Silly idea

[erictharg]

You should see how badly real Land-Rover panels fit. Your's is way too straight...Anyway bodywork is boring. When do you do the mechanicals? I can probably source you a slightly second hand three cylinder Perkins 400 series diesel engine...

[sgrant]

Hoping to start on the mechanicals in about 3 - 4weeks, once the body is finished. Plan is to fit the axles and so on, then take them off, then waterproof and paint the body, then put them back on again, just so that the PVA gets into all the little holes and so on from the fitting. All the mechanicals are in the garage at the moment and I've gone for twin motors, swing axle and so on, so it has some decent ability to haul kids around the garden. The only bits where I'm wandering off-piste are firstly that i'm thinking about a small winch for the front, and secondly the kit comes with stickers on the "dash" for the speedo and so on, which is unbelievably lame, so I've been buying random old landrover dials and 1980's bike speedos (the old analogue ones with the little wheel that you fix to the rim on the bike wheel to drive the speedo) and I'm going to try to lash together a more authentic-looking, working, dash.

That's all some way down the road though, for the time being i'm just concentrating on not screwing anything up too badly.

[erictharg]

I have to say I respect and admire your attention to detail and pursuit of perfection. Very unlike me, but well done!

[Pluscat]

I've also been playing with the idea of converting a CC pumpengine to a race engine and putting it in to my Westy. I even bought a pumpengine (a FWMF, 742cc) for a few pounds Ebay several years ago.
The engine is still sitting in my livingroom (!) as a show piece .
If you really want a CC in your Westy you should take a look at the site of Mike Brotherwood http://www.mikebrotherwood.com/replicas.html.
Start saving......

[sgrant]

Well, I'll take the plunge if you do! I'd love to build a climax engine. Logically there's no point (my A-series is cheaper, more reliable and more powerful), but the link back to the original Lotus is a nice one and it would a lovely thing to have installed in the engine bay....

[Pluscat]

I'm affraid I won't take the plunge. There are three good reasons:

-There is nothing wrong with a BMC A Engine (they where used a lot by Lotus for the Seven S1 and S2 and it is said even for some Elevens!)

-My Eleven has a Rivergate 5-speed gearbox, there is no addaptorplate for the Coventry Climax engine to the Rivergate box I know of.

-I would also like an alluminium body on my XI. And here is the real problem: If I want a XI with a CC engine and a alluminium body (the two most expensive items when restoring a real Lotus XI), I shouldn't use them for a Westfield but I'd better start building a complete new and accurate replica of the Lotus XI,
for example starting with this: http://www.mikebrotherwood.com/ForSale.html (at the bottum of the page)

[11admire]

When I bought my XI there was an extra Datsun 5 speed Rivergate gearbox and an extra engine included.
I sold the Datsun Rivergate box because a 5 speed in an Eleven just isn't right (for me)
So if you have the same box, then Mike Brotherwood should be able to make an adapterplate for the CC engine since he already make one for the Spridget box.
[attachment=1]8352-74_1_b.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]8352-74_1_b.jpg[/attachment]

[Pluscat]

It is the same box

Well I guess, anything is possible, a new CC-rivergate adapterplate could be made.
Still, if I really want a aluminium-bodied, CC engined XI, I wouldn't start with a Westfield XI in the first place.
I would go all the way and build a genuine faithfull XI replica, which could pass for the real thing....

One morning you will wake up, and regret selling that 5-speed....

[11admire]

I will never regret selling it, I even had the sprite 3 sync box rebuild SC/CR to get the noise.
My XI is not to be a cruiser, but as close to a 1958 racer as possible

[Pluscat]

With that 5th gear I WILL outpace you at the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans, mate!