New to Sevens

[dhutch]

For the last 6months or so ive been looking at geting a Seven. Somthing preowned. Somthing i can be proud of. But also a fairly tight budget.

I have spent time looking at MKs, Tigars, as well as MNRs and Mac#1's offering.

- I like the MK a lot, and am attracted to the bike engine idea as well. Just as a final twist to the maddness.

However in reality im stuggling to find even a car engined MK within budget, a tiger might be a little better, but im not a huge fan of the look (rhino hump or the avon) and its somewhat goes of the boil.

That said, i spoted a 1988 narrowbody westy on pistonheads, recently(ish) re-engined with a zetec jobbie. And that in many ways made a lot of sence.

- How much has westy chassis changed anyway? (honstestly, i dont know, open to discution that)

Then theres also been 1998 (10years younger) but with a Pinto lump in it, for a little less than the above car.

Then yesterday i got a call from someone who has a xflow in it, £3000 tag,  for what seams to be a mechanicaly sound car. Taxed and Moted for a while, but needing some basic remedial work. New headlamps, Seats, Balljoints(pair), and Wings (currrently has non attached, comes with clamshells that where on it).

- Thats coming from a guy who as far as i know knows his stuff on kitcars, and has the car as his place on behalf of someone else he was going to buy it off before he thought better of it.

I've been talking on LocostBuilders a bit, and watching posts and past threads. But i thought i would come here maybe for some more westy-specific details. Such as exactly when the littigation changes came in?

- I beleave its around the 1988 area, but not sure which side a 1988 car would be? Will there be significant changes in the chassis between 1988 and 1998? For the better or worse?

Also thoughts on zetec/redtop Vs pinto/xflow i guess?

Just trying to build a full picture. Ive got more time than money!!

Daniel

[Hammy]

lots of questions here mate ,others will be along but i'll start the ball rolling. Worth a wander and search around the forum, as this appears a lot. Well worth going to local club meet and  talking cars.

pre lit cars - not sure of the dates ,but  they feature some aluminium body work, very few about, some old cars have newer all fibreglass bodies fitted. Don't know mush about these -fairly rare, I think front wishbones notably different to later cars ?? but could be wrong.  Spares  can be harder.

Later from this there are basically 3 chassis types:

Solid rear axle- escort type as a narrow or wide bodied car. ( SE or SEw)

[my car is a narrow bodied 1989/1990 , which is post litigation -look at my WWW below to help identify].

Independant rear end -early cars with English type rear axle in a custom westfield alloy carrier -more comfortable ride! Available as wide or narrow cars. (SEi or SEiw)

Independand rear end -later cars with Sierra or land rover diff. Most desirable package ( also called SEi or SEiw)

single vehicle donor cars -  Made from Sierra parts notably wider rear end. (can be called Sei or SDV).

Recently SDV available for Mazda  parts.

V8 - slightly different chassis  with independant rear end.

bike engined cars- special bike car chassis available plus  DIY some conversions of SEi or SE variants about.

Condition is more important than age. Older cars tends to feature X/flow or pinto motors -both of which can be very good and should be considered, esp if you are on a budget ( but be aware upgrading to a later motor type can cost  £2k upwards).

More desirable ( IMO) is a Mondeo or Vauxhall 16v lump. Bike engined cars are a bit more of a specialist taste (again IMO) and you need to see if they are for you before buying.

Condition  - look for accident damage, rusty rear chassis, flaking powder coat, damaged body work. If a car has been painted -why?. Car should drive and stop straight be free from vibration and  whines, knocks  or grones.  Brakes and steering may feel heavy as not assisted- but should work well, steering without any play. MOT useful!  look out for oil leaks, tatty wiring, obvious bodgery, tatty underbonnet layout, overheating on a ride out

Goodies such as alloy uprights, nice seats, wheels, fancy shockers, engine tuning bits (e.g fuel injection, fancy builds from reputable specialists) all add value. Beware of pub room talk of high BHP's  - BHP should align with engine spec.

For £3-4k, IMO probably looking for a good ( but not perfect) solid axle car with pinto or X/flow motor -substantially fault free. maybe a tattly independant rear end car- Personally I would check the spares position for the independant model with the English diff in a westfield casting.

For this cash you can have a lot of fun, probably a lot more fun/££ than spending 2 or 3 times that amount. Mine cost £3500.

Good luck.

[pistonbroke]

Some good CVH engined cars around to , available for cheap bucks  

[Asterix]

go to  a local meet (listed on the main wscc site)...cheshire if you're slumming it              or hit the heights of shardlow, derbyshire during uni time. Talk to the attendees, they don't bite (much) and pore over there cars (ask to take bonnets off, look underneath, etc, etc...

