Noel Johnson Posted January 5, 2002 Posted January 5, 2002 I was heading home from the factory one Saturday about 18 months ago when a 355 spider decided to have a go on the Dudley west Brom bypass. Those of you who know this road will tell you that it is dual carriageway regularly interspersed with nice big islands. After dicing with the Ferrari and coming out on top I managed to spin the westy on one of the last islands (before West Brom with the big Ford dealership on it) I thought it was quite good of me to get the car sideways, correct it and get it sideways again (this time the other way) then whilst correcting this spin it all the way round and end up facing the wrong way down a dual carriage way. This happened at about 11 o'clock in the morning, so as you can imagine the road was getting quite busy. I can honestly say that my sphincter was literally going like an ABS braking system and it still does even thinking about it now. Quote
westy Posted January 10, 2002 Author Posted January 10, 2002 Anymore takers on this before I create the vote thing...could do with some more entries though........the ones who dont place an entry here must drive like girls Westy Quote
Ian Podmore Posted January 10, 2002 Posted January 10, 2002 Anymore takers on this before I create the vote thing...could do with some more entries though........the ones who dont place an entry here must drive like girls Perhaps it's just that the current postings are just far more than the experience the rest of us have had? And that it is in the public domain? My relatively minor 'off' pails into insignificance, just two wrecked tyre sidewalls on a high curb, due to some slippery summer rain and and an adverse camber. By chance a Westfield owner in his tin top was coming the other way and offered assistance to get home! My other incident was at Harewood hillclimb, wscc meeting. Was entering Farmhouse left hander on a trailing throttle whilst braking.... Back end came round, steered into it and stayed on track - albeit stationary. Didn't bend the car, or upset the wife who was passenger. Gave my Dad a little surprise as he was watching from the top bank and he owns half of the car! I felt quite chuffed I had stayed on the tarmac. They were my two 'lessons', won't do either again in a hurry. Quote
olivert Posted January 10, 2002 Posted January 10, 2002 I don't want to feel left out , so here goes: I borrowed a friend's westfield to show my sister exactly what these things were about, I think I was roughly 18 at the time. It was at a hillclimb open day type thing where you can pay £1 for a run. I entered a rather sharp bend and booted the throttle on the apex, whoops and out comes the back end. Not quick enough with the lock and I'm onto the grass on the outside of the corner, lifted and got back onto the track. Dear sister bursts into tears and we have to hide for a while for her to get a grip again before we return the car to its owner!!! Fortunately with no damage and my ego significantly shrivelled!!! Scary for me, obviously scarier for the passenger!!!!!! Needless to say, if I now need to boot a car on the apex I wind off the lock at the same time!!!! Oliver Quote
Stuart Posted January 10, 2002 Posted January 10, 2002 Car been on road for 2 weeks after self build. A44 Worcester to Pershore, pushing it a bit. Not concentrating on the road ahead - fiddling with something in the car (trying to find a rattle). Look up and there is a queue of stationery traffic in front of me waiting for someone to turn right, and far too close. All 4 wheels locked up and sliding headlong towards the rear of the last car in the queue. I have never been so p******** off with myself in my entire life as when this was happening. I was absolutely certain that I was going to destroy my front end. I pushed the brake pedal so hard that I actually collapsed the connector between the pedal and the master cylinder rod (latest Westfield floor mounted pedals). When I ordered another one from Westfield they actually asked me to send the old one back for their safety man to look at as they had never known it collapse before. Fortunately I stopped with a few feet to spare . I reckon that this is all too easy to do if you are used to something with a bit more traction and ABS brakes (that's my excuse anyway ) Quote
westy Posted January 10, 2002 Author Posted January 10, 2002 When I bought my Westy the previous owner was kind enough to give me all the past issues of the club magazine for the past 5 years with it! When doing my normal browsing I hit on an article that had to be posted on this topic. Article Regards, Westy Quote
Stueyboy Posted January 11, 2002 Posted January 11, 2002 Fantastic articel. I liked the bit about the phone call to the local cops so they would shut the road off for 30 minutes. Quote
windy Posted January 19, 2002 Posted January 19, 2002 The picture says it all really!!! Sequence captured at Silverstone in the wet - a safe place to have a play at 70 mph (also captured on video). Windy "The opposite locksmith"!!!!!!! Quote
Neil Purdie Posted April 13, 2003 Posted April 13, 2003 Resurecting an old thread after todays blat Having decided on a route to realy blow the cobwebs out and test the new shockers out, tank brimmed with fuel ready for the off. B9007 Ferness to Carrbridge. This is one of my favourite roads, except when you are going over a crest a shade over 59 to be greeted by a F'ing milk tanker coming the other way in the middle of the road . Its amazing how much gravel is thrown up from warm Yokis and how much it hurts. The A939/A940 between Grantown-on-spey and Forres was part of a loop included in one of the bike mags top 10 rides in the UK. It includes a bit of everything, especially sweeping corners. The number of bikes going the other way, trying to remove my roll bar with their helmets must have given a few of them a wake up as well... Quote
