The build continued
The Engine
Suspension / wiring
Westfield collection day
The supercharger
4th day
Collection date postponed
3rd day
Westfield collection date has been set!
Work has started!
Picked up donor car!
Ordered Westfield
Donor car located!
The build continued
14-04-2008
The Engine
23-12-2007
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It's been very quiet on the site, but rest assured, I've been busy!
The engine, transmission and gearbox had been completely cleaned and repainted. This was very time consuming, as every bolt, nut and washer have been cleaned and even sandblasted where needed. Everything was then spray painted with a special coating to prevent it from rusting. It looks incredible if I may say so myself ;).
Pictures here.
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Suspension / wiring
23-02-2007
We installed the last brake line today. I already mentioned that the supplied line was too short. We had a line made up locally and it turned out to be exactly the right length (2.6m). The pictures were added to the 18 feb album (to keep the pics a bit grouped).
We couldn't install the rear diff since the left mount doesn't fit. We partly completed the front suspension and started with the rear wiring loom. We thought that the headlight mounts were missing, but it turns out that the one piece nose uses different headlight mounts than the standard nose (obvious when you think about it).
We're are missing the connectors for the rear wiring though, so we couldn't finish the rear loom. Next on the agenda is the front wiring. That'll be fun! Frank can't wait to get his grubby hands on the wiring! |
Westfield collection day
20-01-2007
Saturday morning, very early, we set off to Westfield Factory in Kingswinford UK. From Calais with Euro tunnel to Folkestone only takes half an hour. About 4 hours later (12:00 hrs Belgian time and 11:00 hrs UK time), we arrived at the Westfield factory. We were greeted by Westfield staff and my kit, on 2 trolleys, was waiting to be collected. Lots of bits and pieces but we were assured that everything was complete! I even managed not to forget to bring along the lower steering column for modification by Westfield! They will send it back afterwards. After a cup of coffee, the loading started, with the body going into the trailer first. I was amazed by the lightweight of the body. Curious as we are, we wanted to know the exact weight of the frame and at home we weighed it at 59 kg or about 130 lbs. Since Eric, the Belgian importer was driving a station wagon, many of the other bits and pieces were loaded into his car. The rest of the pieces were loaded up in Frank’s Mercedes station wagon. Of course we had loads of questions and they were, almost all, answered by the friendly Westfield staff. They also changed the wrongly sized clutch master cylinder and my kit will be the first one to be delivered with the correct size (hopefully)! Even the extra options, I ordered only a week ago, are included in the kit. I changed all standard light units at the rear end with the round, carbon fibre look units. I also added the spare wheel mount and the carbon fibre stone guards at the rear wheel arches. As most people, who see the build quality of the fibre glass parts, I also am pleasantly surprised with the quality finish of the parts. After loading we were guided through the factory. Not everything happens here however; actually only the chassis’ and the suspension parts are being welded up here. Normally on average, one complete kit a day is being produced here. The chassis parts are being cut and precisely placed into adaptable jigs before being welded up. It is all handwork and if you look at the welding quality of the suspension parts; it is absolutely perfect. Powder coating, glass fibre work, seat construction and maybe some other activities happen elsewhere in close by facilities. Car assembly on customer demand also happens in the main factory building and we saw a few cars under construction. After the tour, we went to the Westfield showroom to take a look at the Mazda 1.6 demonstrator. We took a lot of pictures, which might come in handy during our build. We were offered again a nice cup of coffee by the friendly girl at the Westfield desk. Eric still had to arrange some things regarding my donor vehicle because it is so, that normally the donor vehicle must have been UK registered in order to be able to pass the SVA test. Since I am using a Belgian registered donor, some extra paperwork had to be done. Luckily I decided to work together with the Belgian importer who knows all about these things and regulations because I wouldn’t even have thought about something like that. Those kinds of details might turn out to be major hurdles when applying for SVA and can cause serious headaches afterwards.
At 13:00 hrs UK time, the factory closes and we also had to get going to catch our train back to France. The long drive back home was uneventful and we were happy to get to Frank’s place after such a long journey. We unloaded everything and checked whether everything was included and undamaged. Everything in order and with a mind at ease we could all go home to get some sleep after a 1200 km journey! To the pictures. |
The supercharger
08-01-2007
4th day
31-12-2006
On the 29th of December, I removed everything that might still be useful and can be accessed from the top. Next to go is the complete rear suspension and differential which will go into my own MX5. The Torsen differential in my MX5 will go into the Westie as will the supercharger and the ACT X-Treme clutch and pressure plate. (Pictures)
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Collection date postponed
29-12-2006
Collection date has been postponed by a week (to Jan 20th, 2007). The kit will be ready by the13th allright, but that weekend there's a motor show in Birmingham. Westfield is going to attend so we won't be able to visit the factory.
In other words, collection date has been postponed by a week.
