Description:

I have owned this Westfield SE since 2004 when I purchased it to race in the Westfield championship which was organised by BARC, over the next few years I had a lot of fun and some success travelling to most circuits in the country. However in 2008 I was lured back to classic racing and the Westfield was used for fast-rides for family and friends at track days.

When the original 1800 Zetec finally expired due to insufficient baffling in the sump I decided to make driving it much more fun.

I purchased a 2 litre (silver top) Zetec engine and bored it out to 2,100cc added a pair of Piper fast road/ rally cams plus vernier wheels etc, the head was flowed by Racetorations , and  got rid of the DCOE carburettors, replacing them with some Jenvey Throttle bodies, and also dry-sumped it. (I remembered what happened to the other engine)

Over the next few years the car would be dragged out of the garage once or twice a year so that I could frighten my children (normally at Brands Hatch) before eventually being laid up again, this would have been about 2018, and it has been driven twice since then!

When Covid hit, I had sold my other “toys” and needed a project. and my trusty Westfield needed love. I bought new Toyo R888R tyres, overhauled the brakes, fitted an electric water pump lagged the exhaust, and generally gave it some attention. Eventually I upgraded the ecu to a much friendlier version and settled down to wait for lockdown to end so that I could have it remapped. The power had always been good, but the old map was somewhat haphazard.

In July 2020 I took the car to a rolling road, and the result was staggering; peak power had been around 200bhp since the initial upgrade, and an extra 10bhp was very welcome, but it was the torque figures that made me reach once again for my wallet.

The torque figures (see printout) were so good that I realised that the car would work very well with a much taller diff, and some limited slip would prevent the wheels from spinning up at any opportunity. I fitted Quaiffe Torque biasing differential linked to 3.54:1 final drive, and waited for the world to open again.

The thing is, (due to family and apathy) I have only driven it twice since then, the first was at a very greasy Brands track evening where the torque, power, and a dry setup made the car almost undriveable as it slid, and spun the wheels at every opportunity, and I retired to the toilet after two laps. The second was this week when again at Brands I ventured onto a dry (thankyou) track and gave it a blast.

The Westfield was comfortably the fastest car on track, even with a rusty and now elderly pilot behind the wheel. : A touch of oversteer through clearways, hard on the power round Clark Curve, into top and over to the right, then flat out before braking (always too early)  and a nice drift through paddock hill bend, followed by trail braking into druids (2nd gear) roll through, straighten the wheel to prevent understeer then power down to Graham Hill bend  (still second) late apex, control the oversteer and run to outside, up to third, full power, then confidence brake and flat through Surtees and McLaren clipping both apexes, brake hard and throw it into Clearways (still in third) and hang on…….Yep that worked!

The engine soft cuts at 6,250 rpm, though I rarely get there, the gearbox is the legendary straight cut rocket box with a very high first gear and perfect ratios. At the back is the bomb proof Salisbury axle, along with its drum brakes.  At front four pot calipers work very well and rarely lock (thank goodness). Then there is the ubiquitous Mk1/2 Escort quick steering rack and a removable steering wheel.

I should point out that this is not a road car, although it is registered, it has no headlamps, or working indicators and the handbrake is not there, it could be adapted but a bit of work would be needed before popping down for an MoT.  Years of track use can be seen in less than perfect paintwork, and a frankly scruffy cockpit area with two mismatched seats. There is an almost new Red Top Gel battery in the passenger footwell, with the dry sump tank limiting legroom (although this would only be an issue for a basketball player.

To go racing, you would need a new seat, harness, transponder and an extinguisher system.

The car is grubby but very functional, the engine is reliable and although changing the oil often is a good idea, I just leave it alone. Westfields have always been considered (rightly so) more agricultural than any Caterham, but this does not make them any slower.

I am selling the car for £5,500 pounds, I could have asked for more and spent time haggling, but I am not going to do that, at the price you will struggle to find anything that represents better value.

The car is in Ashford Kent, and I am happy to let anyone crawl all over it, I provide coffee/ tea and if you time it right a bacon sandwich. If you would like to chat the landline is 01303 812033, there is call guardian on the line, so give your name and we will answer or call you back.

Finally

I am also selling the trailer, it is not included with the car, but if you want a sturdy tilting trailer this one will do the job.  I have adapted it so that it will fit into a standard double garage albeit with a little bit of jiggery pokery. Have a look at the images and let me know. I will not sell the trailer until the Westfield has gone to its new owner.

A little bit of information

4 wheel twin axle, braked on front wheels, Indespension units (about five years old) Comes with electric winch, battery, jerry can holder in bed (includes 2 20l jerry cans. Good commercial tyres and a couple of spare rims.

Price £1500. No bids please it is already discounted.

 

Keyword Search Terms:

Westfield, Caterham, Seven, trackday, Lotus,