davidgh Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 My neighbour has been looking at buying a Westy for the last couple of years, and fancies a shot at the SS but is put off by the cost of a competitive car and will probably go for another mark. Steve What makes him think that other marques can be made more competitive for less than a Westie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid life crisis Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Evening Dave, have a look at my modded post. Just tring to promote the low cost option and increase the SS grid !! Have you managed to sort your email glitch yet? Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 steve i sort of see what your getting at but its like me saying i have a 2k budget to buy a car and i want to do the ss ,i also need to justify it to swmbo ,please can you make me a class so i can be a part of the ss but i need to be competetive also on my 2k budget ,at some point there has to be a line drawn by the owner imho ,every class now has people who are at the top of the class and people who are at the bottom thats a fact of motorsport whatever you drive or championship you are in ,be it touring cars or the wss ,steve ps everyone starts off saying i wont spend any money im in it for the fun ,then the big bug bites and they spend every penny on go faster bits ,that is a FACT of any motorsport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu999 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Just playing devils advocate here, but how does having less valves make a class less expensive? It's competition, and folk will only end up spending stupendous amounts of money on Xflows, Pinto's etc. For example, a serious XE etc could be built for the price of a full-house Mass Xflow, or Dave Brooks Pinto, and is likely to last longer too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 What SteveD and Stu said Steve P - it doesn't matter what championship you enter into any form of motorsport - you need a certain amount of finance - BUT that finance does not have to be great to allow you to enjoy it. Your posts merely suggest to enjoy something you must win it and you are fully aware that the SS is unique and recognises many achievements every year - it has even presented extra curricular trophies in previous years for 8 valve engines - but will it ever have a dedicated class ?? as technology advances and motorsport is developed it is highly unlikely. I believe you yourself have many pots to recognise your successful seasons as do many SS entrants If you find any other championship with a dedicated 8 valve class then I suggest you enter it and win it - sorry if that sounds wrong but all I wish to do is highlight that no championship has what you want and with good reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 steve the only way i see your plan working is if you cap the classes ,for instance , bog standard x flow bog standard pinto bog standard xe etc etc no one has boggo engines and no one even wants a boggo engine and to police such classes is impossible BUT THEN if you do have boggo engine classes how do you police the people that have spent a £1000 on shocks and £200 on set up and £300 on driver training and have a boggo x flow car and still beat you ,its impossible imho ,thats why its on cc not spec or valves ,im all for grass roots msport and keeping it real and keeping costs down to a certain extent but you have to be realistic some times ,steve your getting into one make territory and having to have every car the exact same spec from the chassis through the engine and to the wheel nuts , that will not work with kit cars because each car has vastly different specs even 8 valve cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid life crisis Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Sorry Stu and Steve I really didn't want to play this card but I am tired, need to go to bed, and have an early start in the morning. I had always fancied a Westfield, and at every opportunity pointed them out to Jane. I had never ever considered competing in the SS, and bought it as a toy for sunny weekends. I looked at many many cars and decided on the one I bought because it looked right and the guy who had it had no idea of what it was worth because he had taken it in as repayment for a bad debt. It was a narrow crossflow for a reasonable price. a lot less than a 16 valve machine Having got some confidence in the car, like a prat I took my wife for a blast over the country lanes to show her what the car could do. Arriving home swmbo decreed that I either sell it now or put it on a track " before you kill yourself". So in 2006 I did my first SS event. In 2007 having only bought a set of T1'rs and a rolling road session "excluding trailer / overnight stays" I was Lucy to win Class A and the novice SS championship. Just want somebody else to have the same opportunity without having to spend shed loads of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 but hold on thats how 99% of us started in the speed series,you seem to be obsessed with valves for some reason ,its not about valves its about enjoying yourself ,first timers /beginers try and beat your own time up the hill or around the sprint coarse not the fastest guy out there thats what its about ,then if you wish upgrade your car as you go along if you so wish to be more competetive or if you dont want to upgrade dont ,the choice is yours ,its not all about being competetive a lot of it is about getting out there with like minded owners and having a bit of banter and a laugh , i do it in my elise i could do many other championships but i choose to do the speed series because its great crack and the guys who do it are the best bunch out there ,you dont see it in any other championship at all ,for instance anglesey