jeff oakley Posted April 13, 2003 Posted April 13, 2003 My best experiance does not involve nearly killing myself but is worthy of mention. My father in law (Nobby) is a great guy, but does posses more than a passing resemblance to the Harry Enfield character "you don't want to do that" old guy. Anyway he is down for a visit and wants a ride in the car, this is between Christmas and New year, so it is cold for all you fair weather drivers, so out he comes complete with his WW2 Flying jacket hat and gloves. Just for historical accuracy he wasn't a pilot but his brother was a spiv. Twenty minutes later he is wedged in the car and strapped in. I get in and to the words " take it easy remember he is 74" I set off. Steadily I make progress only really using 1/4 throttle, then he starts "I thought it was fast my Royal Enfield was quicker". Well there is only so much goading a man can take, wack it into second and pull out of the que and fly past the first 5 cars in the que, but with an approaching car I had to jump into a small space and hit the brakes followed by more full throttle driving, the site of his little head rocking backwards and forward side to side was a joy . The route around Tetbury down into Wooton under edge has fast straights, bends a down hill plunge and a wicked hill climb before getting back to Chipping Sodbury. Nobby is nodding all is well so drive steadily back to house where his loving daughter comes out to help prize him out. He was out quicker than he went in as he was desperate to return his lunch to my wife via his mouth. Even the inevitable ear ache over trying to kill him did not dull my sense of acheivment. Funny thing he never told anyone else of his trip , but I did. Quote
S8ight Posted April 13, 2003 Posted April 13, 2003 went to westfield. took demmo car out for a spin. wife hid in the passengers footwell. does this count ? or i could tell you what i did to my lexus on the prom at New Brighton if any one wants ? Quote
Westfields Rock On Posted April 13, 2003 Posted April 13, 2003 go on tell us bout the lexus. ooh ohh. not really scary but out on the east yorkies run went round a bent (couldnt see round it) only to find 3 westys stood at a junction, me and the guy in front locked up @ 40 and twas a little scary. lots of burnin rubber, smelt good. now the lexus story Quote
S8ight Posted April 13, 2003 Posted April 13, 2003 on the prom at New Brighton. lexus soarer 2.5 twin turbo about 400 bhp. came out of one of the roundabouts onto short straight doing about 30mph. gave it loads of wellie, brought the back end over to the drivers side, nice broadside, accelerating like mad. keeps the power on, starts to srtaighten up quite nicelly. still keeping foot hard down, just as its almost straight went over a manhole cover, car then swings round to do a 360. just over half way round doing about 80mph ish the nsr wheel hits the kerb. back end of the car jumps about 6 feet into the air, still spinning around. come to a stop on the pavement facing the road. bits of cv joint all over the road. smashed a great big chunk of the wheel off, sheared two ball joints clean off, bent two arms almost in half, wheel and suspension stuck horizontal under the car. oddly enough the wife just turned to me and said 'oh, we didnt die then?' Quote
hogman Posted April 14, 2003 Posted April 14, 2003 Have got afew i could enter but heres the most fun recently!! Was out last week in the SER1, pulled out from a B road onto the main A road in the area to be greeted by a Porsche Boxster infront, and then infront of that an import WRX STi Impreza! Now the mist was down and time for fun! The Scooby passed a car and the Porsche and myself got held up, there was a clearing in the opposite traffic so both the Boxster and myself floored it and overtook the slow car, I can say truthfully too that I was quicker than the Boxster!! Was about to nail the Porsche and it pulls in at a turn off! So not to be outdone, I floored it again and caught the Scooby, I could see he was watching me in the mirror and as I caught floored his, the race was on! We got to the first roundabout after about 1/3 mile, no problem, exited no problem and then a true drag race, again I seemed to have more power upto trile figures then he started to go, so we reached the next roundabout, this time I thought nail it out of the roundabout and get past, good plan, so approached the roundabout at 60ish dropped to 4th (from 6th) got round and then planted my foot just alittle toooooo early, yep the car was sideways, wheels spinning as I exited the roundabout, did catch it but then over steered and was sideways in the opposite way still spinning the wheels in 4th, managed to catch it again and as I was straightening up hit the rev limiter at 11750rpm, now that did make me jump!!!! By this time the scooby had gone and the race was over! Well was the most fun I have had recently in my Westie!!! Most scariest - taking the wife out for alittle jollie - only the second time ever she was in it and we was sideways out of a corner facing a nice wide ditch so forced it to correct but then toooooo much and we spun the other way approachin a farm barn at 40mph!!! Oooops, she wasnt impressed and has only been in the Westie 1 time since!! Must admit was rather scarey thinking you are about to hit a big barn sideways!!! Cheers Kevin Quote
neilwillis Posted April 14, 2003 Posted April 14, 2003 Sounds like a good move to get the car to yourself Quote
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