It arrived today! Contrary to Jan's 'The Last XI', I took delivery of a new RHD Westfield XI with dark blue polished bodywork - and so the build begins. The donor car is a plucky little Midget with a 1400 engine and rather good Minator wheels. It's a shame to break it, but I needed a car with an MOT that I could drive when we moved house (recently). I'm sure the bodyshell will find a good home.
The kit is being housed in a new workshop I had built - in fact it's not quite finished, and is waiting for the electricians to arrive. It's a steel framed, insulated structure supplied and installed by 'OZ-UK' . I certainly recommend them. The garage measures 8 metres by 9 metres, so there's plenty of room, plus a 4-post lift. I have a couple of other precious cars to get in there too.
I'm going to study the build manual tonight, and I must say there's lots of advice out there from previous (and current) builders - it's just a matter of sorting the good from the not-so-good.
I'll keep you posted!
Chappy's Build
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jonclancy
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:30 pm
Re: Chappy's Build
Looking good already!!! 
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erictharg
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:50 pm
Re: Chappy's Build
An excellent choice of colour, I must say!
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sgrant
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:44 am
Re: Chappy's Build
Is it only me who thinks that Midget looks georgous?
Seems a real shame to break it up....
Seems a real shame to break it up....
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chappy996
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 1:30 pm
Re: Chappy's Build
Yes, as I wrote earlier, it's a plucky little car. The attraction for me was that it had those wheels and tyres (with a new spare), plus a recently rebuilt 'fast road' engine, a new radiator and steering rack. The good news is that out here (in the middle of nowhere) I have only two neighbours, but one has a Midget that has rotted away, so we should be able to rehome this bodyshell once I've had the bits I want. I'd also say that although it looks great in the photo, it's not quite so good up close, though the floor pan is good and solid.
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Mknight702
- Posts: 214
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:49 pm
Re: Chappy's Build
Should get a good amount back from breaking a car that looks as good as that one. I certainly did and my donor was a very, very, long way from good.
With respect to the radiator, I would ditch the stock Midget item and get a Metro radiator instead. I've just done that as my car has always run hotter than I like despite the new rad, repositioned fan and ducting. With the new radiator I am having to fit a hotter thermostat. Plus the Metro radiator I have is aluminium so lighter than the Midget item. Oh and being a Metro unit they are dirt cheap from Ebay.
With respect to the radiator, I would ditch the stock Midget item and get a Metro radiator instead. I've just done that as my car has always run hotter than I like despite the new rad, repositioned fan and ducting. With the new radiator I am having to fit a hotter thermostat. Plus the Metro radiator I have is aluminium so lighter than the Midget item. Oh and being a Metro unit they are dirt cheap from Ebay.
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erictharg
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:50 pm
Re: Chappy's Build
Unless the build manual has changed to won't take long to read. Fortunately you have several folks here who have worked it all out before. Like the sound of your workshop. If Stephen likes the look of your donor so much maybe he'll buy the remains! He can put them in the space where his Eleven should be!
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sgrant
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:44 am
Re: Chappy's Build
That was very, very low Charles 
Talk about kicking a chap when he's down....
Talk about kicking a chap when he's down....
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erictharg
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:50 pm
Re: Chappy's Build
Agreed. But when a chap still has a tidy Catering Van in said garage and a Cayman R as the new shopping car he's bound to come in for some stick! It's jealousy, of course! By the way, how is the Land Rover coming along...
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Westfield 129
- Posts: 882
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:20 am
Re: Chappy's Build
I have installed all sorts of radiators in race cars, and have even designed my own alloy radiator (weight: 1Kg), and never had to change the thermostat to adjust the coolant temperature. If I want the engine to run at 80C, install an 80C thermostat. The thermostat keeps the engine at the stated temp, not the radiator, which may have excess capacity, but the thermostat will limit the coolant flow, and keep the engine at the proper temp.
If you have installed a new radiator, and the engine runs cooler, then you have a thermostat that is too cool to start with. With the prior radiator, there was not enough cooling capacity (radiator, fan, or both), so your thermostat was open all the time, and the engine ran hot.
The reality is that the engines do better if they are hot, an a quick warm up is always beneficial. 80C is a good temperature for the engines, and my thermostat works perfectly at that temperature.
I live in Southern California, in the hills above Malibu. It gets hot here. I use the thermostat that keeps the engine at my preferred temperature, electric fan on the back side of the radiator, and automatic switching. I NEVER use a manual fan switch. I have seen too many of them not get turned on.
My alloy radiator, built by Ron Davis Racing Radiators) is a double pass unit, and has much excess cooling capacity. I may re design it again, an inch or so shorter, but an inch and a half wider. This way, the entire radiator can stand up in the chassis, beneath the anti sway bar. This makes it easy to duct the hot air down beneath the car, while making the installation a bit more compact.
If you have installed a new radiator, and the engine runs cooler, then you have a thermostat that is too cool to start with. With the prior radiator, there was not enough cooling capacity (radiator, fan, or both), so your thermostat was open all the time, and the engine ran hot.
The reality is that the engines do better if they are hot, an a quick warm up is always beneficial. 80C is a good temperature for the engines, and my thermostat works perfectly at that temperature.
I live in Southern California, in the hills above Malibu. It gets hot here. I use the thermostat that keeps the engine at my preferred temperature, electric fan on the back side of the radiator, and automatic switching. I NEVER use a manual fan switch. I have seen too many of them not get turned on.
My alloy radiator, built by Ron Davis Racing Radiators) is a double pass unit, and has much excess cooling capacity. I may re design it again, an inch or so shorter, but an inch and a half wider. This way, the entire radiator can stand up in the chassis, beneath the anti sway bar. This makes it easy to duct the hot air down beneath the car, while making the installation a bit more compact.