Westfield SE: PH Used Buying Guide
There's a Westfield for every sort of buyer. But if you're spoilt for choice, here's where to start
Kit car. Two words that spark as much derision and debate as they do inspiration and devotion. In the case of the Westfield SE and its many derivatives, it's stood as one of the best of breed for more than 30 years.
The original 7 SE was very close in looks and design to the Caterham Seven, which ended up with legal action forcing Westfield to redesign its car to become the SE. In many ways it helped Westfield to grow, as the SE has become a distinct and popular model in its own right rather than being a replica. It's also gained a big following in track day and motorsport circles, and has proven itself many times over in competition.
There's a wide variety of SE models to choose from, which are listed below. A broad range of engines have also found their way under the Westfield's bonnet, including four-pots, V8s, rotaries and bike motors. Which suits you best will depend on what you want to use the car for and your driving style. In most cases, a four-cylinder car engine works best and these are the most commonly available used models.
Some Westfields will be factory-built, but most are constructed at home, so look for signs of a careful builder such as the routing of pipes, wires and hoses, as well as panel fit and interior trim. Also, the exposed front suspension of a cared for car will be in good condition thanks to regular maintenance and upkeep.
There are plenty of Westfields to pick from and you can find early, scruffy cars from as little as £4,000 that will need work. Later models in good order start from £8,500 with Ford Zetec engines and offer plenty of excitement for two-thirds the price of a basic Caterham. We can't cover every permutation in this guide, so you need to go in with open eyes and mind.
Pre-lit
SE - narrow body, live rear axle
SEi - narrow body, independent rear suspension
SEiW - wide body
SEiGHT - Rover V8 engine
SDV - single donor vehicle using MX-5 base
Sport 2000 - 190hp 2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine
Sport 250 - 255hp Ford Focus ST 2.0 turbo engine
Megabusa - Suzuki Hayabusa engine
Megablade - Honda Fireblade engine
Mega S2000 - Honda S2000 engine
FW400 - 1.8-litre Rover K-series
Classic - multiple engine options, usually Ford Zetec
Sport Turbo - Vauxhall 1.6-litre Turbo engine (pictured)
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Buyer's checklist
Bodywork and interior
Check you'll fit the cabin. Seats can have a big bearing on how comfortable you'll be and a narrowbody car with the right seats can be just as accommodating as a wide body SEi.
Inspect all of the glassfibre panels for cracks and star crazing, especially around edges and bolt holes. The nose cone is easily chipped by stones and careless parking, but is simple to repair or replace.
Cars with a wrap may be hiding damaged panels, so check the reverse side.
Basic cabin upholstery and trim can become scruffy over time, but is easy and cheap to replace.
Does the car have a hood and tonneau cover? Do they fit properly and have all their studs and fittings?
A removable steering wheel is a good option to make entry and exit easier.
What sort of belts are fitted? Inertia reel belts are best for road driving, while race belts are ideal for track days. Are race belts in good order and within date if you want to use the car for competition?
What roll bar is fitted? A simple hoop is fine for the road, but rear braces and a diagonal are needed - and a full cage is best - for track and competition work.
Engine and transmission
Almost any four-cylinder engine will fit in the Westfield SE and there have even been diesel-powered versions. The most popular are Ford Zetec motors in newer cars and the Ford Crossflow or CVH in older SE models.
Engine access is excellent, so check for oil and coolant leaks.
Check the condition of the radiator and its plumbing. Many cars use a Volkswagen Polo or Renault Clio radiator that's cheap to replace. Upgrading to aluminium rads is common and an electric fan with thermostat switch is useful.
Make sure the exhaust is in good nick and has a catalytic convertor if the car is registered as 1992 or newer.
Some early SE cars might still have a four-speed Ford gearbox, but the Ford Type 9 and MT75 are by far the most common transmissions in the Westfield. It works well and is reliable.
The SDV uses the MX-5 gearbox, while some race and track cars might come with a sequential 'box from Hewland.
BEC (bike engined cars) will use the transmission from the donor motorcycle for rapid shifts, but make sure you can live with the short, sudden clutch operation.
Suspension and steering
Live axle cars work well on smooth tracks, but independent suspension is more comfortable on the road.
Few cars will share the same suspension set-up by the time they reach the used market. Only a test drive will tell if it suits your needs, but replacing coils and shocks isn't too expensive to change a car to your tastes. This is also a chance to refurbish the suspension's wishbone arms and joints, which is easily done at home.
Adjustable suspension allows owner to tweak the car, but a professional set-up will pay dividends in handling, steering and stability.
Wheels, tyres and brakes
You'll find disc brakes up front, but older cars will have drums at the back. This can provide good stopping power, but rear discs are more efficient. Upgraded discs, pads and calipers are common on cars used for track work.
