lippydave Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Evening WSCC types.... Newbie alert. Quick intro..... Purchased a Seight from a work colleague back in September. (I've been reading this forum ever since and recently joined the club). Car was in very scruffy order with some nasty looking bodges inflicted by the last couple of owners. I have a history file back to original purchase/build and the first pair of owners apparently lavished it with love/pride/cash injections... So I did the honourable thing, kicked the seller in the balls pricewise, and spirited it away 70 miles to my place on 5 and a half cylinders... Many late evenings spent tidying/fettling/prepping/replacing bits, (all with a minimum outlay of cash, supplanted with a little nous and ingenuity....or at least that's what I tell myself....) Got it looking presentable, carbureting nicely, stopping and steering properly. Have put a few miles on her in damp miserable English winter and enjoyed driving her.(Although less so with the hood up...I think I'd rather get wet.....). Anyway, my intentions are to use the car as a Sunday back lane hooning tool, general fun car, and occasional trackday with maybe a sprint/hillclimb or two thrown in for good measure, and hopefully a 'ring trip sometime this summer. It's an early ('91) Seight in BRG with 3.5 (9.35:1 comp') engine, with stainless tubular side exit headers, and breathing thro' a 4 barrel (500cfm) Edelbrock. It goes pretty well, but I reckon it would be a much nicer car with an LSD. I thought all Seights were LSD, but this one ain't..... It currently sports Cortina uprights with M16 calipers on plain discs, I've changed the early leather lowback Westfield seats (anyone want these for free if they collect in West Mid's area?) to the later leather Westfield sport seats, sorted a hood, tonneau and loads of little cosmetic bits. I've got lots of ideas for upgrades, but I'm trying to be sensible. I see an LSD as my first priority tho'...any thoughts on this? I also have a nice shiny new pair of 283mm dia Ford vented front discs, and wondered whether a cheap interim mod to make some caliper spacer brackets is worthwhile bothering with. (Increase in swept area).....Then maybe when funds allow, I could go the Wilwood midi route on the calipers? I'd like eventually to get some alloy uprights to offset the increase in weight of the bigger discs., some lighter alloy bodied shocks, oh and a 4.6 motor and Emerald management and, and......You get the picture...;-)) Right as befits a newbie I have a daft question....... Having fettled the car into a reasonable, presentable, driveable state, I'm wondering about spending vast amounts of wonga on upgrades.... The thing at the back of my minds is that it's always going to be an early Seight, is it a better idea to sell it on as is, and buy a later one (or even a VX engined one), or is it worth my time to do it right, bearing in mind I'm trying not to blow the bank here...... I eagerly await your suggestions, p***-taking, abuse, humour, and advice.... Quote
V8grunt Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Buy a 2003 Factory built one like me. .. With a TVR "Chimera" engine fitted.... Still trying to wipe the silly grin of me face Seriously, join the club, I'm sure that there are lots of members out there that will give you all the info you want Happy motoring! Quote
lippydave Posted January 4, 2007 Author Posted January 4, 2007 Seriously, join the club, I'm sure that there are lots of members out there that will give you all the info you want Happy motoring! I'v joined up already (got my number [9280]etc), but it won't let me register my membership on the site yet...Guess I have to wait for my details to be entered in the site database or summat? I've already gleaned loads of good stuff from the archives, and bought some s/hand stuff from adverts on here... Quote
Edd Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Whereabouts in west midlands are you? im near lichfield with a busa Quote
Pepi Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 Welcome Dave.... full marks on buying a Seight (you know it makes sense) I am a Seight owner myself , have a look at my web site (link at the bottom of the page) as to upgrades "the skies the limit" you pays yer money etc. etc. As for engine bits have a look in one of the kit mags for a company called Real Steel they stock all the bits you will ever want and also R.P.I. Egineering found here they have a good F.A.Q. section which is very informative. Oh and when you fit your L.S.D. take it easy for a bit in the wet ... seights have a tendency (or is that all westies?) to try to look over their shoulders if pushed. Quote
pistonbroke Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 QUOTE I eagerly await your suggestions, p***-taking, abuse, humour, and advice.... Welcome to the madhouse your in the right place for 2nd 3rd 4th , not sure about the others Quote
Mark Stanton Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 Welcome ................ and you even saved postage when submitting your membership form Quote
