Different Westfield Types

[Paul Harveyboy]

what are the diffrences in a pre lit etc . how can you tell a pre lit from a se etc?

Edited April 17, 2012 by noddy

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Ok, it's a trickier one to answer definitively than it seems! Bear in mind that with more or less work, almost any Westfield component could appear on any car! Wide bodywork is even occasionally adapted to fit narrow cars!

Essentially though, Pre Lit refers to the original Westfield Seven, in original state they look incredibly similar to a Caterham. They were even available with aluminium bodywork - just like a Caterham! Who needless to say weren't happy and sued.

Westfield lost and were made to redesign the cars and stop calling them Sevens, these early cars were refered to as Pre Litigation, or just Pre Lit.

The redesigned bodywork saw lots of detail changes to the tub, scuttle, bonnet etc. but the most obvious visual differences are the swage line that begins either side of the nose cone and runs back down either side of the bonnet and scuttle. Additionally, the wheel arches front and rear got a more softer, rounded look and also gained a deeper swage line running around the side edges. (just the outer edge at the rear).

More sculptural cast aluminium screen uprights were introduced, incorporating a mounting base for the (then) Escort wing mirrors.

There is a version of this early bodywork known as the low line; the height of the nosecone at its back edge and the matching front height of the bonnet is lower than later cars with taller more modern overhead cam engines.

The "new" post lit Westfield was named the SE. A model with independent rear suspension was eventually launched and was known as the SEi.

IIRC the original Pre Lit cars were even available with the more BL derived suspension parts that Caterham used for years - Triumph front uprights, though I don't know if they also used the Marina back axle.

The factory eventually changed to a mix of Ford and bespoke parts for many years for suspension/steering/transmission. They have evolved steadily though, so wishbone lengths change, chassis have detail differences etc.

Probably the next biggest change was the arrival of the wide body cars, available in both live axle and Independant rear versions, these were known as the SEW and SEiW respectively. The wide body cars are both longer in the cockpit and wider than narrows.

You can recognise them either by measurement, or the shape of the tub where the bodywork has a pronounced scallop to it in the wide where the rear arch meets the "door" opening - the section of tub level with your shoulder.

During the nineties the factory got type approval for a range of factory built models with a number of stock Ford engines. These are recogniseable by the filled in bodywork, Caterham style behind the front wheels, and on the CVH engined models, by an offset bonnet scoop/bulge.

The next big change in standard bodywork was the arrival of the ZK bodystyle. This looks similar to the previous style from a distance, but with a number of detail changes that make it tricky to mix and match. The nose/bonnet/scuttle swage line is higher up, the scuttle is slightly wider - presumably the back upper edge of the bonnet is the same. The dash fits in the scuttle differently, and the scuttles design round the dash is different. The nose is no longer held on by Dzus fasteners, but three bolts instead.

This bodywork is still current and can be mixed and matched in with the FW style bodywork too. So you can have an SE with one piece FW nose/bonnet, or an FW tub with an SE nose cone and bonnet.

Various additional models over the years have added extra body options too. The SEiGHT V8 engined cars gave us the vented nose and a bonnet with scoop/bulge. The Mega bike engined cars seem to have refined the V8 bonnet to the one we have today.

Westfield launched an SDV (single donor vehicle) car based on a Sierra. This had the Sierra's wider rear track, so wider rear arches were produced - popular with those fitting extra wide rear wheels to other Westfields.

Then there's the Mazda MX5 based SDV, which uses Mazda running gear for suspension as well as drive train!

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

So basically, you need to crawl all over a car with someone who knows Westfields! Or get lots of photos and show them on the Boardroom

The good news though, is that most of the time, as long as you've bought a good car, you've got a good car! And it really doesn't matter which pigeon hole it fits in.

The only time it becomes important is buying mechanical spares or replacement bodywork and chassis components.

Mechanical stuff is usually easy enough, a look at pictures on here will probably tell you if you've got Ford Cortina (M16) front calipers, or a Pinto, X Flow, Zetec, Duratec, XE engine etc.

Chassi bits and bodywork is where you'll need to be a bit more careful, assume nothing! Measure and check!

[langy]

This may help

[langy]

or maybe even here

[stephenh]

And if you are contemplating buying an older car, particularly if it looks very cheap, on ebay, beware that there are cars advertised as Westfields which aren't, but are built around a chassis that is based on a Westfield. ;)

[Mark (smokey mow)]

And you can easily spot an imposter from a genuine westfield by it's chassis number. Which is also a good way to identify which model the car is.

http://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/90170-incorrectly-registered-kit-cars/page__view__findpost__p__907490