Summary spring 2014

Recent trip round Dukes Pass, Trossachs, Scotland

The car was a good one when bought in September 2013 it is an even better car now. I have driven it recently and it performs well and may of the niggles in the driving experience have now gone. Here is a list of improvements over the last 6 months.

* Front mud flaps
* Bodywork repairs (paint and GRP)
* Extra front wing stays
* New shock absorbers
* Improved aero screen
* Front and rear lighting improvements
* Moved battery to better position and plugged up holes in bulkhead
* Rear wing stone guards
* Paddle shift gear change
* Improved exhaust and fitted CAT
* MSA towing hoops
* Boot box for tool storage
* Improved oil catch tank
* Full roll cage
* Half doors
* Gear selected indicator
* ARB's front and back
* Uprated cooling fan

Total cost...... don't ask the wife might be listening!

The plan is to enter a few hill climb events and a few track days, hopefully not making too big an idiot of myself.

Contents

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Cooling fan

I was going to update the cooling fan, possibly next year but the purchase of the Playskool ARB made that upgrade a necessity. The ARB install wanted to share the same space as the Sierra cooling fan location. The Ford cooling fan is big and heavy beast by modern standards at I doubt it is very efficient.

I purchased a 10" low profile suck part from Rally Design. It is spec'd at only 52mm in height. I had to make a new mounting plate and brackets. The brackets are the originals Westfield chassis bits elongated by 30mm.

Bolted it up, connected wiring and pipes all works well, job done. Water temperature gauge is reading wrong, needs investigating (sensor faulty?).

Contents

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New alloy mounting bracket

Clearance to ARB now adequate

Old Ford part

ARB (Anti Roll Bar)

I was happy enough with the road holding on my Megabusa but when I spoke to Simon at Sitec Racing he advised me to get some ARB(s). Simon's advice is that the roadholding can be made even better on the track with ARB's. As he is going to be employed to set up my suspension soon, then I guess, I need to take his advice.

I thought about purchasing s/h parts but decided a new set would have all the bits and pieces supplied and be a straightforward fit (wrong!).

I purchased the front and rear ARB kit for a Westfield from Playskool Motorsport. Like all aftermarket products for my model of Westfield (apparently) it did not fit out of the box. The main problem was at the rear bar:

1) The instructions were unclear about the position of the plates to attach the drop arms at the rear to the lower wishbones.

2) The rear upper pivot points requires removing the fuel tank as the bolts cannot be removed and inserted otherwise.

The first problem was easy enough I just posted a thread on the Westfield technical forum and that matter was put to bed almost instantly. There are lots and lots of people who have fitted that kit.

The second problem resulted in me refabricating the rear pivot point brackets by putting an offset into the pivot point. I then mounted them on the rear wishbone mounts instead of the front. I did not want to remove the tank at this stage as the roll cage would have to be removed. I cannot see why this will affect the roll bar performance in any way.

The biggest problem with the front ARB was that the site for the front ARB was obstructed by the radiator,  the bottom hose and the cooling fan.

Nearside front

Offside front

Offside rear

Welded plate

Mod to rear pivot

It is now essential to upgrade the cooling fan as the front ARB occupies the space for the existing one.

Contents

There is a contents page Link