lippydave Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Welcome Dave.... full marks on buying a Seight (you know it makes sense) I am a Seight owner myself , have a look at my web site (link at the bottom of the page) as to upgrades "the skies the limit" you pays yer money etc. etc. As for engine bits have a look in one of the kit mags for a company called Real Steel they stock all the bits you will ever want and also R.P.I. Egineering found here they have a good F.A.Q. section which is very informative. Oh and when you fit your L.S.D. take it easy for a bit in the wet ... seights have a tendency (or is that all westies?) to try to look over their shoulders if pushed. I believe from your site that you are in Bromsgrove.....? I'm just up the road in Cofton/Rednal in South West Brum. My Westie lives garaged at a relatives house tho'... 'cos we sold our house for my wife to start a business and currently live above the premises..... Though I will soon be back on the market for a large 3 car garage with a small house attached... Already have the Real Steel catalogue...Have been involved in helping a few mates build a bunch of loony V8's with both Rover and Chevy LS V8's.... My Westie is the most sensible V8 of the bunch of V8 reprobates....(2 RS Cosworths, one with a 4.9 Rover, t'other with a 5.7LS1, RX7 with a 7.0 LS2, Cerbera with a 6.3 LS1... ...Sheesh, mine's a girlies shopping car... It's still possible to be extremely silly without the LSD, tho' obviously less predictable.....Spun it 3 times last weekend in the pouring rain...Playing by myself on an empty industrial estate with huge radius traffic islands, no other vehicles, plenty of run off, and a desire to rear wheel steer around every turn.... Raced motorcycles for 25 years, now I'm old and sensible I bought a Westie..... Quote
pistonbroke2 Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 Hello and welcome to thr Thunderdrome. theres a few Seight owners on this site, and we are all gentle and caring types. Excepting Buzz and a few others. Barry Ashcroft will be along soon .Hes the Guvnor of the Eights. (prob. cause hes allways one over) Any how have a look on his website and see what can be done. I think an L.S.D. is agood investment for getting the power down but dont go daft on the Throttle. Any pics yet ? Peter Quote
lippydave Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Welcome ................ and you even saved postage when submitting your membership form Indeed, when I realised the membership secretary lived about 6 miles away I had to join... Anyway, that's another 27p in the "Big Bore V8" fund... Quote
lippydave Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Hello and welcome to thr Thunderdrome. theres a few Seight owners on this site, and we are all gentle and caring types. Excepting Buzz and a few others. Barry Ashcroft will be along soon .Hes the Guvnor of the Eights. (prob. cause hes allways one over) Any how have a look on his website and see what can be done. I think an L.S.D. is agood investment for getting the power down but dont go daft on the Throttle. Any pics yet ? Peter Cheers, been looking at Barry's site over the last couple of months... My LS pals are trying to persuade me that what I need is to ditch the "old school" Rover V8 and slot in in a modern LS2 motor...... I can think of many good reasons to do it (LS the beast), but sadly there are thousands of reasons not to do it...All of them pound coin shaped.... Quote
Pepi Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 Hey Dave I think we are only about 4 miles apart i only live in Catshill and to think i had all those v8 nutters right on my doorstep Quote
lippydave Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Hey Dave I think we are only about 4 miles apart i only live in Catshill and to think i had all those v8 nutters right on my doorstep Yup, you're right.... My Missus' dry cleaners (IDL) is on the Bristol Rd South. Obviously discounts are applicable to all V8 drivers... Probably nearer to 3 miles than 4... There are more V8 loons in the collective including a Chimaera with a trick 4.6 Rover, and another pals v.nice TR8 hairdressers convertible... Some of us used to race Supermoto(bikes) together back when we were young and fast......Now we're old and slow we've resorted to sensible cars.... Quote
JeffC Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 Hi Dave welcome aboard picture here for your avatar if you havent got one Barry or Tommo will be along shortly im sure to congratulate you on your choice of engine , Barry is the "Master of the Rugs" and tommo his " apprentice " If you meet em you will recognise em by the tartan capes they wear bit like this one. Quote
lippydave Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Hi Dave welcome aboard picture here for your avatar if you havent got one Barry or Tommo will be along shortly im sure to congratulate you on your choice of engine , Barry is the "Master of the Rugs" and tommo his " apprentice " If you meet em you will recognise em by the tartan capes they wear bit like this one. I thought Barry would have a large yellow "S" emblazoned on his tartan rug? (...and maybe an "8" on his back.......) Never mind the rugs, at least you bike engined boys have a sort of excuse for wearing tight, brightly coloured leather outfits.... BTW "Jack" Frost at Holeshot is a mate.....We used to race bikes together....He da man if you want a pukka Busa motah.......Though quite why anyone would want a 10,000rpm sewing machine motor in a proper car is beyond me.... Quote
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