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3rd day
22-12-2006
3rd day of the MX5 teardown. No pictures though. Removed steering column, master brake cylinder, roof, wiring, carpets, fuelpump, antenna, mirrors. All that remains to be done is brakes, hubs, differential and handbrake. Probably another days work. Then the fun stuff begins ... cleaning all parts.
I managed to sell the remaining parts of the car for 400€ (the roof alone is worth that much - it's in very good condition). So the buyer and I are both happy. Considering I payed 800€ for the entire car, I only invested 400€ so far  .
Like I said before, we're going to collect the car on jan 13th and Westfield has agreed to give us a guided tour of the factory. Woehoe!!
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Westfield collection date has been set!
18-12-2006
We're going to the Westfield factory in the UK! Together with the belgian importer, we're going to pick up the Westfield on januari 13th 2007. With a bit of luck, we'll get a tour of the factory!
If anybody wants to meet up there, give us a shout!
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Work has started!
15-12-2006
Picked up donor car!
02-12-2006
 This poor little 1991 MX5 is going to be the donor for the Westfield.
Today, I went to collect the white donor MX-5 at the Mazda dealership, De Roover, in Leuven. Dirk was going to drive the truck of my garage man. He 's got a C-permit driver's licence, necessary for that type of truck. I left Schoten around 5:15 hr AM to Gruitrode, something like a 100km journey, to my garage man to pick up the truck. One thing I can tell you, is that it 's very dangerous to drive at that hour of the day on a Saturday morning ! In Herentals, about half way on the freeway, I was overtaken by a Ford Mondeo, doing something like 150 km/h. Right after him passing me, he slowly starts veering to the right, getting closer and closer to the safety rail. Right before he was to hit the rail he suddenly veered back onto the right lane of the freeway. He nevertheless keeps on speeding and I wisely keep my distance ! A few moments later he disappears in the darkness. But then right before the Geel-West exit, in the distance, I see brake lights flashing up and a car quickly going on to the service-lane. You already guessed .... The very same guy in his Mondeo crashed into the left-side concrete wall of the freeway. I didn't stop because because he was already out of the car and probably very wide awake when I passed. The freeway was littered with small pieces of debree and broken glass ! A little later when I was approaching my destination, one car travelling in the opposite direction came right at me. I was flashing my headlights and getting ready to take evasive action in order not to get hit by the oncoming car. The lights probably woke him up and just in time he went back to his own lane ! I arrived first at my garage man at 6:30 Hr, Dirk 5 minutes later. The truck was ready and the keys were found at the spot where he said they would be. As a law-obeiding citizen, Dirk filled out the tachograph disk but my garage man doesn't seem to take all that stuff so seriously because the old disk was already in there for more than 3000 km's ! So we left for Leuven and arrived over there around 7:45 Hr AM. The Mazda Dealership was still closed so we decided to already prepare everything to get the MX-5 on the truck. One thing that immediately struck my attention was the left-front steering knuckle that was broken and unuseable. Well, I will have to find another one to replace that ! The MX-5 was lifted a little bit and a small four wheeled carriage was placed under the completely demolished left front suspension. My garage man thought of everything and didn't forget that we would need it ! Meanwhile the Mazda Dealership had opened up for business and I went to collect the keys, car documents and of course had to pay for the car ! It didn't take long for the very sad looking MX-5 to be towed up onto the truck and we were ready to leave. On our way back we stopped for coffee and both were satisfied that everything went smoothly. Before arriving back at the garage in Gruitrode we filled up the truck and unloaded the sad-looking MX-5 amongst other, even sadder looking fellow car-wrecks ! Filling up the tank was the only thing I even had to pay him for all this ! Checked the MX-5 mileage at 180.000 km's which is not excessive for a sturdy little MX-5 engine. Checked the oil and it looked like it only had been changed not too long before it had met its final destiny. Starting battery collected and cranck the engine.... Fired up immediately and the valve-ticking disappeared already after 2 seconds or so ! Fuel tank was even still half. Engine runs perfectly at 1500rpm on a cold engine. No blue smoke or any other strange sounds, this engine seems to be in pretty sound condition and will probably be very useable in the Westie! The beating taken by the MX-5 might not look too bad but it managed to completly offset the whole body geometry as the roof couldn't even be closed anymore. Unrepairable damage unless very high costs but luckily many parts will be able to serve in a second life. One of the coming days the dismantling will begin and Eddy, my garage man already said that the car would be brought inside for the work! |
Ordered Westfield
27-11-2006
Since we've already located a cheap donor car, today, Patrick ordered the Westfield.
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Donor car located!
20-11-2006
Koen, yet another MX5 nut, found a possible donor car in his neighbourhood!
He checked it out and the car turned out to be a perfect donor car. Lots of body damage but nearly no mechanical damage and only €800. The engine is running smooth and seems to burn no oil. Great find Koen!
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The engine was removed today!
