nickpargeter Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Can you still use the hood if you fit an RAC rollbar as someone has told me you can't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Nope you can't - but you can have the hood "tweaked" and "fettled" to fit it - or some adaption of the hood frame should see it work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickpargeter Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Thanks Mark. What is it that makes the hood not fit and how complex are the mods required....has anyone done it. I thought the only difference was the rear stays and the crossbar? I want to buy a westie but definately want the RAC bar for safety and also need to the hood as although I will usually have it down I do still need it in case of rain - which is likely here in the UK! Any help would be appreciated as this may be the defining factor in whether I buy one of these cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 The hood frame is a fold out "deckchair style" unit that needs to go above the roll bar - well with the rear stays and increased height of RAC roll bar its shal we say - awkward. It needs to chopping and changing so the hood frame can open out above the roll bar and fixed differently or you can have a one off custom hood made to fit by a trim specialist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickpargeter Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 So is it as simple as moving the hood fasteners on the bodywork a little higher on the body ......... and would it fit ok then or look a mess? I am in a quandry now as I want one of these cars but also want the rac bar. I hadn't realised that it stands higher than the normal bar. This could be a problem Anyone got any piccies of a car whch has had this done or hasn't anyone done it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTR2Turbo Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I don't have direct experience of an RAC roll bar but looking at the positioning of the poppers on most cars there is not much scope for moving them up. I would imagine a custom / modified hood would be the answer. I would not let the need for an RAC roll bar put you off getting a Westfield. Part of the appeal of the cars is building them and modifying them to your exact needs. I'm assuming from the Newbies section that you don't own a Westfield or have much direct experience of Westfields. Probably best to go along to a local area meet and take a look at the cars and speak to the owners. Alternatively as now winter may be better to go along to a dealer such as Terry Nightingale or alternatively visit the factory. They sell second hand cars also. Happy researching Regards David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 So is it as simple as moving the hood fasteners on the bodywork a little higher on the body Most surely NO - and I would agree with david about wanting a westfield and getting along to a club meet to see how others overcome their problems You are not the first one to experience such dilemmas and you ain't on yer own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilksy Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I used to have a Westfield (Q937 MTW - where are you now) which was fitted with a RAC bar made by a chap called Tom Law from "up north" that had a 10 degree forward lean on it which meant that it would also fit under a new style hood if required. Only cost £145 about 2.5 years ago - tried to phone him to make one for my new car but he does not make bars any more. I do have pictures if anybody would like to see them. Incidently does anyone out there own my old car - live axle blue/yellow with blue powder coated wishbones etc did have a fuel injected BDA in when I sold it to a dealer in Newark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickpargeter Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Mark what are you saying NO too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markg Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 nick , mr stanton i believe is trying to say every car is as individual as each owner wants it to be and from reading your previous posts on rac rollbars! i still dont think you understand the idea of kit car! it ends up as the car you want it to be! or as near as you can afford in my case ! so try to arrive at something that suits your purposes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianm Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Nick- there can be few less enjoyable experiences than driving a Westy in the rain with the hood up. Most folks take the decision to dispense with this protection when driving-- most of it goes over the top anyway if you keep moving. The hood is of far more use when parked up. Theres always the tonneau option of course. BUT watching your postings over the last few weeks, I'm begining to think that you maybe require more creature comforts from the "Westfield experience" than it has to offer. Driving in the wet is the one, and only one, side of Westfield ownership that leaves much to be desired. You really do need to beg, blag etc some driving time before you decide. Sorry, but it rains-- fact of life Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickpargeter Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 I can understand what you are saying but my posts over the last 2 weeks have involved 2 things. Firstly: After seeing the pictures of rolled westie, safety....I have 3 young kids (7,5 and 3 months) and I wanted the ensure that I am safe as I can be in the westie, bearing in mind it will always be a compromise with these cars. The rac bar seemed to provide that. Secondly: In reality the main time I will get in the westie is driving to/from work down the country lanes on which I live into Nottingham city centre. Even on the best days there could be rain and although I am no wuss I wouldn't really want to sit in traffic in the rain with no hood. No problem when on the move but not standing still. I don't really think its too much to ask to have an element of safety AND a degree to weather protection too...do you? Believe me I know what it means to have a kit car as I built a Spartan with my Father when I was 16/17 which was my first car and many of the parts on that car had to be fabricated yourself. In comparison the modern westie is a production car! I am prepared for the compromises as I obviously have another car but in a country like ours weather protection is important and all I am trying to do via this website is ensure that I purchase the right car and if I can't have such basics as minimal security if the worst happens and basic weather protection then perhaps you are right, the westie may not be for me, however much I would like it to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick M Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 As has been said above, you *can* get a hood to fit over an RAC bar. There have been some recent threads about it and it might be worth another search through the archives. One thing I have seen, which I thought was a neat solution, was to use the rollbar as the hood frame, i.e. none of the other bits of iron-mongery. Not sure if it was a custom made job or if it was just a modified normal one but it seemed eminently effective. Sitting in traffic, in the rain, without much (or any ! weather protection isn't much fun at all so I can see your point about needing something. I don't even have a windscreen any more and long journies in waterproofs (that leaked ) aren't any fun at all. The drive back from one track day was made all the more amusing by having a "bow wave" coming over the aeroscreen when I drove through a particularly large puddle !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterrosey Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Nick P Please don't take this as being an off-putting comment - just being realistic. I live in Nottingham and can think of few things worse than commuting to the town centre in my Westie... Country lanes and sweeping A-roads are fantastic, but sat in stop-start traffic the novelty would soon wear off (for me). Admittedly I do run a Megabusa which is a bit shunty in traffic, with an Aeroscreen, but you take my point. With the hood, windscreen, doors etc in place the visibility / water-resistance in a Westie is not wonderful either - I was pretty unimpressed when I drove one a while back. I treat mine as if it were a motorbike ie full wet weather clothing when I go out. The worst thing about driving a hoodless Westie in the rain is not the rain itself, either, but standing water on the road which the front tyres scoop up and over the bonnet into your lap! I'm going to experiment with front mudflaps to combat this, I think! Like you I did much of my fact-finding online before I bought mine last year, but I reckon you really need to go and visit Westfield to test-drive a few of the cars for yourself. Prior to my test drive I wanted one with a heater, windscreen, doors and swept wings! Get yourself along to a factory tour and have a test drive - you can't beat actually standing next to a real car and having a poke about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickpargeter Posted January 4, 2003 Author Share Posted January 4, 2003 Thanks for your help everone which I appreciate. I think I will do as you suggest peter, have a prolonged test drive in real life driving and pop along to some club meets before I decide what to buy. Thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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