome. 
 

52 minutes ago, Gaz_b88 said:

low floor (I’m 6’3) and widebody. Can these both be got with the Zetec chassis?


If you are looking to buy a chassis kit from the factory they now only offer wide body with lowered floors, so the answer is yes. 
 

400bhp! Crickey. You planning on drag racing 😁

 

I’d say half that is easily enough in a car as light as a Westfield - have you ever been in one?

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

Welcome. 
 


If you are looking to buy a chassis kit from the factory they now only offer wide body with lowered floors, so the answer is yes. 
 

400bhp! Crickey. You planning on drag racing 😁

 

I’d say half that is easily enough in a car as light as a Westfield - have you ever been in one?


That answers that question then! 
 

no drag racing just track and road. 
 

No I haven’t actually been in one! I’m sure I have seen one at 600bhp

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Just now, Gaz_b88 said:

I’m sure I have seen one at 600bhp

No doubt. Some folk always want more 😁

 

It is a very personal and debatable thing, but (in my personal opinion) a 400bhp westy would be a real handful on the road.

 

But everyone is entitled to build to their own spec and enjoy it 👍
 

1 hour ago, Gaz_b88 said:

focus Mk1 RS

I assume you already have one and it’s mapped to 400bhp? If so consider how you will cool it - our cars have a small frontal area so cooling a turbo (or supercharger) is possibly the biggest limiting factor when it comes to extracting max power.
 

If you’ve not yet sourced the engine, management, cooling and exhaust then it might be better to consider the 2.0 ecoboost instead. 

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If your planning on running north of 200bhp from the get go. Then I'd be going for the s2000/sport 250 chassis. It has some strengthening built in.

 

Agree with Chris though that kind of power will be a real handful on the road.

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If you want if it road registered, then you may need a more 'standard engine' to get through the IVA. Obviously once through then you can do what you want :-). but if going quickly around a track is your mission, then chassis set up, shocks, wheels arb's, brakes, be the areas to focus the funds. Oh, and of course driver training 🙂

 

 

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Welcome from sunny Scotland. Glad to see you here and joining the mad house.

As said above there is a sweet spot on power and 200 ish gives you a very quick westy couple that with a geo set up .

When you get started, start a build thread and don’t be afraid to ask questions 

cheers

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I think your confusing the Bhp per tone ? 600bhp maybe the 620r .. which doesn’t have 600bhp .. half of that. 
 

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I agree with the sentiments above - 400bhp from a Focus RS engine is going to be pretty peaky (I know from experience, as my other toy gives 488bhp from 2 litres)

 

With the right engine setup / mapping, the right geometry, the right tyres and the right conditions, a 400bhp Westie would be blisteringly fast. If any one of the contributing factors is not quite right, you'll spend half of your time sideways....

 

The "nothing, nothing, BANG!" power delivery of an old-school turbo engine just doesn't suit a seven-type car - the great gobs of torque you'll get from a heavily-boosted lump will just overwhelm the tyres. Also, because of the way the turbo comes in, modulating it with the throttle is extremely difficult (on my own turbo-nutter car, once it's boosting, I can reduce throttle to less than 50% and it will still be acccelerating hard - it's all a bit on/off)

 

By far and away the biggest factor to making a Westie go quickly is the fleshy bit between the seat and the steering wheel. A good driver in a low-powered car will easily keep up with an average driver in a high powered car.

 

My own Westie is 170-ish bhp and in the dry (which is the only time I go out...), I can use full throttle anywhere I like without fear of ending up in the scenery. I can happily stay with some of the more powerful cars in our group runs (S2000 / SEight / Duratec) and similarly, if I'm following a driver of one of the lower-powered cars who decides to "make good progress", I have to work bl**** hard to keep up.

 

Before going down the long, difficult and expensive road of bespoke engineering needed to build a 400+bhp Westie, I strongly suggest you get a few rides (or even drives) in more mainstream versions. I think you'll be staggered at just how quick a "normal" Westie feels, even when it's only running 170-200bhp

 

Having said all of the above - it's your car, so build what you want!

