Rover V8 in a Westfield?
Discussion
Lets take a Seight with 200bhp@4750 310Nm@2600 and a weight of 775Kg including a driver and a rev limit of 5500rpm.
Another car a westfield Megabusa. 185bhp@9800 and 139Nm@7500. 550Kg including the driver. rev limit @ 11000rpm.
The rev band is double so we can reduce the gearing.
So if we treat the Megabusa as if it was reving only until 5500 then the powerfigure of this car would be:
185Bhp@4900, 278NM@3750 (and 215NM@1500 which is a lot!).
If we do the same for a Westfield with a VX2.0 16v engine with 185Bhp@7000 and 220Nm@4000 (635Kg).
If we recalculte it to the Seight reduction.
It has 185Bhp@5350 and 288Nm@3050.
This gives the following data
How many Kg per NM or Bhp (the lower the better)
-------Seight------VX-------Megab.
Nm------2.4--------2.2-------2.0
Bhp------3.9--------3.4-------3.0
So you see there is nothing left of an advantage.
If you floor them @ 2000 (recalculated) i would not bet on the Seight!!!!
Another car a westfield Megabusa. 185bhp@9800 and 139Nm@7500. 550Kg including the driver. rev limit @ 11000rpm.
The rev band is double so we can reduce the gearing.
So if we treat the Megabusa as if it was reving only until 5500 then the powerfigure of this car would be:
185Bhp@4900, 278NM@3750 (and 215NM@1500 which is a lot!).
If we do the same for a Westfield with a VX2.0 16v engine with 185Bhp@7000 and 220Nm@4000 (635Kg).
If we recalculte it to the Seight reduction.
It has 185Bhp@5350 and 288Nm@3050.
This gives the following data
How many Kg per NM or Bhp (the lower the better)
-------Seight------VX-------Megab.
Nm------2.4--------2.2-------2.0
Bhp------3.9--------3.4-------3.0
So you see there is nothing left of an advantage.
If you floor them @ 2000 (recalculated) i would not bet on the Seight!!!!
quote:
WRONG
The reason that the Rover V8 performs so well on road-going 7's is that it is LIGHT. It is made of alloy and is lighter than a Ford Pinto. It is useless quoting performance figures from cars developed for competition if you are contemplating using the car as a road car. The V8 is ideal for use on the road, no need to constantly keep the revs ups, you can floor it at 2000 and get a solid rush of power, and overtake most other road cars without even changing gear.
John
Obviously there is quite a difference in opinion here! Personaly I think theRover V8 is a superb engine for a Westfield.
My Dad had one a few years back which was a Westfield 330. It had a 4.3l TVR developed Rover V8 with quad, twin 48 dellorto's, to produce 330BHP.
The car handled corners better than my Griffith and the acceleration in any gear simply put it to shame! Basically the performance was eye watering!
To top it off the noise from both the exhaust and those carbs, was fantastic! I'd recommend one!
My Dad had one a few years back which was a Westfield 330. It had a 4.3l TVR developed Rover V8 with quad, twin 48 dellorto's, to produce 330BHP.
The car handled corners better than my Griffith and the acceleration in any gear simply put it to shame! Basically the performance was eye watering!
To top it off the noise from both the exhaust and those carbs, was fantastic! I'd recommend one!
quote:
The car handled corners better than my Griffith and the acceleration in any gear simply put it to shame! Basically the performance was eye watering!
Yes but did it outcorner the lighter sevens. There is no doubt that a V8 westfield will shift in a straight line, but the point of the seven was also to produce an excellent handling car.
Mr Chapman was always pushing for lighter and lighter versions and I agree with that principal.
The V8's sound lovely, and go like "dirt off a spade" but its down to horses for courses. I prefer Lotus style to TVR style ie I like cornering quickly and nippy acceleration rather than outright power compromises in handling.
BEC may be the solution to both, ie power to weight excellent and good handling. Thats my 2ps worth.
I don't doubt the performance of a 330BHP TVR engined Westfield. But that is an expensive kit.
But even when it is very expensive it does not have a change against an 1800cc Caterham R500 for example even in a straight line!
What I want to say. A Seight is a strong and fast car but not a good seven. There are beter sevens for the same price.
The main problem is that the weight of the car is to high and it does not rev enough for a seven.
If you wanna feel the difference go to Caterham and make a testdrive in an R300 or an SL with a six speed box. They are not that strong that they wil scare you like an R500, and the handling is superb on the road and track.
But even when it is very expensive it does not have a change against an 1800cc Caterham R500 for example even in a straight line!
What I want to say. A Seight is a strong and fast car but not a good seven. There are beter sevens for the same price.
The main problem is that the weight of the car is to high and it does not rev enough for a seven.
If you wanna feel the difference go to Caterham and make a testdrive in an R300 or an SL with a six speed box. They are not that strong that they wil scare you like an R500, and the handling is superb on the road and track.
quote:
Obviously there is quite a difference in opinion here! Personaly I think theRover V8 is a superb engine for a Westfield.
My Dad had one a few years back which was a Westfield 330. It had a 4.3l TVR developed Rover V8 with quad, twin 48 dellorto's, to produce 330BHP.
The car handled corners better than my Griffith and the acceleration in any gear simply put it to shame! Basically the performance was eye watering!
To top it off the noise from both the exhaust and those carbs, was fantastic! I'd recommend one!
Joost
You need to be reminded that this thread is not about which is the best engine for a Westfield, the question is, is a Rover V8 a good choice for a Westfield? Graham was not offered a variety of engines, he was offered a Rover V8
Try to stick to answering the question
John
>> Edited by johnelliott on Wednesday 25th September 19:07
You need to be reminded that this thread is not about which is the best engine for a Westfield, the question is, is a Rover V8 a good choice for a Westfield? Graham was not offered a variety of engines, he was offered a Rover V8
Try to stick to answering the question
John
>> Edited by johnelliott on Wednesday 25th September 19:07
@John
That is just what I am doing. I only give Graham some substitute. Don't go the V8 route! Even when you (John) think that you need a V8 to be very fast and have a lot of grunt in a car that can be under 450Kg.
I want just to give some other options about proper sevens.
BTW a TVR V8 is also not a stock V8 from a Range Rover.
With all the changes he has to make to fit the V8 in a stock SE. He can have a very nice seven (not a V8).
John you maybe a prof. kitcar builder but did you ever drive a proper seven or even a seven?
>> Edited by joost on Wednesday 25th September 19:18
>> Edited by joost on Wednesday 25th September 19:24
That is just what I am doing. I only give Graham some substitute. Don't go the V8 route! Even when you (John) think that you need a V8 to be very fast and have a lot of grunt in a car that can be under 450Kg.
I want just to give some other options about proper sevens.
BTW a TVR V8 is also not a stock V8 from a Range Rover.
With all the changes he has to make to fit the V8 in a stock SE. He can have a very nice seven (not a V8).
John you maybe a prof. kitcar builder but did you ever drive a proper seven or even a seven?
quote:
Joost
You need to be reminded that this thread is not about which is the best engine for a Westfield, the question is, is a Rover V8 a good choice for a Westfield? Graham was not offered a variety of engines, he was offered a Rover V8
Try to stick to answering the question
John
>> Edited by johnelliott on Wednesday 25th September 19:07
>> Edited by joost on Wednesday 25th September 19:18
>> Edited by joost on Wednesday 25th September 19:24
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