Mark (smokey mow) Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 34 minutes ago, Morris said: It can be the supply of spare parts in support of keeping existing cars on the road that needs careful management, especially those relating to the less popular models... IMO this is where the club could potentially step up to help and also strengthen our own future. I’m also a member of the Hillman imp club and they have a vibrant business through the club membership supplying spares and also remanufacturing obsolete parts to keep existing cars on the road. There’s not much of a Westfield that is unique and those parts that are can with a little effort and resource be copied and remade. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Scott Young (Captain Colonial) - Club Secretary said: It comes to something when the WSCC is more cash fluid than WSC Ltd - and no, I’m not proposing the club buys WSC Ltd. Tbh I think if club members all chip in we could buy all of the body moulds before they are destroyed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 6 minutes ago, Mark (smokey mow) said: IMO this is where the club could potentially step up to help and also strengthen our own future. I’m also a member of the Hillman imp club and they have a vibrant business through the club membership supplying spares and also remanufacturing obsolete parts to keep existing cars on the road. There’s not much of a Westfield that is unique and those parts that are can with a little effort and resource be copied and remade. And of course the MG Owners club has a buoyant spares area. Other than the MG donor parts, the XI is pretty unique. We may have to start fitting genuine Lotus Eleven parts and bodywork ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 1 minute ago, tex said: Tbh I think if club members all chip in we could buy all of the body moulds before they are destroyed I was also thinking that and if things go badly in the end and we all hope they don’t, that would be one of several valid and serious propositions for the club to consider acquiring. It’s early days, but ideas are always good for being prepared. 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 1 minute ago, Scott Young (Captain Colonial) - Club Secretary said: I was also thinking that and if things go badly in the end and we all hope they don’t, that would be one of several valid and serious propositions for the club to consider acquiring. It’s early days, but ideas are always good for being prepared. We should compile a list of unique parts only Westfield were making... And perhaps an alternative to them... Owning a megabusa for years parts went obsolete a few years back (I bought the lot that were left), you tend to find places that can replace hard to find parts... Not many bits other than bodywork unavailable tbh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 2 minutes ago, Scott Young (Captain Colonial) - Club Secretary said: I was also thinking that and if things go badly in the end and we all hope they don’t, that would be one of several valid and serious propositions for the club to consider acquiring. It’s early days, but ideas are always good for being prepared. totally agree and certainly if a viable buyer can’t be found then it would be good for the club to investigate this. the most valuable resource would be factory records and engineering drawings and many clubs have an archivist on their committee for such responsibilities. To a lesser extent tooling like wishbone jigs and casting patterns but with drawings these could always be reproduced. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_Zetec Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 2 minutes ago, tex said: We should compile a list of unique parts only Westfield were making... And perhaps an alternative to them... Owning a megabusa for years parts went obsolete a few years back (I bought the lot that were left), you tend to find places that can replace hard to find parts... Not many bits other than bodywork unavailable tbh... Even then, I don’t know how much of the bodywork isn’t available elsewhere nowadays! Wings, arches, diffusers, bonnets, side panels…. guessing it’s mainly the nose, tub, and boot box that are more unique (at least to the ZK). The FW is a different kettle of fish, and that’s before you get to the XI !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff oakley Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Too early to speculate, but if the company was not rescued who owned the IP to the design would be lost I would think unless the Administrator held it. If that happened anyone could in theory produce replacement chassis and body work wise mould could be taken from existing cars, but as a club where would they be held, who would produce them for us, not as easy as the MG owners where they have a huge amount of owners who buy the parts they commission. Lets hope we see a buyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan France Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Agree it’s bad for the staff but even worse for those who have ordered kits or significant parts and are waiting for delivery. I had a lucky escape with Dax, I collected parts for my Cobra just before they went into admin. It is alleged they then had a pre pack sale and reappeared without reference to past debts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim RS Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Just now, Alan France said: Agree it’s bad for the staff but even worse for those who have ordered kits or significant parts and are waiting for delivery. I had a lucky escape with Dax, I collected parts for my Cobra just before they went into admin. It is alleged they then had a pre pack sale and reappeared without reference to past debts. The whole business world is littered with pheonix companies who have little if no morels. The first action must be to be hard hearted and keep contact with the administrator to do the vulture bit and be ready for any morsels that may be available. It would be good for the club to appoint a voluntary representative who has the time and audacity to push the administrator as they are not out for the best result for the brand just an easy return. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 The copyright on the unique parts may lie with the 'author' (i.e. designer/draughtsman) for up to decades unless assigned elsewhere. This, if not resolved favourably, might have an effect on residual values but which way, God knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 I think the chesil website says the same… but is anyone really that surprised? They seem to buy stuff and it disappears after a small amount of time. Parts have always been either expensive or not available it’s sad to see but I think they are just too much when you can get alternatives that are cheaper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve (sdh2903) Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 I'd imagine the people who are currently in possession of the grp mouldings and jigs are also in the creditor list. I've no idea legally how that works if they legally have to surrender them to the administrators? or are they going to say f u and keep them to possibly try and recoup their losses? Hopefully someone with a bit of chris smiths passion and a bit of business nous steps up and takes on the westfield/chesil side. 🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Parker (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 I may be wrong, but I think the molds and jigs etc. will be owned by Westfield wherever and whoever they are with. It may be difficult getting them back if money is owed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Charteris Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Could new moulds be made from exisiting bodywork panels? New ones? There are plenty of people/companies still creating Fibreglass bodywork for Club Motorsport (Mallock Sports comes to mind), could one (or several) such companies be contracted to provide the club with Bodywork as an ongoing concern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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