 

 

 

 

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400 turbo charged horses in a Westfield will be a real handful! 

 

Have a look on YouTube, there's a guy with a Nissan 200sx engine in a Locost with circa 300bhp. It's all but undriveable, it lights up the rears every time the turbo comes on boost! 

 

My properly set up 230 ish bhp Mega S2000 is more than enough for my level of talent 😂

 

As for you height, I'm 6ft 5 and fit fine with the lowered floors, floor mounted pedals and quick release wheel. 

 

Once lockdown is over, come to one of the meets and blag a ride. I'm sure you'll be surprised how quick they are! 

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Hi @Gaz_b88 Welcome. We've got a few S2000 owners in the Manchester, so after lockdown, I'm sure they'll take you for a spin 

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My 180bhp C20 will do 0 - 60 in 4.5 secs (ish) - just to compare with hot hatches, sports coupes etc. The key differences will be that there is no traction control, no power steering and no power brakes - and is all the better for it imo. Weight @ 600kgs is the answer. 

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I think I must be the only person who is actively looking to significantly reduce the power output of their Westfield 😄

 

If you truly want big power, I won't advise against it. It has benefits, it has downsides. In hindsight, I probably wouldn't advocate it either. Done 'right', it doesn't make anything undrivable by any means. I'd say it changes the car from a go-kart maximum attack on the limit everywhere kind of thing, to a point and squirt machine. Not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Track days are probably a more relaxed affair with the turbo than without, as I don't need to improve around the corners, just make it round with the throttle balance and turbo spooled ready for the next straight!

 

I will say though, I've not seen a cheaper way to big power than a Mazda SDV.

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21 hours ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

No doubt. Some folk always want more 😁

 

It is a very personal and debatable thing, but (in my personal opinion) a 400bhp westy would be a real handful on the road.

 

But everyone is entitled to build to their own spec and enjoy it 👍
 

I assume you already have one and it’s mapped to 400bhp? If so consider how you will cool it - our cars have a small frontal area so cooling a turbo (or supercharger) is possibly the biggest limiting factor when it comes to extracting max power.
 

If you’ve not yet sourced the engine, management, cooling and exhaust then it might be better to consider the 2.0 ecoboost instead. 


yes got a focus rs with the engine in that I was going to use.

 

with regards to cooling it’s more the thickness of the intercooler it needs.

 

Do they do a direct kit for the ford 2.0 ecoboost?

 

Thanks

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21 hours ago, Steve (sdh2903) said:

If your planning on running north of 200bhp from the get go. Then I'd be going for the s2000/sport 250 chassis. It has some strengthening built in.

 

Agree with Chris though that kind of power will be a real handful on the road.


Cheers I will have a look into the two chassis. Are they both the same? 

 

13 hours ago, Jenko said:

If you want if it road registered, then you may need a more 'standard engine' to get through the IVA. Obviously once through then you can do what you want :-). but if going quickly around a track is your mission, then chassis set up, shocks, wheels arb's, brakes, be the areas to focus the funds. Oh, and of course driver training 🙂

 

 


I wouldn’t scrimp of the important bits! Will look into the Iva test though. Do they check how the powers put down?

 

13 hours ago, Gary Taylor - Scotland AO said:

Welcome from sunny Scotland. Glad to see you here and joining the mad house.

As said above there is a sweet spot on power and 200 ish gives you a very quick westy couple that with a geo set up .

When you get started, start a build thread and don’t be afraid to ask questions 

cheers

 

Cheers! 

will definitely get a build thread up when I start.
 

13 hours ago, Carl Warren said:

I think your confusing the Bhp per tone ? 600bhp maybe the 620r .. which doesn’t have 600bhp .. half of that. 
 


I remember a with cossie powered one that was 600bhp. Think he was called porkie?

