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Westfield build diary


NVP66S

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Are you asking about my engine or the OP's engine?

 

The last dyno on my car came out at 301 RWHP and 265 torque. I turned down the boost for the GBB and I estimate it is putting out about 275 at this time.

 

I assumed the OP also turbo?

Yours pretty good power -- 265 torque is pretty good...does it hook up?

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I assumed the OP also turbo?

Yours pretty good power -- 265 torque is pretty good...does it hook up?

I only punch it from about 10 mph and it hooks up very nicely. With the sticky tires on a warm day a good speed shift into 2nd at 7k rpm will lift the front wheels a few inches off the ground. It has freaked a few passengers when it does that.

 

It sometimes will break both rear wheels loose on the shift and slip a little to the side if the road is crowned but easily caught.

 

I don't think the OP has a turbo in his immediate plans.

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Correct, the OP has no immediate plans for a turbo. Flyin' Miata added a turbo to theirs, so there is actual builder support for that. Back to the build thread. In my opinion, there is no such thing as too much maintenance access. The plans have you riveting the pedal box cover in place. Not for me. I made a new cover, shown in the first photo before bending. The second photo shows the 5mm screws threaded in to the tapped holes I made in the structure. You can tell I was a machinist in a previous life as I like to use Dykem layout fluid. The paint comes next.

12pedalBox1.jpg

12pedalBox2.jpg

Edited by NVP66S
typo
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Correct, the OP has no immediate plans for a turbo.

 

We can change that through liberal applications of peer pressure. :jester:

 

In my opinion, there is no such thing as too much maintenance access.

 

:iagree: . . . . :cheers:

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Yes, back to the build thread, sorry about the off topic excursion.

 

I see a wiring label that appears to be marked ABS. Did you bring over the complete ABS system from the donor car? That must be a first for a Seven.

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I see a wiring label that appears to be marked ABS. Did you bring over the complete ABS system from the donor car? That must be a first for a Seven.

 

Nah. I'm the kind of guy who sees a cut-off wire (that I cut a week ago) and wonder what it's for, and why haven't I spliced it? I added probably 20 hours to the build time being paranoid and labeling stuff. I'm home in the middle of the afternoon answering questions on the internet because I leave the shop when it goes over 92 with the swamp cooler running.

 

The donor car didn't have ABS but it had the fuse block and ECU wired for it. Not any more.....

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Nah. I'm the kind of guy who sees a cut-off wire (that I cut a week ago) and wonder what it's for, and why haven't I spliced it? I added probably 20 hours to the build time being paranoid and labeling stuff. I'm home in the middle of the afternoon answering questions on the internet because I leave the shop when it goes over 92 with the swamp cooler running.

 

The donor car didn't have ABS but it had the fuse block and ECU wired for it. Not any more.....

 

I did pretty much the same. Labeled every wire and connector. When I decided I was not going to use a wire I removed it from the connector(s), coiled it up and put it in a box.

 

I also made a test matrix of every wire, what its color code was, origin and destination and any connectors or color changes along the way. That saved me a lot of time especially when it came time to shorten the wiring loom by about four feet eliminating some of the in between connectors.

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The pedal cover looks great. I made mine very similarly.

 

I noticed the big battery in your picture. To save weight and space the lithium batteries have come down in price. I bought this one a year ago and it has worked great.

 

http://www.solomotoparts.com/Ballistic-Battery-8-Cell-EVO-2-Lithium-1lb-10oz/

 

Here is a picture of it in the far corner, along with the ABS, and the pedal cover.

Edited by lg2k
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Here is a picture of it in the far corner, along with the ABS, and the pedal cover.

So there is a Seven out there with ABS. Was it a hassle installing the system and getting it to work right?

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The plywood template for the exhaust hole worked just fine. After locating the body, I drilled a 1/4 inch pilot hole from the inside. Then the hole saw through from the outside. After a bit of sanding drum action, it fits rather well.

13ExhaustHole1.jpg

13ExhaustHole2.jpg

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It's going to be an awesome car... perhaps we can meet in Caliente and do a loop thru Lake Isabella sometime in the Fall (don't drive the 7 much in July, August ).

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It's going to be an awesome car... perhaps we can meet in Caliente and do a loop thru Lake Isabella sometime in the Fall (don't drive the 7 much in July, August ).

Sounds like a plan. I took a break today from 1 to 6 PM as the hangar/shop was over 90 F even with the swamp cooler running. :ack: And I *am* interested in comparing your WCM to my Westie.

Dan

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I also got the expansion tank mounted this weekend. WF sent a plastic bottle that mounts to the scuttle. That seems to work fine for all the other builders but once again I decided to do it differently. I got an aluminum tank from JEGs and mounted it forward over the system fill fitting. The structure mounts to the lifting eye attach and to the power steering pump mount. The mount is bolted together but I plan to get it welded.

12expansionTank2.jpg

12expansionTank3.jpg

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I put the rear fenders on today after lots of rivets attaching the body to the chassis. WFs are available with either fixed or removable rear fenders. The theory is that (especially at the track) if a fender gets damaged they are easily replaceable. The first photo shows the body, bonnet, and nose in place but not yet attached. The second photo shows the bolt circle with big washers holding a fender on. The third photo is looking forward and the 4th photo shows both fenders attached. It looks wide, but the rear width is determined by the donor Miata diff & halfshafts.

13bodyBonnetNose1.jpg

13fenderAttach1.jpg

13fenderAttach2.jpg

13bodyFenders1.jpg

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Dan,

 

Looks awesome! The build seems to be moving along at a nice pace. And I think I can here the Defiant in the background screaming "Finish me!". :cheers:

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The Caterham guys often use Nylon bolts to hold the rear wings on instead of steel so that if you do hit something the nylon bolt breaks and does not tear out the rivenuts in the body. We also only use about 5 of the holes instead of all of them to make it easier to sacrifice the wing and not the bodywork. Just a thought. Tom

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The hole for your exhaust is a very tight fit. Is the engine mounted so solidly that it will never move enough to let the exhaust pipe contact the fiberglass and crack it? Also, isn't it going to be kinda toasty on the paint and glass just right there where its soooo close?

 

I really like Westfields and I think this is a great build. Thanks for taking the time to make a build-thread about it!

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The hole for your exhaust is a very tight fit. Is the engine mounted so solidly that it will never move enough to let the exhaust pipe contact the fiberglass and crack it? Also, isn't it going to be kinda toasty on the paint and glass just right there where its soooo close?

 

I really like Westfields and I think this is a great build. Thanks for taking the time to make a build-thread about it!

 

I thought about that and came to the conclusion that I can always make it bigger. I plan to watch this space on initial runs to see if it contacts. The mounts that come from WF are quite stiff compared to the Mazda mounts, but........ there's a continuous string of decisions while building......

 

Maybe now that I'm done patting myself on the back for hitting the location, I'll go back and enlarge the hole. :)

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The Caterham guys often use Nylon bolts to hold the rear wings on instead of steel so that if you do hit something the nylon bolt breaks and does not tear out the rivenuts in the body. We also only use about 5 of the holes instead of all of them to make it easier to sacrifice the wing and not the bodywork. Just a thought. Tom

 

I was wondering how that could be done. Create a weak point to protect the bodywork and limit the damage to the fender only.

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