Caterham vs Westie vs Robin Hood
Discussion
Caterham is a continuation rather than replica as they purchased the rights in 1973. The only one that can be described as a seven legitimately and the original and best. Consequently they hold their value rather better and the cheapest tend to be £7-8k.
Westies are probably the best of the replicas but still not a patch on a Caterham. Drop value rather quicker than a Caterham so cheap ones are around.
Robin Hoods are horrible nasty replicas with build quality that is best described as abominable. Drop value like a stone and cost nothing to start with so do have the one virtue of being cheap.
All IMHO of course!
Westies are probably the best of the replicas but still not a patch on a Caterham. Drop value rather quicker than a Caterham so cheap ones are around.
Robin Hoods are horrible nasty replicas with build quality that is best described as abominable. Drop value like a stone and cost nothing to start with so do have the one virtue of being cheap.
All IMHO of course!
I tend to agree with Dino, the Caterham is the one and only true seven IMHO. Westfields are nice, but my choice would be a Sylva (RAW) Striker if you don't go for the Catervan.
Robin Hoods, hardly warrant me typing about them. They hold nothing sacred to the original seven phylosophy....... They are heavy, badly manufacturered, ugly, unsophisticated and no way would I want to be in one in an accident. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to be in one!
Go for a Sylva, you know you want to........
Robin Hoods, hardly warrant me typing about them. They hold nothing sacred to the original seven phylosophy....... They are heavy, badly manufacturered, ugly, unsophisticated and no way would I want to be in one in an accident. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to be in one!
Go for a Sylva, you know you want to........
Having owned a Robin Hood, I can safely say that I would never buy another! My current Dutton had better build quality and they weren't renowned for it!
The men in tights produce a budget '7' which is why they've been succesful. Are you looking at a new kit or buying a car on the road?
If a new lowcost kit then I'd recommend you look at MK, Luego, Tiger etc who all produce locost kits, compared to the more expensive offerings from Caterham or Westfield.
Or if you were after a car already on the road then have you considered a Dutton? Ridiculously cheap and can be modified to smooth off the rough edges (my current project). Otherwise examples of any of the above makes are available.
Useful info on www.duttonownersclub.co.uk and www.locostbuilders.co.uk
The locost website has info on the mk, luego & Tiger as well as building a kit from the Haynes 'build a sportscar' book.
Good luck.
edited cos I couldn't use English properly!
>> Edited by peetbee on Wednesday 13th August 13:57
The men in tights produce a budget '7' which is why they've been succesful. Are you looking at a new kit or buying a car on the road?
If a new lowcost kit then I'd recommend you look at MK, Luego, Tiger etc who all produce locost kits, compared to the more expensive offerings from Caterham or Westfield.
Or if you were after a car already on the road then have you considered a Dutton? Ridiculously cheap and can be modified to smooth off the rough edges (my current project). Otherwise examples of any of the above makes are available.
Useful info on www.duttonownersclub.co.uk and www.locostbuilders.co.uk
The locost website has info on the mk, luego & Tiger as well as building a kit from the Haynes 'build a sportscar' book.
Good luck.
edited cos I couldn't use English properly!
>> Edited by peetbee on Wednesday 13th August 13:57
Owned a Caterham for 12 years and previously a Lotus 7 (1961 vintage but doctored) for 3 previously. Would suggest you get a much better Westy for your money second hand than a Caterham. Caterham normally better build quality. Caterham Alli panels need cleaning REGULARLY if not to corrode.(watermarks). Paint them if using regularly. (I was going to, had paint, wife (now ex)said leave it polished. Now have RSI in fingers)
Westfield Plastic easier to repair and clean.
Westfield wide bodies look a bit odd in comparison to a Caterham but a Caterham is tight for a 6 footer. hood if you use one is better looking on a Caterham as are side screens (personal view)
IF i were to ever build (or more likely now, buy a second hand one) I would actually go for a Fisher Fury or Stylus (enveloped body, pretty, inboard suspension, a bit different to the multitude of 7's at a hillclimb start.