 

9 hours ago, NigelO said:

I agree with the sentiments above - 400bhp from a Focus RS engine is going to be pretty peaky (I know from experience, as my other toy gives 488bhp from 2 litres)

 

With the right engine setup / mapping, the right geometry, the right tyres and the right conditions, a 400bhp Westie would be blisteringly fast. If any one of the contributing factors is not quite right, you'll spend half of your time sideways....

 

The "nothing, nothing, BANG!" power delivery of an old-school turbo engine just doesn't suit a seven-type car - the great gobs of torque you'll get from a heavily-boosted lump will just overwhelm the tyres. Also, because of the way the turbo comes in, modulating it with the throttle is extremely difficult (on my own turbo-nutter car, once it's boosting, I can reduce throttle to less than 50% and it will still be acccelerating hard - it's all a bit on/off)

 

By far and away the biggest factor to making a Westie go quickly is the fleshy bit between the seat and the steering wheel. A good driver in a low-powered car will easily keep up with an average driver in a high powered car.

 

My own Westie is 170-ish bhp and in the dry (which is the only time I go out...), I can use full throttle anywhere I like without fear of ending up in the scenery. I can happily stay with some of the more powerful cars in our group runs (S2000 / SEight / Duratec) and similarly, if I'm following a driver of one of the lower-powered cars who decides to "make good progress", I have to work bl**** hard to keep up.

 

Before going down the long, difficult and expensive road of bespoke engineering needed to build a 400+bhp Westie, I strongly suggest you get a few rides (or even drives) in more mainstream versions. I think you'll be staggered at just how quick a "normal" Westie feels, even when it's only running 170-200bhp

 

Having said all of the above - it's your car, so build what you want!

 

 

 

 

 

I think from what you and others have said above 400bhp could be over kill! 
 

would be nice to get a ride in one! Would probably change my mind! 
 

cheers
 

8 hours ago, RobH72 said:

400 turbo charged horses in a Westfield will be a real handful! 

 

Have a look on YouTube, there's a guy with a Nissan 200sx engine in a Locost with circa 300bhp. It's all but undriveable, it lights up the rears every time the turbo comes on boost! 

 

My properly set up 230 ish bhp Mega S2000 is more than enough for my level of talent 😂

 

As for you height, I'm 6ft 5 and fit fine with the lowered floors, floor mounted pedals and quick release wheel. 

 

Once lockdown is over, come to one of the meets and blag a ride. I'm sure you'll be surprised how quick they are! 


I Definitely need to blag a ride in one! Would probably convince myself that 400bhp is too much! 
 

lowered floors seems to be the way to go.

 

Thanks

 

8 hours ago, Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO said:

Hi @Gaz_b88 Welcome. We've got a few S2000 owners in the Manchester, so after lockdown, I'm sure they'll take you for a spin 


That would be good! Are the S2000 the most powerful as standard? 

 

8 hours ago, Rory's Dad said:

My 180bhp C20 will do 0 - 60 in 4.5 secs (ish) - just to compare with hot hatches, sports coupes etc. The key differences will be that there is no traction control, no power steering and no power brakes - and is all the better for it imo. Weight @ 600kgs is the answer. 

 

Is 600kg the standard weight of these cars? 

 

7 hours ago, Dommo said:

I think I must be the only person who is actively looking to significantly reduce the power output of their Westfield 😄

 

If you truly want big power, I won't advise against it. It has benefits, it has downsides. In hindsight, I probably wouldn't advocate it either. Done 'right', it doesn't make anything undrivable by any means. I'd say it changes the car from a go-kart maximum attack on the limit everywhere kind of thing, to a point and squirt machine. Not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Track days are probably a more relaxed affair with the turbo than without, as I don't need to improve around the corners, just make it round with the throttle balance and turbo spooled ready for the next straight!

 

I will say though, I've not seen a cheaper way to big power than a Mazda SDV.

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