Engine & Rear Suspension Choice

[TonyFerrino]

Currently trying to decide on an engine and rear suspension type for a Westfield starter kit and was wondering if some suggestions/advice could be made, based on the following info:

ENGINE

First foray into the world of sports cars, so we're looking for something putting out about 100 ponies so that we can learn to drive the beast properly and lower our premiums (2 under-25 drivers). Mainly anticipating road use, with the occasional track-day here & there. The basic idea is that it's mainly for fun weekend drives, rather than aspirations of competition racing etc.... Although we'd like something fairly nippy!

We're looking for something fairly cheap to buy and maintain, with Weber carburetion and dizzy ignition, so are trying to decide between the X-Flow/CVH/Pinto range. Personally, I am considering a 1.7l X-Flow, but my partner in crime is fond of the 2.0l Pinto. I am put off by the sheer size and weight of the Pinto and also the orientation, with the exhaust on the driver-side (as we may like to upgrade to a Zetec at a later date).

We are thinking of mating the engine to a type 9 gearbox.

So what do you guys think would be a good first engine for some Westfield newbies with post-university-low-fund disorders? Are any of the above engines more amenable than the others to mapped ignition if we want to add that later? And by the way, which of the above engines offers the best aural pleasure to the driver?

REAR SUSPENSION

As mentioned, we are aiming for mainly road use, but we are also on a tight budget, so is the extra comfort of IRS worth the extra £600 in kit price over the live axle kit?

Thanks a lot for your help,

Ferrino  

[Pmaltby]

Hey farrino, i have been in the same boat as you and i decided to go for a 1800 zetec on twin carbs, i couldnt be bothered with the hassle of finding and engine and gearbox(MT75) the reason for this is i would have wanted it reconning. i worked the price for a pre 95 engine, gearbox both reconditioned with new carbs was about £2000, so for the extra £1500 quid i got a recon complete unit from westfield with the added bonus of a 12 month warranty. by doing it this way it costs more but it is much easier and cleaner.

As for the insurance, i am 19 years old and my own policy would come out at about £550 per year with footman James. personally for the 150 bhp the engine will put out £550 is not bad!!

I also paid the extra for the IRS. i started by buying a escort mkII rear axle for £80 and changed my mind so i phoned westfield and the bought it off me for £100, Not a bad profit but finding the axle was like a needle in a hay stack!

i picked my rolling chassis kit up on the 8th june this year, i have got the car on the ground with engine in and wired up, inerior is in and bodywork is on. this weekend i tested the electrics (lights and stuff) all works fine.

If you opt for the IRS dont get the LSD from Westfield, £881.25p is alittle expensive for a recon. give a company called Kit Fit a ring the advertise in the back of the maggs, i got a recon 3.62 ratio diff unit for £300, and lets be honest what can go wrong with a diff?

Hope this all helps,

Cheers Pete

[Blatman]

Yup. All good advice.

Start with a 1.8 or 2.0l Zetec, and you won't go far wrong. Get a pre-1995 engine to avoid SVA catalytic converter worries, and get a type 9 gearbox.

Get an Sei...................

Do a search of the site for "type 9" and "Zetec", 'cos there is lots to read and learn.

[Westfieldman]

I have got a Type 9 you can have for £30 if you collect it E-mail me if you want it its done 3000ish miles trouble free in my car and loads in the Sierra it came out of.

Paul.

[steppenwolf]

I would agree with all of the above but if you still need to keep the budget right down, the 1600 CVH is a much underrated engine, very cheap to buy and maintain, will give you your 100BHP on a single downdraught twin choke and has the exhaust on the 'right' side for upgrading to Zetec power in the future. The type 9 gearbox would be ideal for your use and go for the independent rear suspension version of the chassis for good future proofing. This spec. matches my son's Westfield and it really does go very well indeed.

[JonnyBoy]

Were you both at Donington on Sat taking notes?

saw a couple of post uni guys doing the above.....

UMIST mech engineers perhaps??

does engine size have that much bearing on insurance premiums? i never actually asked that just assumed an 1800 zetec would be cheaper than a 2L.. (v8 is an exception obviously). isn't it effectively the 'car' that you pay for!

r.e. Kit fits diffs..... aren't they just painted with new oil seals? no internal recon! 40quid from a breakers is a little more bearable me thinks.

[neo]

Tony if you do fancy going a slightly cheaper route, like a CVH im upgrading over the winter and mine is available it will come complete, with all extra's like,alternator,dizzy,inlet manifold,twin 40 wbber DCOE's, 4 branch stainless exhaust manifold,etc etc,its covered a total of 10,000 miles and was factory reconditioned by westfield in 1999.can be heard running for the next two months,its actually quicker than you would think,there not much in it between a standard ford injection zetec 1.8 as there only about 105 bhp standard.oviously its mint condition and has service history etc etc,open to sensable offers.

[neo]

oh  and im running a type 9 box put that with westfieldman 2002 type 9 for £30 quid and your nearly sorted drivetrain wise.

[will maskell]

hi,

I,m also upgrading over the winter and also have a cvh(not standard)

Its done 3000 miles over a year.check out the forsale board for spec.

good luck which ever way you go

cheers

will

[TonyFerrino]

Thanks for all the tips, chaps!

BTW Jonny - no, I wasn't one of the post-uni guys at Donington that you mentioned. I thought I was pretty young getting involved with kit cars at 23, but it seems that you don't actually need to be balding to build a kit car!

I am seriously considering the CVH offers.

[steppenwolf]

but it seems that you don't actually need to be balding to build a kit car!

True but it does help ........  

[JonnyBoy]

Tony, I started my build at 19, took 7 months during my year out, 22 now.

and it seems i'm not (or wasn't) the youngest westfield owner either.

you probably will start going bald as you pull your hair out trying to scrimp and scrape to save money.

[Pmaltby]

I have had enough of trying to save money so i visited the bank and those kind people at RBS gave me loads of money to finish the car. How nice of them!!!

All i have to do is to pay those theiving B*******S back!!

[chazpowerslide]

Go for the twin cam opion Zetec Xe, or 4AGE and sod the cost (in the short term)

IMHO upgrading later will cost you more in the long run and we all don't want to spend more money than is absolutly un-nessasary. Getting a Xflow, Pinto or CVH to the base power of a Zetec, XE or 4AGE with 3D ignition and twin sidedraught carbs is going to be expensive later so you may as well fit the twin cam now. I've looked into this very carefully and BHP per pound the XE engine wins hands down, if you start at c.180BHP the next stage works out at about $500ish for 200 BHP and then about £500ish for every 20 BHP (rough guide) It was allways a bikers folly to start on a 250cc then as you gained more experence a 500cc then to the "real" bikes 750cc+. In doing so you lined the dealers pockets, spent money on three bikes rather than one (or two) and were not nessasarly a better rider, I think it's the same with Westfields, just look at the ammount of people who are upgrading from "older" power units and you have the answer as to what engine you should fit. But whatever you fit you will have fun                    

[neo]

the price between a good second hand  say CVH complete and a similar complete package of the XE,Zetec options will be about £1500 more,ideal if you can afford it.