[dhutch]

Thanks for the replys.

- I currently have around £5k in the bank from a years placement, so 3-4k is about right, leaving a bit for insurence and any work that needs doing and a track day or two or somthing, before going back to uni in sept and geting my loan though, work at the students union etc.

I have spent the whole night going through past threads, as i have been on locost builders the last few months, just learning the field. Ive also been to a MK bruntingthorpe event passengering and talking, also talked to a guy near me with sevens (mnr/mac1/etc), been out with cannock westy club, and the like. So slowly geting a good grasp of what im after.

I think for now im happy to go CEC, something fairly roubust, and safely within budget. With the future holding what it may in terms of fancier cars, BECs, maybe a Fury, who knows.

Certianly some interesting advise around, very glad to have the likes of this forum available!

The cars i mention are these two.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/568995.htm

http://pistonheads.com/sales/588358.htm

Dont know if you can fill in anything about them? May even be members cars. Proberbly sold by now i guess. But somthing work around non the less.

This is the most recent ive been looking at for £3k.

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/8591/getattachment1fn7.jpg

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/1862/getattachment2gy9.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/5131/getattachment3fr6.jpg

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/9453/getattachment4hu7.jpg

Daniel

[Hammy]

I'd certainly look at those two...

[Bananaman]

This looks like a bit of a bargain!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTFIE.....c0.m22

finishes at 03-Jul-08 1999 BST

[dhutch]

This looks like a bit of a bargain!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTFIE.....c0.m22

finishes at 03-Jul-08 1999 BST

Missed it!!

- Hoping to go and see that latter car this sunday if the guys available. Just a case of trying to know what to look for, and if its a sensable price for the condition.

Presumably without any wings on its not really road legal? But with an MOT if i get them on atleast ive got a way of geting it home and can work on it form there to tidy it up and what have you? Is 3k sensable for the condition, not great photos, but it needs some work, Q-plate?

Daniel

[Hammy]

work out it needs to put it right and the effort involved. The cost of bits soon adds up (brake overhaul, wings, paint, new fog lamp, MOT, wipers, bonnet??) , plus there is a risk of what else maybe wrong.  Take someone in the know with you.

- I would want to see it running.

That red Ebay one for £3900 looked a real bargin... loads up for sale at the minute...

[Hammy]

Some good CVH engined cars around to , available for cheap bucks  

Agread forgot all about CVH's      

- some VG cars with those and it was an engine used by Westfield themselves for a while.

[Darkspeed]

The white car is mine, feel free to give me a call on the number on pistonheads

With Westfields condition is more inportant than age - if used during a winter and not looked after a car can be shot after just a few years.

Your quite local to me so why not drop over - price is negotiable

Andrew

[dhutch]

work out it needs to put it right and the effort involved. The cost of bits soon adds up (brake overhaul, wings, paint, new fog lamp, MOT, wipers, bonnet??) , plus there is a risk of what else maybe wrong.  Take someone in the know with you.

- I would want to see it running.

That red Ebay one for £3900 looked a real bargin... loads up for sale at the minute...

Yeah, your right. Its easy to roll off a 'short list' of 'minor issues' and end up having 20 jobs that all wind up costing half what you paid for it!

- I had the bonnet i beleave, and the bloke who its with had given it a quick outing and seams to think it went well. Better than the pinto engined car he build his other half. Although as a BEC boy its never going to be a bec for him!

- A freind of his, who ive met a few times, put me intouch with him. And he is going down the blokes house and is going to have a look at this this weekend coming. He wasnt about for me to come and see it this weekend, but we'll see what steve thinks of the car.

[dhutch]

The white car is mine, feel free to give me a call on the number on pistonheads

With Westfields condition is more inportant than age - if used during a winter and not looked after a car can be shot after just a few years.

Your quite local to me so why not drop over - price is negotiable

Andrew

Hi Andrew, thankyou very much for the offer.

- When i posted the links i thought that there was a chance one or other of them might be members cars.

I will certainly ive you a ring as soon as i get a moment with a phone if thats ok, might be this evening by the look of the way work is today if thats all right.

Where about in north shrop are you? Im off for  a weekend in south devon this friday so i dont know if i'll be free before then, but im living in uttoxeter at the moment so even be closer than you think.

Cheers again, Daniel.

[Darkspeed]

Hi Daniel - Sorry to say that the car has gone.

Good luck in your search

Andrew

[dhutch]

Ok, thanks for leting me know anyway.

Another (minor) thought that crossed my mind (as these things do) was fuel economy.

- Obviously its vary massivly beween cars/drivers/driving style but is the a signifacant diffreents between say a zetec and pinto engined car? What is expected? 30mpg?

Daniel