We don’t drive cars anymore. You need an IT Degree just to check the oil in a modern car, a Media qualification to tune the stereo and it helps to be well versed in Windows to tell the SatNav where you want to go.
It was thoughts like these, and a desire to get my hands dirty, that found me hurtling along a North Yorkshire road in my newly purchased Westfield 6 years ago. Second hand and in need of some TLC this Westfield sported a Ford X Flow engine and faded red fibreglass bodywork. Tatty it may have been but I had big plans, plans as big as my already widening grin.
Once home the car slipped into the garage and the homework began. First a list of the jobs that needed doing. Wheel refurbish, new tyres, bodywork cleaning up, completely new interior, engine overhaul, new lights, powder coating here there and everywhere, new hood; my grin receded faster than my wallet when it’s my round!
I decided to start from the ground up and removed the wheels. Once refinished they were fitted with new tyres and aluminium red nuts, along with matching valve covers, I reattached them to the car.
Next the bodywork. Being Gel coat over fibreglass I decided to bring the colour back, it was fading red, with elbow grease and polishes. 2 weeks working every week night saw the Westfield returned to its former glory although it left me with a fair amount of work to do on restoring my marriage!
After replacing the lights and other ancillaries as well as having the roll bar powder coated I decided to tackle the interior. First port of call was the seats. Original Westfield items sporting the Westfield logo they were burgundy and I felt they should be red. After much searching it quickly became clear that I wouldn’t find any similar seats and I really wanted to keep the Westfield ones. A few questions on various forums and I’m stood on my driveway with said seats on racks and a spray can in my hand. Over 3 nights gently coating the seats they were bright red and looked fantastic.
A trip to a manufacturer of car mats gave me the material for the carpets which I cut and glued myself and then replaced the seats. The new red, fibreglass dashboard was beyond my skills so I visited a local fabricator who made that up for me with measured holes for the new white faced Smiths instruments. Once all that was fitted (don’t I make it sound simple, we are 4 months into the project now!) I replaced the handbrake, fitted a fire extinguisher and other accessories.
All that was left now was the exhaust, engine, brakes and carburettor. First I replaced the jets in the carburettor which were the wrong size and causing the car to stall. Next I had a custom exhaust made by Wunuff Exhausts in stainless steel. Coupled with an engine clean up, tune and new pads on the brakes along with a clean up all round the car was finished and ready for the road.
On the road for the first day in March 2002 I commuted to work in the Westfield. Unfortunately it rained during the afternoon and on the way home the combination of rear wheel drive, plenty of (power to weight wise) power and inexperience on my part saw me spinning 180 degrees off a roundabout. Luckily I avoided, somehow, the Clio coming the other way and carried on home with a lesson learned.
Over the coming years the Westfield and I were to have many summer road trips and track days which were great fun, wind in my hair, the roar of the exhaust, unbelievable handling – just a few of the many plus points. Ive never cornered and power slid so easily as you can in a Westfield. Donnington, Elvington and Harewood Hill Climb all came and went over the following 3 years with happy and frustrating times alike.
The Westfield I had was a great car, the only problem was it had an old Ford engine in it that just refused to behave. Too many trips cut short and track days interrupted with an hour here and an hour there repairing something or borrowing parts.
We had great fun that Westfield and I. I enjoyed restoring it, I enjoyed driving it. I didn’t enjoy fixing it at the side of the road or track and in the end, we have cars loaded with technology for a good reason. Give me a laptop over a spanner anytime!