Newbie 7 questions.
Discussion
Hi all,
well I have checked the calendar, and it is time for my mid life crisis. I have always fancied a 7, and have a few questions, so please bear with me. I have a limited budget (around 6k), but hope to find something interesting to keep me smiling. I want one for a daily driver, less that 200 miles a week, but something with a little poke.
Heaters - Are these that rare? I want the car for a daily drive, so am keen not to freeze my bits off over the winter.
Size - as a 6' salad dodger will I need to take care which ones I look at? I am told some can be a little snug.
Buffeting (no, not food) - I saw a comment here that without the side screens it can get a little blowy. I am hoping to have one with a cover that I can unzip and sit in, rather than a tent which will be a tad hard fo rme to get in and out of.
Any other issues that I should be aware of?
I am sure I will be asking later for more recommendations/ones to steer clear of, so thanks in advance.
well I have checked the calendar, and it is time for my mid life crisis. I have always fancied a 7, and have a few questions, so please bear with me. I have a limited budget (around 6k), but hope to find something interesting to keep me smiling. I want one for a daily driver, less that 200 miles a week, but something with a little poke.
Heaters - Are these that rare? I want the car for a daily drive, so am keen not to freeze my bits off over the winter.
Size - as a 6' salad dodger will I need to take care which ones I look at? I am told some can be a little snug.
Buffeting (no, not food) - I saw a comment here that without the side screens it can get a little blowy. I am hoping to have one with a cover that I can unzip and sit in, rather than a tent which will be a tad hard fo rme to get in and out of.
Any other issues that I should be aware of?
I am sure I will be asking later for more recommendations/ones to steer clear of, so thanks in advance.
Heaters are not difficult to fit, if the car lacks one when you buy it, but to be honest they are more useful for demisting than keeping you warm. The engine tends to keep your feet from freezing solid, anyway.
I ran a couple of 'Sevens' (a Westfield, then a Caterham) all year round as only cars when I was younger. For what it's worth, I found them pretty much unbearable with the hood up (poor visibility, poor demisting, very, very noisy), so I ran with a half tonneau and the top off, whatever the weather. A decent flying jacket, motorcycling gloves and a full face helmet can make you suprisingly snug whatever the weather!
The only difficulties, then are that the windscreen wipers tend to be a little ineffective on traditional 'Seven' types (combination of flat glass and dinky little wiper blades)and water whips round onto the inside face of the screen. If I did it again, I think I'd use aeroscreens instead of a full windscreen and have done with it!
Buffeting: yes, you do get a lot of buffeting with the sidescreens removed. Again, I personally find them more comfortable with just an aeroscreen - that way you just get a constant, straight airflow instead of the turbulence caused by a windscreen, that batters you constantly.
I'm only 5'10", so height wasn't a problem, but I'm pretty heftily built and haven't found actually fitting in any 'Seven' too difficult. Getting in and out with the hood up is a different matter entirely...another good reason for not using one!
I don't think the 'wide body' variants are beneficial in terms of seat width, but where they can score is on shoulder space if you are using side screens and/or carrying a large passenger (particularly if you are wearing a bulky flying jacket in winter). I did a trip from Yorkshire to the North of Scotland with a 6'5" friend in my Westfield SE (narrow body) and had a stiff shoulder for the whole week due to having to shove him out of the way every time I changed gear!
In view of all the above, I'd suggest that you treat a Seven as a comfortable, 4-sheeled motorcycle in inclement weather: rely on waterproof, thermal clothing and a full-face helmet and do without weather gear, windscreen and sidescreens.
I ran a couple of 'Sevens' (a Westfield, then a Caterham) all year round as only cars when I was younger. For what it's worth, I found them pretty much unbearable with the hood up (poor visibility, poor demisting, very, very noisy), so I ran with a half tonneau and the top off, whatever the weather. A decent flying jacket, motorcycling gloves and a full face helmet can make you suprisingly snug whatever the weather!
The only difficulties, then are that the windscreen wipers tend to be a little ineffective on traditional 'Seven' types (combination of flat glass and dinky little wiper blades)and water whips round onto the inside face of the screen. If I did it again, I think I'd use aeroscreens instead of a full windscreen and have done with it!
Buffeting: yes, you do get a lot of buffeting with the sidescreens removed. Again, I personally find them more comfortable with just an aeroscreen - that way you just get a constant, straight airflow instead of the turbulence caused by a windscreen, that batters you constantly.
