Registration of my Ex Competition Westfield SE

[etypebernard]

The process I went through was at first trying to agree with DVSA an approach to registering my car as it had been supplied to Terry Nightingale in 1989 who subsequently sold it to a Jersey based owner. DVSA insisted that the chassis number be changed to the current format and then put through the IVA inspection. I had a new chassis section cut and a local engraver put the DVLA supplied chassis number on it (Welded plates with the new VIN on were not acceptable) I did leave the original chassis numbers on the chassis. I Restored the car to meet IVA standards but became increasingly unhappy that the history of the car was being lost.

 

It was a clubman hill climb and sprint car in Jersey but in 1999 the records in Jersey were computerised and unless the 'J' number was provided no help could be given. I tried to trace the original owner only to find he had moved to Spain so no records of previous registration.

 

Scroll forward to 1994 the car was re imported by Terry Nightingale who sold the car as a competition car to a UK owner who obtained an MSA log book but never registered the car for use on the UK roads. It was hill climbed and sprinted then put into storage awaiting restoration. I purchased the car and restored it with new all Westfield bodywork and a road going Ford engine to get in through emissions. Not original but still a Westfield.

 

I do import motorcycles from the sixties from time to time and restore them and often have to register them without a logbook but I obtain a NOVA (import docs) and dating certificates. So not wanting to change the car into a 2021 1989 SE I set about getting a NOVA, dating certificate for the car and then for its 1987 Ford engine. Once completed the car passed its MOT. I now had a set of documents that should enable me to register the car as a 1989 Westfield SE.  

 

Scroll forward 6 weeks and today the V5c dropped through my letter box. The car is registered as a 1989 SE Westfield fitted a 1987 Pinto engine type 9 gearbox and a 3.9 diff in an English axle. Has bias adjustment brakes and an Authur Mallock style WOBLINK low roll centre rear axle none of which would have passed the IVA. I kept all the original inner panels but had them powder coated along with all the suspension components. The yellow cycle wings I used to maybe help get it through IVA but I have now got used to them so they stayed fitted. New shocks and springs the list goes on. Looking forward to driving it and by no means a fast Westfield but has been on a long journey since 1989.

 

Bernard

 

 

 

[Andrew]

1 hour ago, etypebernard said:

Authur Mallock style WOBLINK low roll centre rear axle

 

Would be interested to see a pic of the axle?

 

You've managed to get a good result there.. well done. 👍

[etypebernard]

I found that by adjusting the length of the axle tie rods I could align the axle to the car and to the front wheels.  I normally try to mark the centre line of the chassis front and back to enable all the wheels and suspension to be at equal distances from the centre of the car and hope the bodywork looks happy. With this car the prop shaft sits off centre at the rear of the chassis which looks a little odd. This works well on fully adjustable suspension and at the front on this car it was OK. The pics were taken at the fitting stage so nuts and bolts were not tightened until the final fix.

 

I did learn another lesson when buying used wheels check they are round and true before doing anything else to them. I now have to invest into another set of 13" x 6" wheels as I never noticed until at the MOT the tester pointed out to me a little run out on both front wheels. So far this does not show up when driving plus the fitter who balanced the wheels never noticed - say no more. 

[neptune]

Congratulations Bernard. Superb result for all you hard work.  Enjoy!!

[CosKev]

13 hours ago, etypebernard said:

(Welded plates with the new VIN on were not acceptable) I did leave the original chassis numbers on the chassis.

 

This is incorrect, you can have plates welded to the chassis with a VIN on but they must be fully welded on,they used to allow spot welded plates but not anymore. 

 

It would have failed IVA with two chassis numbers though!

 

Nice result in the end though👌👍

[stephenh]

That rear suspension lateral location linkage is what I would call a Watts linkage. Probably the best way of locating a live back axle laterally, but rather more complicated to design and fabricate than the more common Panhard rod.

[Howard]

8 hours ago, stephenh said:

That rear suspension lateral location linkage is what I would call a Watts linkage. Probably the best way of locating a live back axle laterally, but rather more complicated to design and fabricate than the more common Panhard rod.

 

Not a Watts linkage, it's a Woblink, as Bernard says, which is a different animal.  Best way would arguably be a Mumford link.

[stephenh]

Yes, I suppose it is a Watts linkage in reverse, in that the fixed crank point is attached to the chassis rather than to the axle, but with the same result, namely that the axle moves up and down in relation to the chassis, and not in a slight arc as happens with a Panhard rod.