Westfield Plastic easier to repair and clean.
Westfield wide bodies look a bit odd in comparison to a Caterham but a Caterham is tight for a 6 footer. hood if you use one is better looking on a Caterham as are side screens (personal view)
IF i were to ever build (or more likely now, buy a second hand one) I would actually go for a Fisher Fury or Stylus (enveloped body, pretty, inboard suspension, a bit different to the multitude of 7's at a hillclimb start.
As I see it, you have Robin hood at the budget end of scale who mass produce cheap and cheerful kits.
There are cheap offerings also from MK, Tiger etc too, but not on the scale of RH.
At the other end of the scale there's the Dogs nadgers cars, that are engineered to a high standard Caterhams/Westies and Dax's.
Somewhere in the middle are all of the other offerings
from Tiger, Luego, Formula 27 etc.
The way I see it you pay money for a good quality kit and are more likely to make a good job of the car even with limited skills. Whereas the cheaper you go the lower the quality and poorer build manuals mean you will rely more on your ability to make a good job of the car.
Ta.
BTW Have you ever seen the difference between the remote gear linkage for a Westy compared to a Tiger, it's shocking difference in engineering. Hence why my Tiger (like many others) has a Westy remote!
There are cheap offerings also from MK, Tiger etc too, but not on the scale of RH.
At the other end of the scale there's the Dogs nadgers cars, that are engineered to a high standard Caterhams/Westies and Dax's.
Somewhere in the middle are all of the other offerings
from Tiger, Luego, Formula 27 etc.
The way I see it you pay money for a good quality kit and are more likely to make a good job of the car even with limited skills. Whereas the cheaper you go the lower the quality and poorer build manuals mean you will rely more on your ability to make a good job of the car.
Ta.
BTW Have you ever seen the difference between the remote gear linkage for a Westy compared to a Tiger, it's shocking difference in engineering. Hence why my Tiger (like many others) has a Westy remote!
Dino is a bit harsh on the Westfield.
I have built and owned both Westfield and Caterham.
A really well built Westie is just as good dynamically as a Caterham, some would say better.
The Westie is a more practical car, the chassis on mine was powder coated and will never rust, the bodywork is tupperware.
The chassis on my Caterham had a very thin coat of black paint that was easy to scratch. The ali bodywork was very easy to scratch or dent and corrodes quickly.
The Caterham is the Real Thing and looks nicer.
Are you going to use it lots, do trackdays and leave it outside in the rain? Then buy a Westie.
If it will be your pride and joy to be polished and taken out in the sun, then buy a Caterham.
The Caterham was laughably easy to build and the quality of the fit and finish was marvellous. The Westie is much more of a challenge to finish to the same standard.
Having had both, I would choose the Westfield because I think the Caterham is too much money. I sold my Caterham and bought a Turbo Esprit with 21,000 miles on the clock for almost the same money.
Have you thought about a Marlin Roadster?
Pat.
I have built and owned both Westfield and Caterham.
A really well built Westie is just as good dynamically as a Caterham, some would say better.
The Westie is a more practical car, the chassis on mine was powder coated and will never rust, the bodywork is tupperware.
The chassis on my Caterham had a very thin coat of black paint that was easy to scratch. The ali bodywork was very easy to scratch or dent and corrodes quickly.
The Caterham is the Real Thing and looks nicer.
Are you going to use it lots, do trackdays and leave it outside in the rain? Then buy a Westie.
If it will be your pride and joy to be polished and taken out in the sun, then buy a Caterham.
The Caterham was laughably easy to build and the quality of the fit and finish was marvellous. The Westie is much more of a challenge to finish to the same standard.
Having had both, I would choose the Westfield because I think the Caterham is too much money. I sold my Caterham and bought a Turbo Esprit with 21,000 miles on the clock for almost the same money.
Have you thought about a Marlin Roadster?
