Build Day 5

Build time today 2.5 hours - Total build time 15.5 hours.

Man time today 2.5 hours - Total man time 23.0 hours.

Not a bad day managed to pop into the factory and speak to the helpful staff. They soon explained what I needed to know, showing me on cars in the factory where possible and replacing the bits that I could not find. They explained that some of the missing items had not been delivered. I must not have picked that up when everything was delivered. I at least understand what is missing and can progress. Completed the pedal assemblies, I needed to cut approx 1cm from the brake master cylinder push bar to enable it to fit and work freely without catching the pedal assembly, that meant detaching and re-attaching but really quite straightforward. The throttle assembly was also straightforward, just needed to enlarge a couple of holes.






Picture shows the shortened brake push rod, you should be able to see that there is less than 1cm of clearance

Pedals fitted from inside

Pedal fittings from the outside

Drivers side wishbones with upright mountings and correctly
assembled anti roll bar components attached to wishbone

 Then back on to the front suspension. I re-read the manual, this together with the pictures I have made more sense. I disassembled the top wishbones and re-assembled in what I hope is now the correct configuration

Passenger side wishbones ....

I had a quick look at the shock absorber mounting as I was finishing and the manual points to two different part numbers, when I looked at what I had the boxes had the same numbers, great I thought, upon examination though they had different shocks in the boxes, one set with white springs the other with black. A quick check through the build guide and it looks like the white are the rears and the black the fronts.
I need to flip the car again as I now know what one of the aluminium panels is It’s for the battery and attaches to the bottom of the chassis between the lower front wishbones, hopefully Oli will be available tomorrow for a while to flip it over and back.

Build Day 4

Build time today 2.5 hours - Total build time 13 hours.

Man time today 3.5 hours - Total man time 20.5 hours.

Bit of a frustrating evening, I was going to continue with the pedals, the brake pedal being next, only to find that I could not locate the nuts and bolts to attach the master cylinder. Looked every were and could not locate them.

I think the 120 hours quoted for build time is somewhat optimistic, purhasps that exludes the thinking and reading time requried.

Oli arrived to help so we started on the front suspension. He just wants to get on with it and I explained that he needed to look through the section first, assemble the components and fittings before he starts. Left him pulling the parts together while I had tea. When I returned he had a fair collection of items and we soon found the remaining items. I left him to start assembling the fron suspension while I looked at the front anti roll bar section, It soon became apparent that this was quite complex and it also replaces some of the fixings for the standard suspension. I reminded Oli of this and said to only lightly tighten up the nuts, and to leave the upper wishbones until I understood what was needed.

Oli got the bottom wishbones in place when it was time for him to disappear to meet up with his friends, leaving me to ponder the instructions on my own.

Looking through the component list I soon realized that there were some items missing and some I believe to be the wrong size. I tried to lay everything out and match it up to the item list in the manual, marking off what I had and what was missing ready for a factory visit.

Using two manuals to try and assemble all the front suspension
and front anti roll bar parts

Once I had established there were items missing and an idea of what they were I carried on with the bits I had. In the end after much tooing, froing and pondering over differnet bolt lenghts I managed to get the wishbones attached and the first parts of the anti roll bar kit fitted. Not a vast amount of progress for the time spent.

Front suspension started

The picture above shows the passenger side wishbones with the brace supplied with the anti rollbar kit attached between the upper wishbone front mount points and (I think its called) the bell crank for the anti rollbar between the rears. You can also see a couple of clamps securing the chassis to the stand, without them it tends to slide accross the stands. I think I may try and lift it off and wrap to stand tops in tape.

I really must try and pop into the factory to sort out the missing items.

Update, just found a picture I took of a partly built car at the factory and it looks to also have the front anti rollbar partly fitted and from that I can see that I have not fully understood the instuctions. A bit of re-assemply will be required tomorrow, though I am sure re-assembly is something I will get used to.

Build Day 3

Build time today 2 hours - Total build time 10.5 hours.

Man time today 3 hours - Total man time 17 hours.

Completed fitting the footwell panels and floor this evening, I am going to leave the side panels of for the time being to allow easier access. The holes are drilled ready so should not be a long task to complete those.

Footwell panels fitted and bottom panels ready to rivet

The car is now the correct way up, lets hope it stays that way (especially when driving).

Panels fitted and car now the right way up

 Decided to get on with the pedels next, sorted them all out together with the relavent nuts, bolts washers etc.

First mechanical bit, clutch pedal fitted.

Complete my first mechanical bit fitting the clutch pedal and cable.

Build Day 2

Build time today 3.5 hours - Total build time 8.5 hours.
Man time today 5.5 hours - Total man time 14 hours.