I'm only 5'10", so height wasn't a problem, but I'm pretty heftily built and haven't found actually fitting in any 'Seven' too difficult. Getting in and out with the hood up is a different matter entirely...another good reason for not using one!
I don't think the 'wide body' variants are beneficial in terms of seat width, but where they can score is on shoulder space if you are using side screens and/or carrying a large passenger (particularly if you are wearing a bulky flying jacket in winter). I did a trip from Yorkshire to the North of Scotland with a 6'5" friend in my Westfield SE (narrow body) and had a stiff shoulder for the whole week due to having to shove him out of the way every time I changed gear!
In view of all the above, I'd suggest that you treat a Seven as a comfortable, 4-sheeled motorcycle in inclement weather: rely on waterproof, thermal clothing and a full-face helmet and do without weather gear, windscreen and sidescreens.
I went from a narrow body westie to a widebody and the seats are much wider.I had cramp on my earlier car when travelling more than 30 miles,which I don't suffer with my later one.I can put my foot under the clutch and my left knee is not buffing the rim of the steering wheel anymore.I am a 15st salad dodger and proud of it.I do find that the larger car is not as agile as the smaller car and I have done 250+ mile journeys non-stop without discomfort.
As for aeroscreens.I wouldn't bother with them.Yes they are more aerodynamic,but if you want to arrive home with face/wind burn,fly in the face at 60mph and looking like a chimney sweep,the best of british to you.On our latest distance trip to Le Mans the other week,among 12 westies,all had windscreens.I cover mine with Rain X on the outside and anti-fog on the inside.Heaters are useless above 20mph to keep you warm and I have'nt had to use the hood on this car,as above 50 mph,the rain seems to miss you.
As for aeroscreens.I wouldn't bother with them.Yes they are more aerodynamic,but if you want to arrive home with face/wind burn,fly in the face at 60mph and looking like a chimney sweep,the best of british to you.On our latest distance trip to Le Mans the other week,among 12 westies,all had windscreens.I cover mine with Rain X on the outside and anti-fog on the inside.Heaters are useless above 20mph to keep you warm and I have'nt had to use the hood on this car,as above 50 mph,the rain seems to miss you.
justin s said:
As for aeroscreens.I wouldn't bother with them.Yes they are more aerodynamic,but if you want to arrive home with face/wind burn,fly in the face at 60mph and looking like a chimney sweep,the best of british to you.
Trouble is, windscreens are no better unless you run sidescreens too (which restricts shoulder room and visibility). My Westfield and Caterham had full windscreens, my last two 'clubmans' sports cars (A Raffo Tipo 12 and, currently, a Sylva Phoenix) both aeroscreens.
Yes, the windscreen will block bluebottles and stones (so you need to wear goggles or sunglasses with aeroscreens unless, like me, you wear spectacles), but it doesn't seem to make much difference in terms of windburn and the chimney sweep effect. Without sidescreens, I've found that the buffeting is much worse with a windscreen. Trouble is, turbulent air eddies around the sides of a windscreen and batters the sides of your head, impacting on your eardrums to the extent that a 250 mile high speed trip would leave me temporarily deafened, as if I'd been to a rock gig.
Anti-fog on the inside of the screen and keeping the speed up are all very well, but if you run the car all year, sooner or later you will get stuck in heavy rain at low speed and end up with raindrops all over the inner face of the glass. Been there, done that, and it ain't fun when you are dodging artics on the M1 in Leeds' rush hour traffic!
Also, bear in mind that if you intend to run the car topless all year, it is less feasible to wear a full-face helmet to keep your head warm and dry if you have a windscreen, 'cos the airflow is running the wrong way to ventilate the helmet, so it will tend to fog up more easily with the visor down.
Each to their own, but I still reckon aeroscreens, biking waterproofs and a decent full-face helmet are the best solution for long trips and/or inclement weather.
I'm not aware of any law against it and I've certainly not had any problems myself (even when stopped by the BIB whilst wearing a crash hat, it wasn't mentioned).
I think they may take a dim view of people wearing helmets in tin-top rally cars (all it would serve to do is restrict your visibility and hearing for no benifit), but I think that even your average copper is bright enough to deduce that in an aeroscreen'd car it is serving a reasonable function.
