XI Build in Complete Kit Car

[jonclancy]

Heads up. Don at the Boardroom posted this:

Just bought the December 2012 (issue 69) of the 'Complete Kitcar magazine' and there is part one of Mel Walker's Westfield Eleven build if anyone is interested.

[bobwhittaker]

Visited "The Classic Car Show" at the NEC 16 Nov. Westfield had a small stand with two cars on show,one which was a customers Eleven,it was an absolute "Little Gem" a real "Stunner". Cheers Bob Whittaker

[jonclancy]

Pics uploaded to Photobucket or suchlike would be very popular, Bob!

[jonclancy]

Bah! Not available in my local Smiths (Leigh Delamere). Bought a copy of Evo instead. Apparantly has a nice article about buying the GTR (my second favourite car).

Looks like I'll have to trawl into town.

Has anyone got a copy yet? Is it on par with the Evo series? If it isn't and the writer is reading this, please embellish!

[sgrant]

Hmmm...I just received an email telling me that "Total KitCar" was doing an XI build. Presumably this is the same thing, it would be some coincidence if not!

I'll try to get into a newsagent later today and see what's going on!

stephen

[jonclancy]

I picked up a copy. It's a historical account of the build this month and a feature on the finished car next month. Then the car is up for sale.

Looks like a nice build, though. Pity iyts not a blow by blow account sort of series that EVO ran.

Discussed in more detail here:

http://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/index.php ... ven-build/

[Splat]

It's for sale. £25k seems a little strong, but it'll do all of us good if they achieve it!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-XI-repl ... 3a80f7b762

[beng4]

25k seems a little steep i would have said. Im also slightly surprised at the 'receipts for 35k' aswell, given that the car is still in gelcoat and still has the iva steering wheel! If i had had this budget when building my car, it would have ended up with a climax engine and ali bodywork! Good luck to them though, its a shame there is no automotive equivalent of zoopla so we can see the prices that cars finally go for....

B.

[Westfield 129]

Having finished a comprehensive build of an RHD W11, I can say that it can be an expensive project.

The kit, with just about every option, delivered in the US, was about $28,000. Then there was a donor MG Midget, for $1000. Feel free to convert at 1.52 per BPS.

Options on the kit included quick release steering wheel adapter, tonneau cover, special steering rack, bias brake pedal, wiring harness (didn't use this but for the wire), T9 5 speed conversion kit, and a couple of odds and ends I cannot remember.

Then, the fun started. The front spindles were replaced with 4340 pieces at $500/pr with new king pins, fitted. Taper wheel bearings, new front hubs as the donor's splines were about gone. The skinny, slow ratio MG 1500 rack was replaced with a 1275 rack with the faster ratio.

The engine was rebuilt to 1380 specs, with a Longman race head. Figure about $45000 for all the parts and offset boring/blueprinting the block, and a custom Maniflow intake and new Weber. I built the engine myself, as I have done a few with great success, and more than 125 hp for each of them. The exhaust was replaced with a Maniflow large bore for a Mini, cut to fit the W11 chassis.

The transmission is an SP Components "Long 1st, semi helical. Figure about $3000 shipped to the US.

The rear axle alone was a tick over $2000, using the donor housing, TranX LSD, and race axles (mandatory with the LSD, as the stock ones break at the first corner) and a set of the double bearing hubs.

Refinishing of all the donor parts was accomplished in my garage, using Eastwood products with excellent results. Materials: $150.

The standard donor radiator was useless, so I designed a new double pass, alloy radiator that weighs 2 lbs and cost about $700. Expensive, but it cools so well that it has to be blocked in cold weather. The next one I do will be even smaller, and will mount flat against the front frame bulkhead with a simple in and out duct.

The chassis received a set of 15" wire wheels (new from MWS), $940 with shipping, new Dunlop vintage racing tires (about $1200), and a new set of front calipers, rotors, and all the rear brake shoes, springs and cylinders.

The brakes are actuated by a bias bar pedal (supplied by Westfield), and a pair of Wilwood master cylinders rather than the tandem cylinder supplied by Westfield. This eliminated the terminally spongy and inaccurate W11 brake problems. The cost to do this was nominal, with the cylinders costing about $100 for the pair, and another $60 for the short flex lines I use to connect them to the brake system for ease of service.

