CJspeedsport Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Are there many/any Westfield owners in the area? Wouldn't mind picking a few brains on the track day/racing front for my car. Wondering what the best way to get on to the track is having absolutely zero perfromance car experience (in fact zero experince driving a car without ABS or traction control) and little racing knowledge generally. Do many racers drive to the events in their cars or do you all own trailers? My principal worry being that I might destroy my tyres on the track and have an illegal tread for the drive home. How many sets of tyres do you need for a track day/race event? IS there a good general purpose tyre or do you need a couple of sets? Other than a helmet, what safety gear do you have to buy and what is recommended? Also, how easy would it be to take out the inertia seat belts and fit a harness? Do your efforts in this department need to be checked by an independent body afterwards? All help will be much appreciated. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJspeedsport Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Also, as you have probably guessed by the inertia seat belt to harness question, my Westie is very much set up for road use. I don't think the roll cage is ideal for racing and would need changing, the seat belts would need to be changed and possibly the drivers seat. I wonder if any of you have had a road set up for your Westfields and have changed them for the track. If so, what did you do and how much did it cost? If I wanted to do the bare minimum (to begin with of course!) to get the car set up properly for racing, what would I HAVE to do, and how much am I likely to be spending? (This is all subject to getting the engine to behave next week!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Lots of different questions there! Please don't take it as being pedantic, but you talk about trackday/racing in a lot of the questions, when they're really two very different things, with some very different requirements! As far racing goes, from a car rather than driver point of view, you're generally better looking for a championship you fancy entering, then building a car to suit, as they'll often be variations on the regs that'll you'll need to go by. These will affect things as diverse as what gearbox, have you a windscreen, tyre type, engine type and size and so on. The once common thing to most race series is safety. For circuit racing you will typically need full harnesses, a proper FIA certified roll cage, an ignition cut switch and a plumbed in fire extinguisher system. However for trackdays, typically, as long as the car is essentially considered road legal, and either MOT'd, or capable of passing an MOT, you're OK. Obviously, you're pretty exposed in a Westfield, so at least a decent cross braced roll bar would be a sensible mod, though a full cage will obviously give more protection. There's no inspection process required specifically, but it's your neck! (the exception is if racing, when it'll be one of the things the scrutineers check prior to a race) Harness mounting points have been welded to the chassis as standard for a few years now, so you may already have them. Older cars tended to just have one threaded boss on the rail just behind your head for three strap type harnesses, while later cars usually have two for four point harnesses. You may need to remove the boot box to find them though, or you might just be able to see from below. If they're not there, then you'll need to get proper mounting bosses welded in. (You can buy them from places like McGill Motorsport). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Most trackdays seem to be similar as far as personal safety equipment goes, helmet, (most wear closed in a Westfield, though I guess an open face plus goggles would be OK too), helmets can usually be hired at the bigger circuits at least. Other than covered arms (no short sleeves), that's often virtually it. Though those that have race gear do often wear it, again, it's your neck. For circuit racing you'll need approved Helmet, gloves, boots, race suit, underwear etc. Trailering, at trackdays, plenty of people don't, they just arrive and drive. For circuit racing, I'm sure there's probably someone somewhere doing the same, there always is, but I can't say I've ever really seen it. Tyre wear is going to depend on the type and compound that your using, this is obviously down to you on a trackday, so if you rag it a lot on soft compound list 1b tyres, yes, you could have a problem. Again, on the race side, individual championship regs will probably limit you're choice, so may not be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 First thing though, safety stuff aside, get, if it's not been done the cars suspension geometry set up properly and the engine tuned/rolling roaded. That way you'll stand a chance of getting the best from what you've got. And if you do decide to go racing, unless car development is your aim, seriously consider buying a car already built and with history in the race series you fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stantman67 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 For Track days, as stated which are different to racing:- Minimum Westfield Style RAC roll bar with cross brace and rakers. go from about £120 second hand, not essential but really recommended. Helmet, some tracks (Castle Coombe being one) insist on full face for open top cars. Huge debates on price/quality you should go for on the forum, but always