Another slow start, bit or work around the house then out to look to see if something can be done with the broken flexible drill shaft. Had an bit of an idea but a few broken hacksaw blades later gave up.  When I had a chance to experience the drift car at the Exeter kit car show it stuck me that it really needed a passenger foot brace,  this is something I will sort out at a later date but to allow this I have decided to use rivnuts to secure the top panel so it can be removed at a later date. I therefore also need to sort out some appropriate screws so logged on to Screwfix to see what they had and to see if they had a flexible drill shaft in stock at a local store. They did so I ordered one and a few other bits and pieces part for collection part for delivery. Got to the checkout and then had issues with the website, a long phone call later and finally got the order sorted. Then off to the local branch to collect. 

I have also sorted out the missing panel, looking through the manual and some pictures I took at the factory of a partially built car I realised that the inner driver foot well panel was a different colour, I remembered when I was sorting through the delivery seeing a plastic panel in a bag with some of the clutch pits, at the time I put it down as packaging. It turns out to be the missing bit.

Passenger foot well panel and driver panel
The drivers panel is black plastic rather than aluminium

As there are no pre-drilled hoes in the drivers foot well panel I used the passenger panel as a template.

Driver panel with holes 

As Oli was having a driving lesson I got started by myself, the Screwfix flexible drill shaft seems to have worked much better than previous once. Once Oli returned from his driving lesson we worked as a team and have now completed drilling and de-burring all the holes for the remaining panels, including drilling larger holes for the rivnuts ready for the top panel. Rather than drilling and fitting each panel I have decided to drill all the holes first otherwise clamping the later panels would be very difficult with some panels in place.

The car has been left for the day upside down ready for the bottom panels to be attached first, perhaps tomorrow evening.

Dad and son at work

Now updating the blog while watching a recording of the Brazilian F1 GP.

Will have to see if a local Screwfix have one in stock.

The build started

Build time today 5 hours - Total build time 5 hours.
Man time today 8.5 hours - Total man time 8.5 hours.

The day did not quite start as planned with a call from work with an issue that needed to be looked into, I did not get into the garage until mid afternoon. 

Started by modifying the rear bulkhead panel, it looks like the chassis has been modified to add an extra brace which has no cut out on the panel, soon sorted by marking out and quickly cutting with a jig saw.

Panel trimmed and ready

I then moved on to the drivers side inner side panel, carefully positioned, clamped and drilled.  I did not rivet as I had decided to fit and drill both inner side panels and rear bulk head before installing.

First panel clamped and ready to drill chassis

As I finished the first panel Oliver came out to help. He takes the honor for being the first in the Westfield.

First person in the Westfield, drilling the back panel

There are some very awkward places to drill, thankfully I had purchased a flexible drive adapter and even this had issues getting at some holes. Trouble was the drive shaft failed before we had finished so we will need to drill and rivet a couple of holes once replaced.

Once theses three panels had the chassis drilled we then installed them, silicon sealant around the edges, removed the film from the inside face, panel pushed is place added a couple clamps to hold in position then all the rivets put in place. There were a few rivets that we needed to use the hand riveter for using it really made us thankfully I had purchased an air riveter, this made short work of pulling the rivets.

Inner side panel in place with rivets ready to pull

Back panel in place and ready for rivets ready

Three panels installed. I have left the film in place to protect the panels and will remove at a later date.

Does not look much for 5 hours work

The instructions say to fit the front inner side panels next, this is when my issues start as one is missing and I am not absolutely sure that they are identical. Without the flexible drive shaft the next couple of panels will be awkward, will need to sort out a replacement, picked this one up from the Exeter kit car show so not sure how I will get it replaced without cost.

We will probably have a go at the bottom panels tomorrow and then perhaps the front suspension.

The day or arrival

The day has finally come for delivery, I should be able to get started.

As I live so close to the factory they aggreed to deliver, as long as it was a week day. I arranged to work from home (despite the temptation I only broke from work for the deliveries).

Garage is clear and has hopefully plenty of room to be filled with bits of Westfield

First consignment arrives, looks quite a lot of stuff !!

Loaded into garage ready for engine and chassis
(It turns out I judged the placement of the chassis stands perfectly)

Engine being wheeled in on a borrowed hoist

Every thing delivered (for the moment)

Despite the temptation I needed to get back to work and put unpacking everything until later. Once unpacked I tried to go through the bill of materials, but examining it in detail was near impossible. I went through and identified the major item groups. There really does look a lot of compontents and considering there are still compontents to come (head lights, interior, dash, bodywork and rear lights...) there looks a lot to be done. There were plenty of objects I was totally unsure of, I am sure all will become clear as time passes.