[Howard]

Looking even more closely, I'm not entirely sure it is a Woblink in its purest sense, or a Watts linkage. Seems an interesting hybrid - possibly a Terry Nightingale version of the two. Curious that the bellcrank is off-centre, maybe for packaging reasons.  Not criticising here, I'm genuinely interested, as I've contemplated these linkages for my car in the past and studied them quite comprehensively. Trying to get my head round this one.

[etypebernard]

My thoughts were having raced an 1973 Alfa 1750 GTV with the roll centre at the top of the rear axle and normal Watts linkage typically in the centre of the axle this set up puts the roll centre below the axle maybe similar to the Woblink. I think the pivot is offset to clear the diff housing and fits into a diagonal frame section which has then been modified to accept it. Mallock Racing are just a few miles from me so maybe I will pop in and ask them but what ever it is it has stood the test of time and who ever carried out the work made a tidy job of it. The other structure on the frame under what is now the petrol tank is a jacking point as the linkage gets in the way of clear access to the diff housing.

 

I now need to work on set up that suits me. The current Westfield settings in the book are not suited to my style of driving. 

[Entity]

Hi @etypebernard, I have found myself in near the exact same situation as you but with far less info on the cars past. I could really do with some advice on the DVLA procedure you took, what forms you had to fill in and so on. They have't been overly helpful so far. I can get the engine number and the numbers from the axles and so on. The chassis number although there on a plate, it doesn't come up with anything. Would you be alright to drop me an email or maybe give me a call and give me some advice and info please? I hate to ask, but I could really do with some info. This area is quite new to me. I've never had to do anything like it and I want to make sure I do this correctly. From my understanding, the engine and car is quite old so using the identification markers would mean the inspection would be a simple inspection and would not require modifications for the cat regulations brought in as a 2021 inspection as a modern vehicle would do. Any info or help would be greatly appreciated. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Entity

[stephenh]

etypebernard doesn't appear to be a paid up member any more, so you may not get a reply from him, Entity, unless some other piad up member can answer your question. 

You are responding to a thread that was last posted on about 20 months ago!

[Mark (smokey mow)]

@Entity if you can describe in more detail the problems you have there may well be others that can help.

 

is this a car you have imported into the U.K. that you need registering here, if so has it been registered in another country before hand or previously in the U.K.?

 

or is this an unregistered car that you have recently purchased that needs registering here for the first time?

[Gary Taylor]

@Entity rather than the generic dvla switch board contact “kits and rebuilds” department of dvla

gheyve always been helpful in the past when I’ve needed them.

Hopefully still the same numbers as the picture hood luck.

[Entity]

Thanks people! appreciated, @stephenhindeed I saw the age of the thread, but wasn't aware the member was not active. I lived in hope  @Mark (smokey mow)hi mate, thanks for asking! okay so, where to start.... The car was brought and apparently was only ever used as a track day car. The old owner said he brought it from the prior owner who also only ever used it as a track day car. I don't think it was every registered for road use, but until I can get it in the air in 2 weeks, I'm not going to be able to see the VIN as it wasn't in the other locations or has been painted over. I called the number provided by @Gary Taylor so thanks Gary! The DVLA said if no vin or a non valid vin, then apply for a vin and then they would register is under a Q  plate. I then need to have an IVA inspection done. I called DVSA up and they gave me an email address to get some info for the type of IVA inspection it would need to pass. I'm about to write the email up now and see what they say. I was reading somewhere that if you can get enough of the serial numbers from the components, you can check if they all came off the same car? It might then be possible to perhaps get the original registration details, apply for a v62 and then apply for a modern vin for it using the original car details. I don't know how accurate this information is though. Kit cars and the bureaucracy of stamping papers and ticking boxes is not really my thing. I just got it up and running.

 

As my daily, I have a 1979 Volvo 244dl auto. I've just finished doing the electrical system and engine rebuild and restoration. I have the front window to take out and re-bond and I have the bodywork to sort out. Did the braking system and a load of other bits about 6 months ago, so it's starting to come along. I have no issues doing whatever work will be needed on the westfield, but it's the procedures with dvla, dvsa and how I'm to acquire documentation and other such things I'm mainly needing some advice on. I appreciate you all responding so quickly! 

 

If anyone has and useful info or anything the think would help no matter how small, please feel free to let me know!

 

Kind regards,

Ent.