Does anyone know this car?

[Over Steer]

I know it's not an Elan, but I assume that this is the best forum to ask about this as other Lotus forums are more Elise /Exige oriented...

http://217.118.128.96/uksportscars/FMPro?-db=ecar2dta.fp5&-format=uk-cardtlpge.html&-lay=data&-sortfield=price&-sortorder=descend&DealerNumber=1036&Manufacturer=Lotus&-max=1000&-recid=33005&-find=><FONT%20SIZE=

I really really want to buy this, but am weary of the fact that it is being sold just 1700 miles after completion.

It is a Westfield XI kit and is supposed to have been build by a classic car race prep shop in 2006, its got the wrong fuel filler, steering and gauges but the rest looks solid...

soo, any info on this one?

Thanks in advance.


Jan

[Frank Howard]

Jan,

The most obvious substitution is the Lotus Twin Cam with 5-speed for the Coventry Climax with 4-speed, but I do like this choice of driveline. None of the Westfields can be completely correct as they are Westfields, not Lotuses. Most Westfields come with a cheap Austin motor so this is the finest Westfield I have ever seen and probably one of the fastest. It's also got the wrong seats and wheels. Far superior. It looks like a great interpretation. I don't know enough about XI pricing to know if this is a good deal or not. Best of luck.

[paddy]

For this kind of car 1700 miles is a reasonable distance, isn't it? I doubt you'd be using it as a taxi How many miles would you like? If it is rebuilt and it's covered that many miles I would think that "shake-down" kind problems would have already shown up, problems do to with wear won't show up for many more miles, and any specific fragility would be the kind of thing that would appear based on how much it is stressed (eg raced) rather than the absolute number of miles.

Out of interest, were you thinking racing it? If so, which class or series would it be eligible for?

Paddy

[Over Steer]

I would definitely put it in the Grand Prix De Malte, however it would be more of a weekend car than a classic racer.

I've spotted that the mini lites are the wrong wheels (I believe it's the wobbly wheels that are the correct ones?), did not notice the seats were wrong though.

I'll think of a sensible offer and try my luck, I've always wanted an open 50's racer...

..The Gf will def. leave me this time

[paddy]

Seemingly the Series 1 cars had wire wheels, Series 2 had wobblys.

http://lotuseleven.org/Design%20&%20Production.htm

Paddy

[Lotus14S2]

Both series one and two elevens had wire wheels, the big difference is the front suspension in a series one car was a split live axle, whereas the series two car had the same front suspension as the first lotus front engined formula one car which is the same front suspension as on the Lotus 7 and Lotus Elite. Wobbly wheels were an add on, an option, and some of cars were converted by their owners.

[mrob]

Seemingly the Series 1 cars had wire wheels, Series 2 had wobblys.

http://lotuseleven.org/Design%20&%20Production.htm

Paddy

I read the attached article, "Sheep in Wolf's Clothing". The Eleven "only" used one gallon of oil in 2000 miles.

[adigra]

I had a quick look at this car a couple of weeks ago. It's quite stunning in person. I wish I had taken more photos of it.

[atthelimit]

Jan

Here is a bit more information on this car.
http://www.sbc100.com/Westfield/

As you will see the car has been very well built and I think the builders did a very good job. These kits I think are still avaliable from Westfield, as you probably are already aware they were built to take the A series engine and box and running grear. The kit price last time I looked was about ?9500 so with a donor MG Midget for a few hundred and the cost of a rebult and tuned A series you could be on the road for say ?12000. -But that is with an A series engine.

It would not be too difficult to replace the engine with a twincam and box but then you have upped the price by a few thousand for a decent unit.

The mileage should be regarded as a bonus but 1700 track miles is quite a bit anyway.

Cost, well it all depends, personally I thinks its a bit steep when you consider the cost of the basic kit, but again it depends on whether or not you are mechanically capable of putting a kit together yourself or not. A series cars sometimes come up and are on offer at about ?14/16k so at ?22K I still think its on the high side. Given the UKs current economic climate why not make them an offer, they can only say no but you never know your luck.

Why not buy a kit and get someone to build it for you, you could spec it exactly as you want, it would be new and I think you might still have some change left over for ?22k

Kim

P.S. If you want wire wheels, you can use the MG midget splined hubs and wheels to get the period look if you want it to look more oringinal but I think the Minilites look good on it.