I think they may take a dim view of people wearing helmets in tin-top rally cars (all it would serve to do is restrict your visibility and hearing for no benifit), but I think that even your average copper is bright enough to deduce that in an aeroscreen'd car it is serving a reasonable function.
i'm thinking of selling my westfeild £5250. have a look in the clasifieds!
as for the heaters mine doesnt have any, but theres a cover that goes over the pedal box thats missing on mine, but without it all the warm air comes from the radiator keeping you nice and warm!
as for the hight width thing the guy i bought it off was over 6 foot when he rebuilt the car he altered all the steering and pedal layout. its got a bigger wheel now and is very comfy, but impossible to get in with the roof on! my dads quite fat to although only about 5 foot 10, and he can get in and drive it ok (and he can get in with the roof on too!!!?)
the buffeting from the wind is a bit of a problem i use doors most of the time, i keep meaning to make/buy some wind deflectors, but havent got round to it yet, (still looking for a plan!)
deathbyfish said:
i'm thinking of selling my westfeild £5250. have a look in the clasifieds!
as for the heaters mine doesnt have any, but theres a cover that goes over the pedal box thats missing on mine, but without it all the warm air comes from the radiator keeping you nice and warm!
as for the hight width thing the guy i bought it off was over 6 foot when he rebuilt the car he altered all the steering and pedal layout. its got a bigger wheel now and is very comfy, but impossible to get in with the roof on! my dads quite fat to although only about 5 foot 10, and he can get in and drive it ok (and he can get in with the roof on too!!!?)
the buffeting from the wind is a bit of a problem i use doors most of the time, i keep meaning to make/buy some wind deflectors, but havent got round to it yet, (still looking for a plan!)
Marlin owners club have a plan:www.marlinownersclub.com/forum_images/811a.jpg
Not a link (dont know how!) Hope it helps.
Cheers
Tony
I think that is a link, how did I do that?
>> Edited by grandadboats on Tuesday 5th July 14:22
grandadboats said:
Marlin owners club have a plan:<a href="www.marlinownersclub.com/forum_images/811a.jpg">www.marlinownersclub.com/forum_images/811a.jpg</a>
Not a link (dont know how!) Hope it helps.
Cheers
Tony
I think that is a link, how did I do that?
>> Edited by grandadboats on Tuesday 5th July 14:22
![www.marlinownersclub.com/forum_images/811a.jpg">](http://www.marlinownersclub.com/forum_images/811a.jpg">){kind=link}
thanks i might try that, although the screens i've seen on westfeilds have been a differnt shape, still thanks anyway
Fer said:
Hi all,
well I have checked the calendar, and it is time for my mid life crisis. I have always fancied a 7, and have a few questions, so please bear with me. I have a limited budget (around 6k), but hope to find something interesting to keep me smiling. I want one for a daily driver, less that 200 miles a week, but something with a little poke.
Heaters - Are these that rare? I want the car for a daily drive, so am keen not to freeze my bits off over the winter.
Size - as a 6' salad dodger will I need to take care which ones I look at? I am told some can be a little snug.
Buffeting (no, not food) - I saw a comment here that without the side screens it can get a little blowy. I am hoping to have one with a cover that I can unzip and sit in, rather than a tent which will be a tad hard fo rme to get in and out of.
Any other issues that I should be aware of?
I am sure I will be asking later for more recommendations/ones to steer clear of, so thanks in advance.
Hi Fer,
If you need to take a look at a Robin Hood catalogue, you'll find one in this months PPC magazine (ppcmag.co.uk). It may (or may not) be of help, but its quite informative and it might give you a steer.
Al
You should find it in Smiths AND Alldays Fer. We aren't in the Supermarkets, we don't have a big enough budget for that I'm afraid. Our early sales figures for this issue in Smiths have been particularly strong, which might explain the lack of it in the one you dropped into. Which WH Smiths was it, by the way?
If you e-mail me your address, I'll be glad to put a copy in the post for you.
I should explain upfront that we aren't a kit car mag (there are some kitcat titles already which I'm sure you're familiar with), but we do a lot of stuff which kit car builders relate to. I think we have a decent reputation though.
Drop in on the forum <ppcmag.co.uk>. Ted, hope you don't mind the link. If you do, apologies.
Al.
If you e-mail me your address, I'll be glad to put a copy in the post for you.
I should explain upfront that we aren't a kit car mag (there are some kitcat titles already which I'm sure you're familiar with), but we do a lot of stuff which kit car builders relate to. I think we have a decent reputation though.
Drop in on the forum <ppcmag.co.uk>. Ted, hope you don't mind the link. If you do, apologies.
Al.
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