Westfield FW400

Post by ed » Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:22 pm

i like

Fluoxetine · Post by **Fluoxetine** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:02 pm

I'd guesstimate not much more than a dozen made...(Westfield might confirm)

They reckoned they were going to build 30 at the time (98->99), but I'm not sure they found 30 people willing to spend £40k on a 'kit car'...(Most went and spent that sort of money on an R500...

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Rare as the proverbial - Powered by a 190 VHPD 'K' series, and weighing in around 400-450kg...

Carbon fibre chassis would worry me - I'm sure it's well tough/torsionally stiff, and the force required to irreparably damage it would almost certainly write off an Elise etc...

...but I just don't know if C/F ages as well as more conventional materials - All the FIA TGP F1 cars from the '80's need to be crack tested & certified every year before they can race...

Sure - I understand the cars I mention above are all 20+ year old racers, and subjected to way higher stresses...But it would be something I'd need to consider....

If it were my money, and I was after something like that, I'd buy a Caterham Fireblade...Sub-400kg's anyone?!

Lawrence · Post by **Lawrence** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:29 pm

As usual Ross has most of the info

I wonder if they sold any because both the demo cars were sold through Paul Matty only 2 years ago and they still took time to sell the real problem being the Hewland transaxle. The tub was built and designed by the ex Team Lotus guy whos name escapes me, but I'm sure it is he who is involved with Graeme Wight's Predator Hillclimb car that is soon to be seen as a bike engined version too

Fluoxetine · Post by **Fluoxetine** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:36 pm

...

Killing time at work (Finish at 18:45) and trawled the Westfield forum...All a bit vague, but common consensus is that they made 6 cars - Although at least 2 went abroad...

Depreciation was also discussed - Apparently the factory had two for sale a couple of years ago...£19k was the figure mentioned (down from £39k!

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Lawrence · Post by **Lawrence** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:25 pm

Westfield now use the body shape from the FW400 in their new cars as an option

Very Elise S1 from the rear

Lawrence · Post by **Lawrence** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:27 pm

r10crw · Post by **r10crw** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:07 pm

Its maybe just me but I thought the R500 weighed in at 450 kilos so why is the westy not any lighter using a c/f chassis?

Lawrence · Post by **Lawrence** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:39 pm

There may have been one R500 at 460Kg ish but the FW400 was quite close to 400Kg this was pre bike engines of course. Most Megabusa are 430, my Hoyabusa is 470Kg but the Caterham Fireblades have been known to get down to 385Kg.

As we all know headline numbers seldom reach the street

most really light ones have lots of washers missing use Ti bolts, nomex hoses and have lots of holes etc added along with lots of cash to get the finished product down.

r10crw · Post by **r10crw** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:52 pm

Lawrence the trouble is that when your down to measuring the the power to weight of a 400 kg car the drivers weight has to come into play. I notice a big differnece with/without a pax which must be much worse with your go kart.

Lawrence · Post by **Lawrence** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:44 am

of course

however power to weight is only part of it, after 70 tuts you need low drag and real power.

tuscan_thunder · Post by **tuscan_thunder** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:15 am

Lawrence - Martin Ogilvie is the man.

I've seen a couple of FWs on trackday websites etc but there are a fair few 'standard' Westies dressed up with FW lights and aero screens.

As said, most folk with that budget to spend bought R500s or, maybe, even 340Rs.

tuscan_thunder · Post by **tuscan_thunder** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:36 am

aye, but same kind of market, same kind of buyer.

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:58 am

My Westfield Megablade was under 445kg without me in it (I weighed it on the weigh bridge at Michelin Tyre Co in Dundee and the bloke said it was very accurate but he would say that wouldn't he).

There wasn't too many 'bits' on the car that could have been dispensed with to make it that much lighter and still keep some modicum of practicality. Dumping the pax seat and going for v. lightweight alloys would have helped I guess.

Jim

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 1:17 am

I was always of the understanding that the price was the major factor in the FW400's sales failure - people weren't willing to spend similar on a Westy over a Caterham...