go for a new one unless you know the history of a second hand one. Then it becomes a matter of choice:- Most seats fitted are sporting to some extent but lots of GRP race buckets available, JK Composites do a well priced one that lots of owners seem to buy (me included). After that aeroshield if you prefer but not essential (I find it generates less wind buffet at speed). And as gadgetman said corner weighting and rolling road to get the best out of your handling and engine. Tyres wear lightly on Westfields compared to tin tops and a decent medium compound tyre (Toyo, Kumho, Avon etc) will last you a reasonable number of road and track miles. Standard brakes are fine for most track and road use as again the car is light and the brakes are designed for a lot heavier vehicle with a possible caravan on tow. As you are in South Wales Llandau is a great little first time out circuit and often very reasonably priced, its better than Coombe in the wet (IMO) as the tarmac does not get as greasy. Try a day and see how you get on and work from there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJspeedsport Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Minimum Westfield Style RAC roll bar with cross brace and rakers. go from about £120 second hand, not essential but really recommended. As you are in South Wales Llandau is a great little first time out circuit and often very reasonably priced, its better than Coombe in the wet (IMO) as the tarmac does not get as greasy. These are on offer at the moment from the westfield shop, would they do if I started circuit racing, or would I need a full cage style roll bar to do that? I'm off to Llandaw in the next couple of weeks, when the car gets back from Interpro! Harness mounting points have been welded to the chassis as standard for a few years now, so you may already have them. Older cars tended to just have one threaded boss on the rail just behind your head for three strap type harnesses, while later cars usually have two for four point harnesses. You may need to remove the boot box to find them though, or you might just be able to see from below. If they're not there, then you'll need to get proper mounting bosses welded in. (You can buy them from places like McGill Motorsport). I will have a look this evening to see if I have the mounting points, the car is a 2000 so fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJspeedsport Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Many thanks for the informative posts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 All the circuit racing regs that I've seen usually spec full cage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Llandaw Llandau Llandow people, Good little track I was there last week when the car went bang, when are you going i may pop along, probably not in the westy thou as it will be in hospital. Pembrey is great if you fancy a little bit futher a field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markcoopers Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 The best money you will ever spend in your shoes is with an instructor on the day. That is not me trying to be big and clever, but traveling faster is about confidence not blind optimisum, so having an expert sat next to you teaching you lines and car feel/control will pay big dividens in your enjoyment. Next up is attitude......Doing well in the posts i must say, but tyre were is your responsibility, so if getting low on the day, stop.....drive home safely. Conected to this will be you ariving early and asking for advice on the day, and starting slow and building up....it is not a race, but a track day, nothing to proove to anyone. I would resits upgrading anything until you are clear what it is you want to do with the car, from experience building a mega track car can distract from some road milage and then you end up selling it as you never use it. 2000Y chassis will have both mounting bosses for a 4 point harness......however i strongly recomend the use of a 5 point harness to stop the lap belt riding up to your tits in the unfortunate event you call upon it's design....again speak from experience on this matter. If you have never done this kind of thing before, then 2 possible ideas to consider. Airfield based days are both cheaper and have pretty much nothing to hit.....I would reomend practising spinning and pioretting on one or two of these first. Motorsport events (Ed Moore) runs a few in Hullavington, Kemble, Keevil, all closeish to you. Motorsport Vision used to run novice only track days, not seen them advertised recently, but if they still do, it might be worth thnking about this to get some experience with similar drivers? Good luck, pleased you asked actually, wish more would be so honest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJspeedsport Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm having a full day with James Harrison the instructor at Landow soon. I haven't arranged a date yet, I'm going to wait until the car has gone to Bristol to get it working properly. But I might try and book for Friday 30th April if you're going to be around and fancy a good "point and laugh" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 hmm i will need a get away the weekend before my wedding, if its an open trackday maybe ill jump on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJspeedsport Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 I'm now going to Landow on the 26th, a Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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