Next week, the stock GAZ dampers, which in less than 1000 miles have welded themselves solid and can't be adjusted softer, will be replaced by a set of Protech double adjustables, and softer rear springs. This is a proven method to greatly improve handling, and make the thing ride well enough to do 500 miles in a day. $1100.

It all adds up. Then there was another few hours polishing the gel coat. I didn't grind down the prominent ridges on the rear wings, or do any heroics with the body at all. Too expensive. I put nice roundels to cover most of the problem.

Then, there was a custom dash, period switches and running lights. The seats didin't come close to fitting, and had to be cut and re upholstered $180. The carpet set was cut apart around the tunnel to make the center panel removable so that the top of the tunnel is easily removed for changing the rear pinion seal, speedo drive or other service. Have not finished this, so the bill is pending. I suspect about $150 by the time it is done.

In the end, the parts content alone on this car was around $48,000, including the kit. There were additional charges for welding and fabrication of some of the small parts and assemblies.

This is the 4th (including my LHD car I started out with) that I have done, and all of them were sent over to correct, and to improve with an LSD, axles, engine and brakes. I am about to restore my LHD car, which already has the axles, LSD and killer engine/5 speed.

i am not surprised that a build in the UK, with mostly standard components would cost that much. Pretty cheap compared to what the cars cost here.

The entire build is shown in photographs in the gallery of both the Westfield_Eleven yahoo site, and the WestyXIownersbuildersdrivers Yahoo site. Look for "The Last Eleven" in the photo albums at the Westfield_Eleven site. Lots of pictures documenting the entire build, and some details of it at the end.

The car was constructed over a period of 3 months, but it took the better part of a year before it was driven due to delays with the fabricator on some small parts, like the header, and my custom radiator.

With nice cars going for around 30K Euro in Europe, it makes sense that the cost of a new one would be at least $30K to build properly.

I have a duplicate of my RHD car available for $40K, but with a new Fuel Injection instead of the Weber. Dual master cylinder/ bias bar brakes. This one has a few thousand miles (driven regularly over the last 4 years), and is being sold as a new 23 is on the way, and there is room needed in the Garage. $42K USD. Exceptional with 15" wheels, vintage race tires, axles and TranX LSD/Peter May wire wheel axles. 125+ HP, proper period flat lights and trim, bucket seats, Protech dampers and revised springs. Sabelt harness. With parts alone on this car (all new save for the rear axle housing and the engine block) exceeding $50,000 USD, I think that this one is a bargain. It drives beautifully, and doesn't beat you up on a long tour. It also runs rings around the other 11s on the track, and has all the right parts so that it looks authentic.

I know that EVERYONE can build these cars cheaper, but the reality... Well, they say, but they don't put their money where their mouths are. Depending on what parts you have laying around, and who owes you favors... It is possible to build a car cheaper if one forgoes the front uprights and king pins, rear axle improvements, 15" wheels, and installs a stock drive train. However, those cars are not driven much once built, and are immediately put up for sale here in the US. That's when I get them at my home for sorting out.

Professionally built, in a reasonable time (less than a year), figure $15,000. More if the car has to be sorted, and it will have to be sorted. Figure another couple of months, and a bit more rebuilding before it can function as a real car, and handle properly.

I have done 4. Two rebuilds of cheaply built new ones, one rebuild (my LHD original) and a new one from the crate. Each received a 125 Hp engine, 5 speed, dampers and springs, new front spindles and new brakes and a sorting out. I am not a pro shop. I do this for friends as a "second job" to fill the time between writing assignments.

It is not likely that a car could be built here for $50K with an alloy body and an FWB, as those parts alone will easily consume the better part of $40K alone.

Like most projects, you can do an 11 on the cheap, and there are some that are already built that can be disassembled, restored and run for perhaps less money if you do everything yourself, but it will take forever if you don't dedicate the time to it.

Next project is a refurbishment of my concourse mid engine R5Turbo Renault. I already have the hoses and other bits that need to be renewed.

Then, in a couple of months, the first Xanthos (project 23) Arch motors chassis 23. We figure on the road in less than 6 months if the engine and trans (Cosworth Duratec/Hewland sequential) arrive in time. Road licensed. This one should have all the parts with it, and the costs should be accurate. More on this when it arrives in two months.

[Splat]

How about this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Eleven- ... 1c32e7ce47