My Caterham.

[Šįk]

Yes Ino. But it's abit of a c**t thing to say. Ur blantley saying that to make my car seem s**t compared to what u like or think. If it was a thread on caterhams, westfields in general fair enough but not in a thread on someones actual car. Bit of a low blow tbh mate no matter what your opinion.

AdamR - love it. Any more pictures of it?

 

[Waitey]

No, I'm giving my opion to the people asking about what kind of ones they should be looking at.

If you have an inferiority complex about your Caterham then that's your issue don't let it cloud decent advice being given just because yours doesn't match the advice. You car is from the 70's, give it a break.

 

[Darren S]

How does the side exhaust cope with the crap thrown up from the nearside front wheel? Does the piping get shot to bits over time?

D.

 

[Waitey]

How does the side exhaust cope with the crap thrown up from the nearside front wheel? Does the piping get shot to bits over time?

D.

You get stone 'pock' marks on the leading edge, you can buy a guard for it though. The rest of it is generally fine.

 

[Šįk]

No no far from that my friend Lol, but u do 110% confirm that you are a complete twit.

Darren, yes as said it suffers from alot of s**t and dirt so needs to be kept on top of unfortunately.

 

[Waitey]

No no far from that my friend Lol, but u do 110% confirm that you are a complete twit.

Please explain that without alluding to the fact you have some sort of dented internet based pride.

 

[theduck]

I think like everything it depends on how you want to use it. A lower powered 7 is fine for b road use, but mire power is needed for quick progression on a roads or larger tracks. For me, any 7 is a great starting point to get accostamised to the experience, then upgrade away!

 

[MarkCup]

I fail to see how anything less than 160 bhp would feel slow in a car weighing a shade over 500 kgs?

I did a slow speed 1st/2nd gear autotest around cones in one once, and passengered in a well driven club roadsport something or other around Goodwood. Had 120 bhp or so and hit a brick wall at 80mph. Up to that point it certainly wasn't slow LOL.

 

[jamie.91]

i hope to own a series one elise in the nearish future, this would be my daily too, you sir prove these types of cars can be used daily, lots of respect for such dedication

 

[Oldskoolbaby]

Bike engined ones suffer the same fate they will generally do 0-100 faster than they can do 50-100 due to needing that momentum from the initial launch.

So launching a car off from a stand still will enable it to accelerate quicker than when its on the move??? . . . . . . . . errr, no! Lmao

To be fair, if you like dual carrageways and motorways then why would you buy a 7?? 120bhp would be ample enough to have a foooking right good hoot on a back road.

 

[Šįk]

For what I use it for it's more than a capable car. It's not all about straight line speed. For me this car has sheer character and soul, it's exciting, it's 32years of pure raw driving from within my family, from now on I'm behind the wheel to continue to enjoy it for what it is.

 

[AdamR]

AdamR - love it. Any more pictures of it?

Thanks man, at least we both know how fun they are like to drive Very impressed by your dedication to daily driving though, no way I could do it!

It's very true that top end speed is extremely limited by the poor aero (they have a worse drag coefficient than a Hummer H2 for god's sake!) and they have a better top speed in 4th than 5th, but that's not what they are about. That said, you'll get up to your top speed (of around 110 in mine) half way down the straight (on a track) rather than only reaching 95 by the end of it in a Clio anyway. That's fast enough for most UK tracks and MORE than enough for any road in the UK!

Both cars are completely different and I love driving both - the Clio for it's 'safe' sling-it-into-anything handling and the Westy for the complete sensation you get while driving - wind buffeting, induction and exhaust noise, plus the feel you get through the pedals and wheel (zero power assist on anything) is intense. Of course oversteer (proper oversteer, not lift off) is fun too...

Anyway, more pics for you PSJ:

 

[MarkCup]

I want that ^^^.

Please.

 

[AdamR]

Welcome to some passenger laps if our paths ever cross at a track day

Get searching http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=SF;f=9

 

[Englebert]

Nice. How much did it set you back?

 

[AdamR]

It was £7100. Looked at a couple of more expensive cars that were newer and/or with slightly better spec (independent rear suspension, LSD) but this one was so tidy/well done.

Anyway - sorry PSJ, I'll stop stealing your thread now!

 

[Šįk]

No worry's Adam, that's a stunning westie u have there! They really are brilliant value for money compared to the caterhams, has to be said.

Yes the drag is insane unfortunately but the G's are amazing. Just aswell I have a drysump! Hehe..

 

[AdamR]

They do seem to be, which is what drew me towards them (inner pikey)

Dry sump - very nice, and not cheap to fit!