Westfield or a Dax

[magpie83]

I've recently had a brain wave to build a kit car. It will be a low cost project. Two cars i'm looking at are westfields and the dax rush Long wheelbase. Looking to install a motorbike engine but may start of with a zetec 1.8 or similar. Just wondered what peoples thoughts on the two companies/cars are. I'm 6ft, but slim, but dad wants to get in aswell, is the dax better suited to this? I also find the dax sightly better looking, something a bit more raw about it. Also, is dax more customisable, mechanically etc, as westfields seem to be sold under engine group. So does this limit the possibilities?

[Jon Ison]

I would recomend this........

www.mk-sportscars.fsnet.co.uk/indy.htm


It won kit car of the year not so long ago.

>> Edited by Jon Ison on Thursday 23 March 18:07

[daxman]

Hi mate

Had the same thoughts as your having about 6 months ago. Mechanicly the dax is a better built car, seems more thought has gone in to quality rather than quantity. Westies are good cars for parts and have a good support base but lack some of the wow factor you get from a dax. As for the room, i would say having sat in both a Westfield seiw and a regular dax the westi is the better for "footwell" room although length and width wise the didn't seem much in it. Dax footwells are quite tight or at least mine is! Id say have a look at cars in shows and make your mind up. Id go for the dax but im not exactly impartional!

Daxman

[Antony Moxey]

Not sure you could class Westfield or Dax as low cost, although I suppose this depends on your definition of how low low cost actually is! You could try a Tiger as an alternative - reasonably easy to bolt together, good owners club and not entirely wallet busting.

[roman]

I think the Rush is a great looking car.

If you wanted a less expensive alternative though I would also recommend looking at an MK Indy. I'm 6'2" and can fit in one OK and they have a strong following.

With some square Citroen Dyane headlamps & a fabricated triangle roll hoop I think you could make one look very similar to a Dax. They also have lots of experience building bike & Zetec engined cars.

Have a look on:

www.locostbuilders.co.uk - great site

[westyman]

Neither Dax or Westfield can be classed as a low cost option. Both are excellent quality with many years of development by what I would class as world class kit manufacturers. You can fit whatever you want to either car, so neither is better in terms of upgradability/modifying. If you want low cost look at MK, MNR or Mac1 motorsport. All have excellent reputations for price, quality & service. Fit the engine you think you are going to be happy with at the start, as a rule of thumb, budget £3000 to convert a car from car to bike engine ( that,s for a cheap engine, not an exotic like a Hayabusa)

[busa_rush]

roman said:

a fabricated triangle roll hoop

I have a Dax and I think they are great cars, well designed and engineered great support, nice people etc but with one exception, the bloody stoooopid roll bar. It's dangerous and shouldn't exist, same goes for any kit that doesn't have a proper roll bar that will support the driver AND passenger in an accident. Same goes for mass produced cars too, major ommission in SVA and type approval.

Dax will weld their full roll bar to any car which will save your life - mine also has the side intrustion bars. Together these provide a lot of protection - I'd never have a car without a functioning roll over bar.

Sorry to be a nag but once you're dead you're dead for good !

[xm5er]

I'd take a look at these guys as well. MNR

I had a ride in a customer built car at Oulton this weekend and it was extremely impressive. The chap who built it (a guy who works for Holeshot Tuning) reckoned it cost him £6,500 to put together using an R1 engine and it was very tightly put together. There was lots of room in the footwells (far more than the Caterham Academy car I went round in later), and the handling was very benign. The guys that run MNR have been in top level motorsport for years and know exactly what they are doing and are very friendly. Check 'em out.

[combine]

Just to get this straight , what is a Proper roll bar that protects both driver and passenger ? Can someone put a picture on here , and how could the authorities get this so badly wrong ? I am also contemplating a '7' type purchase but don't want a death trap.

[.Adam.]

Here is a couple of pictures of my Westie, one with the cosmetic roll bar, and one with the RAC spec rollbar:
Cosmetic:

RAC:

The RAC bar is cross braced, higher, and has 2 extra stays going to the chassis, so that it doesn't fold or collapse in the event of rolling over, the cosmetic bar would most probably just fold flat, something you don't want.
Also, idealy, if you draw a line from the top of the rollbar to the nose of the car, or the next highest point that won't collapse in the event of an accident, you want the top of your head under this line.


>> Edited by .Adam. on Monday 27th March 22:36

[combine]

Thanks Adam , I notice that a few cars have the bar diagonally across the top as well as a loop at the back which looks even safer , racing models all seem to have them. Have seen far to many with just the basic loop. Do the regulators read this site ?

[busa_rush]

combine said:

Do the regulators read this site ?

I'm sure the rules are made by committies not people who understand these things. Thankfully not all the various regulators will read this site