Pat.
I'd take a Westfield over a Caterham as well.
As an addition to the chassis comments Pat made, Caterham in fact braze their chassis then slap a bit of black paint on whereas Westfield weld their chassis and powder coat them.
For what they are, Caterhams are overpriced, the only reason people buy them is for the badge most of the time.
IMO of course
>> Edited by Graham.J on Tuesday 26th August 12:28
As an addition to the chassis comments Pat made, Caterham in fact braze their chassis then slap a bit of black paint on whereas Westfield weld their chassis and powder coat them.
For what they are, Caterhams are overpriced, the only reason people buy them is for the badge most of the time.
IMO of course
>> Edited by Graham.J on Tuesday 26th August 12:28
Yes Caterham bronze braze their chassis because it is a better method of joining. It is more expensive to do than welding but more durable as well. Powder coating went through a bad patch at one time it maybe that you had one of these Graham?
A painted Caterham is far from a polsih and drive car and I think that Ally panelling is a lot easier to panel beat than GRP?!?
They cost more but they are much easier to buy come with quality as standard (rather than building it in) and retain their value for years and years.
A painted Caterham is far from a polsih and drive car and I think that Ally panelling is a lot easier to panel beat than GRP?!?
They cost more but they are much easier to buy come with quality as standard (rather than building it in) and retain their value for years and years.
I've heard mixed opinions from both Caterham owners, Westfield owners and a professional welder on the chassis joining methods, the Caterham owners would take the Caterhams, Westfield owners would take their Westies and the welder would take the Westies unless he could "buy a Caterham and have it joined properly" (his words not mine).
You are right about the ally panels, this is a 'redeeming' factor of Caterham ownership should anything happen.
Because most are factory built, it all comes down to what the builder can afford. I've seen some far better Westfield builds than factory built Caterhams because they were very meticulous about things and rightly so, it's their car at the end of the day.
It all comes down to personal preference in the end.
Graham
You are right about the ally panels, this is a 'redeeming' factor of Caterham ownership should anything happen.
dino said:
come with quality as standard (rather than building it in)
Because most are factory built, it all comes down to what the builder can afford. I've seen some far better Westfield builds than factory built Caterhams because they were very meticulous about things and rightly so, it's their car at the end of the day.
It all comes down to personal preference in the end.
Graham
Having built and owned a Westfield for 9 years and a Caterham for 3, I'd say you get what you pay for.
On my Westfield the powder coat chipped off and the chassis rusted quite badly, and the handling was always in the "i'll have you one day" vein.
The Caterham was in a different league of engineering quality, and it didn't smell like a canoe!
Put it this way, I get my new Caterham in 4 weeks or so.
On my Westfield the powder coat chipped off and the chassis rusted quite badly, and the handling was always in the "i'll have you one day" vein.
The Caterham was in a different league of engineering quality, and it didn't smell like a canoe!
Put it this way, I get my new Caterham in 4 weeks or so.
Bertie said:
the handling was always in the "i'll have you one day" vein.
I agree. I had a live axle Westie and a live axle Caterham.
The Caterham handled beautifully.
The Westie remains the only car that I have spun on the open highway.
I put it down to lack of driver experience (I was eighteen), narrow tyres and Spax shockers screwed in too much, but the other Westie that I have been in was an equally twitchy beast.
I really do not believe that there is anything to separate them in terms of basic engineering quality, though the wrinkly tupperware body on the Westie is a mixed blessing.
My experience of the durability of the chassis coating is the opposite of Bertie's, but I didn't use either car enough for it to be an issue.
Westfields are always cast as the poor relation to the Caterham. The reasons are obvious.
I'd buy a Marlin Roadster. They are miles cheaper than a Caterham, aren't prejudiced by the poor relation image and have been around long enough to allow you to get one insured as a classic. They also don't look like a lawnmower.
Buy one with a 1275 A Series motor and then bolt on all the Mini tuning bits.
Pat.
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