Im looking over the next six months to buy a cheap Westfield or the equivalent. I have not researched it very well, but knowing you guys, you have owned the best, worst and quickest of most marques so any info, pros and cons, things to look out for etc. would be well appreciated!

(the reason I am asking now is that the wife wasnt totally against the idea this afternoon! Must be a goer then)

 

I have a Tiger Cat, based on a Sierra

it is not in the top tier - i.e. Caterham7 - Westfield

but better than most kits

very very low running costs, because they are so light they do not punish the mechanicals -- mine passes it's early mot (for the last 8 years) with nothing spent on it (and I mean nothing)

has a DOHC ford unit in it -- not amazingly fast (but i have fantasized about putting in a Mazda 1.6 16v unit)

just a bit of summer fun really

 

Thanks Hodgy, exactly what Im looking for! Probably buy it in the bleak midwinter to get a good price!

 

mac 1 looks interesting , with a bike engine or not ?

 

Is that your cloth cap on top of it or something to do with air intake ?

 

well spotted

It is a piper flow air filter -- but the foam was wearing out so I bodged it with a bit of foam from some computer packaging

as i said -- i really don't spend much on it - although I will buy a replacement as soon as I get back from a quick Kitesurfing trip to Egypt

 

I fancy a bike engined one, but I read that they like to go pop. I want to just own it and drive it, the Bug gets all the money thrown at it! Saying that though, the modding bug doesnt end with Subarus!

 

Where did you read that Myles? There are lots of people on the LocostBuilders forum who run bike engined cars (BEC's) and I've heard of very, very few going pop. I've got a Fireblade engine in mine and apart from some stuff I've deliberately done to the car it has required nothing else doing to it whatsoever.

The changes I've made are either for comfort (new seats) or to lose weight from the car (i.e. remove a reverse gearbox), etc... I seriously wouldn't avoid BEC's just because you've read that some go pop.

At the end of the day the car engine vs bike engine debate will always go on, but driving the car up to the 11k+ plus red line is a great laugh!

 

Scott, I was speaking to a guy who has owned a few 7 type cars. Perhaps he had an axe to grind with the BECs! Id love a BEC personally, something I would imagine that has to be driven to be believed!

 

There are a lot of people who have never driven a BEC but slag them off... a lot of which is done in a harmless manner, but definitely take one for a test drive!

 

My weekend toy that I'm looking to sell very soon

 

Very nice, which derivative is that?

 

Its a 1998 Formula 27 with a 2.0 zetec engine in it

 

What power is that kicking out, I like it in the orange, cant be missed on the road.

 

Thats nice i want one

 

Its never been on the roller, but its got GSXR 750 throttle bodies, kent cams and head work. i would say around 160-170bhp really

 

How much do the Formula 27s go for these days, I havent seen many about, and even less for sale?!

 

I paid £6000 for mine nearly 34 years ago.
I'll be putting mine up for sale during the week for £4500, so I'll find out soon