Every thing unpacked and layed out

I then sorted everything in to some sort of order of use and packed what I could in to stackable crates or put on shelves (or in the roof space) then got on to the first real task of sorting the pannels.

Everything repacked and stacked

It looks like I have a pannel or two missing plus some others that I can't identify, will pot up to the factory in the morning or if not open on the way home on Monday.

Only a couple of days

Managed to pop into the factory again on the way home, the benefit of living so close. Saw the growing, but still not complete, stack of parts

There are now the wheels and tyres and even more boxes and bags

 The chassis is all ready

 The engine is still being worked on. The inlet manifold and air filter were being fitted and the other parts were sitting ready to be added. All I will have to do is slot the engine into the chassis at the appropriate time. Sounds easy but I am sure it won't.

Roll on the weekend, less the fun commence....

One week to go

Popped into the factory today and they have started to assemble the parts for my car, couldn't see the chassis, engine etc as they were in the other half of the factory and they have been painting the floor and it was still wet.

The big box is the exhaust, on the floor are diff, battery, aluminium panels, wide track wish bone kit. The windscreen is lying across the rails between the cardboard boxes, (it looks very small) then there are boxes and crates with all sorts of stuff in. Looks like the first part of the build process will be examining the contents, sorting all the boxes and working out how to store in the garage.

Hopefully I can get the the factory again next week to see how the collection is progressing.

I have also modified the order to include the front and rear anti roll bars, having looked through the build guide its looks like it makes sense to fits these during the build. For the front anti roll bar at least it says that it should be fitted before the engine installation and it requires modification to the brake pipe routing, I'd planned to add them at some point so it looked like it could make life easier in the long run.

Colour Sheme Confirmed

The colour decision is, I think, now made, having popped into the factory I was pointed towards the French Westfield web site which has a nice orange Westfield featured and a white white one. This together with pressure from the children helped me make my mind up. After all I could have any car in white, cars that can carry off orange are a much rarer beasts.

 I have confirmed with the factory the scheme, it is going to be Orange body work, carbon effect cycle wings and head lights, black wheels and harnesses, standard brakes, orange piping and Westfield logo on the sport turbo seats and black interior trim.

I can add futher cardon touches overtime to contrast.

Why a kit car/Why a Westfield/Why now

For quite a while I have yearned for a track day oriented car.

In many ways I would like a motor bike, but I had a nasty motorcycle accident as a teenager leaving me in hospital for 3 months with a broken leg and dislocated hip and then having to walk with a calliper until my bones healed. Having a motor bike now is not really an option and it would be hypocritical for me to have a motorcycle while not letting my 17 year old son (Oli) have one.

The idea of a light weight car with a high power to weight ratio has always appealed to me as the next best thing to a motorcycle, to me the Arial Atom has to be one of the most appealing cars of this type, trouble is I can't justify buying and running one. A kit car also appeals, building a car will help me to understand how it works and to enable me to modify and improve it over time. Oli is leaning to drive, enjoys Karting and wants to be involved with the build and is very much prepared to enjoy it afterwards.

I'll admit I am not that keen on a kit car in the traditional sense, ie converting a donor car into something new. A glorified Air-fix model does appeal though and I could only think of two serious contenders Caterham and Westfield, though Caterham do appear to get the better reviews I only live about a mile from the Westfield factory making it an easy decision.

Why now, though a pipe dream to some degree the decision was made when a close friend was diagnosed with cancer, this sort of news tends to make you reflect on life and one's values.  This is something I have for a long time wanted to do and with my son now 17 it is probably the perfect time to do it as a family.  A visit to the factory was arranged and along I went with my wife (Tracy) and Oli, (much to the annoyance of my 18 year old daughter, Becki, who actually wants to be involved) Oli loved it and Tracy was supportive and did not veto the project. A test drive was booked two weeks later.

The test drive sold it, and a few days later I arranged to visit again with Becki to place the order. The order was placed for their special edition model with FW body work. I added the wide track option, Westfield lightweight breaks, sport turbo seats, grooved disks and harnesses. I considered having the panels fitted etc but decided I would have ago myself.

I could not decide on colour but was told that was not an issue. I would need to make a decision and let them know 5 weeks before I need the body work. I liked the white demonstrator, but both the children wanted Orange. My favoured colour scheme was white body with carbon effect cycle wings, black wheels, red brakes, red harnesses and red piping on the interior trim.  The due date was in the region of 8 weeks later, late November early December.

Soon afterwards, the delivery date was confirmed as 25th November.  I asked for a copy of the build manual which was duly supplied and having looked through it and read a number of build diaries I made a list of tools that I needed to purchase. Most of which have now been purchased from eBay and are now waiting in the garage to be put to use.

I now need to finish off the decorating this weekend and next because the Westfield kit is due the week after.