this year ,the caterham boys were there lots of em 30 ish or more ,nothing against caterham owners they just drive s**t cars and at night time you never saw them they had vanished to there travel lodges b&b's whatever ,the bar was full with westfield ss guys and girls having a laugh ,thats what its about enjoyment thats why imho the ss is unique ,its not about valves enjoy ,steve as i said before whatever championship you do there is allways going to be a minority that are not happy with some thing (not aimed at anyone )just a fact of life ,you cant please everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V 8 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 How about an 8 valve Xmas do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 What about a class for bent valves so tommo can win something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenh Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Draft fixtures have already been noted for 2010 all you have to do is look on SS pages - there's also a photo of Tim Nunns car to the right of em Cheers Mark I've eventually found it using the autosport link, but I couldn't find any direct link to that page from the SS tab on the main WSCC site. I cant find this on the WSCC site either, although I did have an email from Nick with a link attached. This thread is making me nervous, is Class F likely to be changing for this coming season, or is it staying the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Pinto...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Morcom Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I really enjoy reading these long emotive topics but rarely want to join in myself. This time however I feel is worth joining in so others may benefit from my experience.... I did a spontaneous purchase a Westfield in June 2008 with the vision of doing some trackdays and possibly a bit of motorsport. I had no idea what I had purchased, didn't even know how many valves it had! A friend of mine mentioned the Westfield Speed Series and after dinner with a friend of his who ran in the SS (Martin Hepworth) I knew the few things I needed to do to the car before I could enter. Everything done and entered the 2009 Speed Series in Class A. I was hooked from my very first event, this is a key point - if you don't try it you will never know and it does not matter what car you have just as long as it gets through scrutineering. Also at my first event (Gurston Down) I met several fellow SS competitors for the first time - they were all so friendly and helpful. This added another level of enjoyment to the event. As the season progress my enjoyment levels increased and the development of my car progressed. It does not have to be right at the start of the season unless you are going for the Class or Overall win from day one - so on that point I am totally with the guys who say they want to know the Classes and see the Regs asap. For me the Speed Series was about being in it, so I will just look to see which class my car fits into and just go for it. I know I will have a lot of fun and meet more great people. I met a number of people who were running in other series and they all mentioned what a great bunch the Westfield people were. Even a catering van competitor at Anglesey asked one of our guys if he could leave some gear overnight in his trailer - he didn't go to another Caterham competitor! More lead time would be appreciated, I have made the assumption that things probably won't change much in 2010 from the Classes in 2009. If they do then I will be P****D OFF but choose my class accordingly and enjoy myself. I feel that the Classes as they stand allow for all levels of car and personal ability. I would like to see credit given for breaking the class record at each event like some other series. If you want to set off with the aim of a Class Series win then you will have to enter at least 10 events - so minimum £2500 (that's £100 entry fee and £150 travel and food/drink/accommodation costs) that's without even taking your car costs into account - it is not a cheap sport (but one of the cheapest forms of motorsport). The final point is that I started the series with no knowledge of what was ahead, had a great year, met loads of fantastic people and won Class A and Overall Novice in my first year. None of these aforementioned points were ever a reason for having a go in the first place. But if I had not had a go then none of the above would have been achieved. I am sure that I am no different from other SS competitors in looking forward to the next season, yes we want to know what the SS Regs are (just like we want to know any changes to the MSA's Blue Book). I have already seen mention in other topics of the availability of various regs and entry forms for individual events and series; so if they can do why can't we? Roll on March 2010 and Castle Combe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenh Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Paul, I think you have sumed it up very well. Certainly no one is getting at anyone else, or at least I hope not, but understanably as we are carrying out winter "fettling" we want to be re-assured that we are not likely to be making our cars non-compliant with next season's regs. BTW, Paul, congratulations on a brilliant first season!! Anyone know when we will be able to register for next season's Speed Series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 MLC - one major flaw to your 8 valve class concept is that there are people with 8 valve engines competing in various differing existing classes in the SS and therefore have differing spec cars such as 1A / 1B tyres, full windscreens / areoscreens etc. It therefore wouldnt need to be an 8 valve class but an 8 valve championship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.