catherham build quility

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I remember looking at the entry level Caterham kit when I built mine, ( next step up from them was too much I seem to remember). Quite apart from the fact that I didn't want a 1.4 litre K Series, the thing that put me off most, was that most of the "enjoyable" bits of building the car had been done! I know it's not for everyone, but I really enjoyed panelling my bare chassis, and seeing a car grow out of the birdcage of steel tube.

[adamnreeves]

I remember looking at the entry level Caterham kit when I built mine, ( next step up from them was too much I seem to remember). Quite apart from the fact that I didn't want a 1.4 litre K Series, the thing that put me off most, was that most of the "enjoyable" bits of building the car had been done! I know it's not for everyone, but I really enjoyed panelling my bare chassis, and seeing a car grow out of the birdcage of steel tube.

Agreed.

[Guest]

The other thing is fit.

I just don't fit that well in a Caterham (or Birkin which is of similar proportions)

The Westfield seems to have just that bit more room.

Here in Oz the disparity in price is still huge.

You can build a very nice Westfield for between $40,000 & $50,000 AUS whereas the Caterhams start at around half as much again and work upwards depending on model.

[lippydave]

Norm,

Yours and JeffC's opinions on Caterham build quality is possibly more illuminating than most.

(...and others here who have owned both marques)

Please feel free to elucidate...  

[JeffC]

Norm,

Yours and JeffC's opinions on Caterham build quality is possibly more illuminating than most.

(...and others here who have owned both marques)

Please feel free to elucidate...  

sorry Dave can you repeat  that in smaller words      

[lippydave]

OK, c'mon Norm and Jeff, spit it out....

Is that better?  

[JeffC]

OK, c'mon Norm and Jeff, spit it out....

Is that better?  

least i can understand that  

if you bored and have a spare hour or so have a read of this    

http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=1;t=31515

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Started to read that thread but gave up before the end of page one; it really, really, would be nice just to hear some straightforward comparisons of the cars, rather than the owners    

FWIW I've met a few Caterham owners, and as expected, they turn'd out to be just the same; enthusiasts.

[dombanks]

well said gadgetman so far we have had better fitting pannels, more thought to how things fit together, better engineering tollerances.

what about materials used etc. i know carbon dashes are liked by many but really if i was pushed my carbon dash is quite flimsey when compared to the ali leatherette clad one i had before

i essentially thought the two cars were the same but it seems not now.

[Mark B]

Interesting, I went to Caterham midlands the other week for a look and to see if I could fit in a standard body car with a tillett seat (superlights basically).

The general fit and finish is superior from the off, without so much fettling seeming to be required, the chassis is much lighter and properly triangulated round the front end, and as jeff said the layout and construction is quite well thought out. I still can't get my head round where the £47k is in an R500 though...  

The starter kit is £4995 inc vat so not masses more than a westfield starter kit.

Most people buy a full modular kit if they're building one, apparently they haven't sold a single starter kit this year, all turnkey cars or modular kits.

[Guest]

my westy had a dzuz fastened nose .....

then again i had looked and driven many caterhams when i build my westy and during the 10 years of ownership.

i stiffened the chassis upgraded just about everything , fitted carbon just about everywhere i could  had similar carbon seats etc etc etc .....

to build a proper pucker westy with a decent chassis ,carbon , nicely finished costs pretty much getting on for decent carterham money .

i recon if i had to buil;d my car from scratch now i wouldn't see much change out of 30k ish .

what would a 220bhp caterham cost you ? getting on for just a few grand more than that , maybe 35k . (if not factory built .

is the finish better in a caterham than a westfield? hell yes .

better engineeered and finished . despite me doing what i did to mine .

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Am interested from both the how to make the cars in general better/how to make mine better angle, and also from the Caterham as a car to own perspective.

I know all the P**s taking is fun and everything, but be nice just to get some facts too.  

One thing I suspect from looking at Caterham's on-line store, is that there's a lot more bespoke content in their cars. Probably down to the new car builds.

[Martin Keene]

having taken my Csr apart to paint it the difference is quite apparent, compared to a westy its almost  as though Caterham have thought about things before assembling rather than making it up as they go along , a quick example is  simple stuff like removing the nose cone is a 10 second job on half turn external speed fastners where as westys come with fiddly bolts hidden inside so you take some bark of your hands      

Mine is the same, 3 x Duez fasteners, plus Caterham indicators mounted under headlights mean it is literally 10 seconds.

[Guest]

Am interested from both the how to make the cars in general better/how to make mine better angle, and also from the Caterham as a car to own perspective.

I know all the P**s taking is fun and everything, but be nice just to get some facts too.  

One thing I suspect from looking at Caterham's on-line store, is that there's a lot more bespoke content in their cars. Probably down to the new car builds.

you can engineer in reliability and "goodness" but it takes a lot of testing and money .

putting together a westfield to perform reliably takes chosing the right components that go together in the right way for the required use.

there are many honed westfields that are reliable and work well , however there are also many hi spec cars that always seem to have much cursing at trackdays/events due to them being fragile or not quite right .

Caterhams are unless someone corrects me the single most raced car around the world in various one make series , thats the sort of testing that fine tunes a product

they can then charge for that .

the differences once you have driven or worked on a caterham are so apparent its almost impossible to put across .

they are leagues ahead and thus rightly deserve a premium .

to build a product of the same values would cost similar amounts of money every time .

ask those with cars that are finely honed and reliable machines and the money invested in them would have bought a very nice caterham thanks very much !!

[mikef]

I must confess I thought there was very little difference between them.  I had a Caterham for some 4 years and it was a lovely car.  I sold it and then went through the withdrawal symptoms and started looking for another one with more oomph.  It became very clear that on a like for like basis and on my budget, I was going to get a lot more per £ with a Westie rather than a Caterham.  Ergo, I now have a Westie.  I see little difference in the build quality.  I agree the nose cone and bonnet fastenings are much more fiddly on the Westie and I did prefer the indicators under the headlights on the Caterham.  My Westie is some 14 years younger than the Caterham so it's a little difficult to make a direct comparison.  All I know is that I would not have got a Caterham 14 years younger at anything like the same price.