Thinking of buying a Westie,

[StanS]

Hi All,

Hoping to buy a Westie, with side screens, hood etc for summer road/track/autotest fun.

Hope you may put me straight on a few Q's.

Does the space frame suffer from rust after a few years ?

(I had a 1962 Mk2 Lotus 7 in 1970 which had that problem : )

I like the look of the 2.0 200BHP lump - is this the "best" option for reliability/power ?

Is there a "best " gear box ?

Am I right assuming that "Q" reg are self build and "normal" reg are factory built ?

Better leave it at that for now

Thanks

Stan

(If anyone is interested in a 460BHP Impreza Hatch, fully sorted, its for sale !)

[Captain Colonial]

Welcome.  There is a Search function and a FAQ section that will help you answer those questions, but first...

Do you like popcorn, Pringles and Haribo?  Because you may see some come out now...trust me.

Answers to your questions to follow...

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Stan, depending on where you are in Norfolk get yourself along to here for 2pm today.  They'll be plenty of Westfield's to look at and a host of people to help answer your questions.

http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin....y933701

[StanS]

Thanks for that Smokey Mow

Can't do this afternoon unfortunately. Would have been a good opportunity to pick numerous brains !

Captain Colonial - mmmmmmm snack foods (Homer mode off)

I'll check out the FAQs.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Ooh lots of questions without real clear cut yes/no answers their, I can almost hear the Captain laying on extra supplies from here...

Best bit of advice, and it will be a bit more tricky at this time of year, is to try and get to see as many flavours of car as possible. Local meets are good for this, but be aware that quite a few soft southern types     SORN their cars from the start of October ish. So their will be dwindling numbers about till Spring.

Less contentious Q's first though; Q plates are issued to cars built from parts that can't all be proven as brand new, or reconditioned as new. Or of proven age (Slightly more complicated, but that's the gist of it - the FAQ's etc will give the fine print   )

Year plates, naturally are the opposite. It doesn't matter who builds the car, if you can prove the car is built form a new kit and parts (subject to certain caveats - again see the FAQ) you will get a brand new year plate. There's a sub group of the year plate cars, typically built from SDV (single donor vehicle) kits, where a specified number of key parts or more is used from ONE donor car, in which case you will typically get the donor cars registration plate transferred to the kit.

Key facts! age/plate is almost irrelevant on second hand cars, (or at least a long way down the chain), condition/build-quality and to a slightly lesser degree spec. is everything.

Year plates can sometimes fetch slightly higher prices on the open market - Q's sometimes frighten people who don't know kit cars.

Q plates have many benefits come MOT time, particularly for up graders and tweakers  

Rust, in theory, many cars have nice thick powder coated space frames and suspension wishbones. This should be extremely hardwaring. In practice, it's quality is sometimes affected by poor prep of the bare steel, ultimately letting moisture underneath and leading to localised peeling. Additionally, some parts - front wishbones and box sections around the rear wheels are very exposed to sandblasting from stones and grit off the road and tyres. Not a problem if it's kept under control. Just like on a regular car.

Many owners like to tinker, so it's not uncommon for all these parts to even be removed and co pletely re powder coated! (one of the reasons to buy on condition, not age)

[StanS]

Wow ! Thanks for the comprehesive reply Gadgetman

I have looked through dozens of ads to try to get a feel for models/prices and there seems to be little pattern I can currently make out - down to as you said build/maintenance quality and private/dealer seller. Looks like a wide bodied SEIW is favourite with the right spec.

And yes - I too like to tinker

Right, time for another beer and back to the FAQs before BBQ

Cheers guys

[markcoopers]

At the risk of offending everyone with a hood and screens, most leak.....nothing serious, but they do leek, often from the elbow region against the tub. However i can assue you that the hood/screens leaking is not your main concern when driving a westfield in the rain....1 the wipers are s**t and 2 the car is light and probably on more track focused rubber.....they do not like the rain.

So don't worry about all the weather protection, remove the screen (you will go and feel faster) and not alot more buffering than screen and no sides on, wear a waterproof and a helmet if your worried and then purchase my road car.

[WEMORGAN]

As another new member I hope you don't mind me joining this thread with a question of my own, which I hope is also of interest to the OP.

Am I correct in saying most Westfields have a live axle? I've read of IRS system, but in which year was that introduced.

I presume the IRS is more beneficial for road than track use?

[StanS]

Hi Mark,

Read your ad and was interested along with

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif....gcode=p

Had a S2 Lotus 7 in 1970 (with a spot light and fog light as "headlights !!) and a S3 7 in 71 (where no hand brake had been fitted !), so familiar with many of the drawbacks. But it is nice to have hood/s.screens if caught in a shower (think her indoors would want some rain protection at our age, if we go out in the summer - knowing what our summers are like !!)

How difficult would it be to remove/sell the cage ? How much would a quality roll bar (RAC ?) cost, and could a "normal" windscreen/washers etc be fitted ?

If you are interested in a px, perhaps you would be interested in my fully sorted Hatch, which has better performance than M3's most Porches/Ferraris etc 0-60 in about 3.5s, 4WD so excellent in wet, etc etc

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3286501.htm

Hope to hear soon

Stan

I can't seem to contact/pm people on this site so if interested perhaps you could mail me.

[Wile E. Coyote]

I like the look of the 2.0 200BHP lump - is this the "best" option for reliability/power ?

Which one?  There are a number of 2 litre engines that will output ~200bhp... they don't all cost the same, or weigh the same, or deliver the power in the same way though!

As for 'box... well that probably brings in budget, noise, and weight issues.  For example, would you be upset if the car you went for didn't have a £6k sequential box?  Or would the whining of a straight cut gearset send you nuts?

[Captain Colonial]

As another new member I hope you don't mind me joining this thread with a question of my own, which I hope is also of interest to the OP.

Am I correct in saying most Westfields have a live axle? I've read of IRS system, but in which year was that introduced.

I presume the IRS is more beneficial for road than track use?

FAQ is your friend!

[WEMORGAN]

As another new member I hope you don't mind me joining this thread with a question of my own, which I hope is also of interest to the OP.

Am I correct in saying most Westfields have a live axle? I've read of IRS system, but in which year was that introduced.

I presume the IRS is more beneficial for road than track use?

FAQ is your friend!

Thanks, though I did search the FAQ and found no references to IRS and when I manually looked through the titles I found nothing that quite matched. Sorry for being a bit slow, as I'm sure the answer is there somewhere.

[Plumber Boy]

Evening Stan

The seller of the Westy below is on this forum

(QUOTE)

Read your ad and was interested along with

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif....gcode=p

cheers Jon

[davidgh]

As for 'box... well that probably brings in budget, noise, and weight issues.  For example, would you be upset if the car you went for didn't have a £6k sequential box?  Or would the whining of a straight cut gearset send you nuts?

And the clanking in neutral at the lights!!!

A good close ratio "type 9" helical synchro box (e.g. BGH) is excellent for road use  --  you only need to "upgrade" (meaning louder, probably clunkier, and certainly more expensive) if you are intending to compete seriously on track.

Edited to insert "seriously"  

[StanS]

Hi Wilie

Believe duratec seems best  2.0 litre (lightest and 200bhp output) but most expensive so wondered what the best compromise was to get about 200 BHP/price.

Was thinking of a quiet, strong 5 speed .to take autotest/trackdays (as well as road use). Don't mind straight cut whine if 5th gear is helical. Prefer not to have broken g box. Would the type 9 take a few autotest/track days per year ?

Advice is sought and much appreciated !!