A common wheel choice is the Team Dynamics Pro Race wheel that's light and available in a variety of sizes. Check wheels for condition.
Tyre choice depends on how you'll use the car. Common options are the Toyo R888 and Proxes T1, Yokohama A048 and Avon ZZR. Be sure the tyres are road-legal unless the car will only be used on track.
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SPECIFICATION - WESTFIELD SE 1.8 ZETEC
Engine: 1,796cc 4-cyl inline
Transmission: 5-speed man
Power (hp): 165@/5,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 156@3,600rpm
MPG: 30 (est)
CO2: 180g/km (est)
Price new: £12,000 (home-build)
Price now: £8,500 upwards
And which Westfields will you find with a sequential Hewland? The FW400 and one SEI that I'm aware of modified for hillclimbing had Hewland transaxles, but they weren't sequentials.
The rest of the article is so vague and generic that they might as well not have bothered.
Having driven a Caterham, think I prefer the westie for road use as it’s that bit less extreme in chassis and suspension set up.
Will I have another.... yes but not as a daily! Although you can get a lot of shopping in the boot and passenger seat.
1) Why do Westfields look comparatively so ugly when compared to Caterhams? All of the detailing (styling/wheels/interior) just looks clumsy in comparison.
2) Why are they regarded (in road tests and forums) as inferior handlers when compared to a Caterham? Are there technical reasons for this or are they just badly built or setup from the factory?
SE (Narrow, live axle) 1600 Twincam Toyota 4AGE engine. 160 ish bhp. cost me £7000. Easiest drive of them all. Great fun.
Seight - 249 Bhp (dyno'd) 4.3l V8. Revved to 6500. Cost me £8500. Totally brutal.
SEiW Cosworth 2 ltr na conversion. 240 Bhp, straight cut gearbox with clubman set. Very well set up suspension. Revved to 8000. Amazing. Too loud for me (the gearbox).. Amazing on the track. Cost me £12k
Sold all of them for more than I paid.
So much fun for the money.
1) Why do Westfields look comparatively so ugly when compared to Caterhams? All of the detailing (styling/wheels/interior) just looks clumsy in comparison.
2) Why are they regarded (in road tests and forums) as inferior handlers when compared to a Caterham? Are there technical reasons for this or are they just badly built or setup from the factory?
2) Mostly a myth. But also, nearly all Westfields are home built , whereas the majority of Chaterhams are factory built, so you get a lot of variance. The handling is all down to setup - and component choice. The people who tell you Westfields can't handle either own a Caterham and are just repeating what they've been told, or they've driven a badly set up car.
Westfields are an absolute steal as long as you are buying for performance and handling, and not a badge
There is only one. The bonnet.
You see quite a few with the main body tub fitted badly, such that the rear wheels don't site centrally in the wheelarches, so this is actually fair comment.
Note how the rear wheel is sitting further forward in the arch on this one:
And further rearward in the arch on this one:
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if you look closely, it's more common to see rear wheelarch clearances that are slightly cockeyed than not.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if you look closely, it's more common to see rear wheelarch clearances that are slightly cockeyed than not.
It'll probably drive you nuts, now I've mentioned it. Sorry!
I stand corrected!
Later FW style bodies are straight thankfully.
I have a ‘98 SEIW with a tuned Redtop engine, plenty fast enough for me on the road and track.
A lot of Caterham drivers berate Westfields because of the copy cat 7 design and the fact that most are home built. You have to realise there are an awful lot of good home builders out there that have skills to put together a real good Kit Car. They often build a Westfield far more high specced than the factory could do for the same money.
Like any car, a prospective buyer should carefully examine what they are buying.
Here’s me at Brands a couple of weeks ago ——
Also, more could have been said about the range of "usable" power from the various cars - its pretty subjective, but I reckon around 180-200bhp is the sweet-spot of power when it's only hauling around 600kg plus the driver. That said, I'd love an S2000 lump - the revvy N/A nature just suits the car so well and I'm sure I could learn how to cope with 240bhp...
I was getting tired of my previous "weekend car" (480+ bhp Fiat Coupe), so I fancied trying something a bit different. I had known the previous owner of my Westfield for many years and had been trying to buy it off him since 2015. He eventually gave in early this year and I now get most of my weekend driving kicks with 35% of the power and about 40% of the weight
The biggest draw for me is the opportunity to tinker and make the car my own. I've already spent a few quid on carbon bits, sticky tyres and chassis / suspension mods and there's more to come over winter.
I definitely prefer the cleaner aeroscreen look to the full screen, but it can be a bit draughty - I took it out for a blat last Sunday and it was pretty fresh. Now looking for a way to get some of the engine bay heat into the cockpit to take the edge off the cold.
The key is that I have now resumed going for a drive just for the hell of it - something I haven't done for a long time (probably since I was on bikes). Its also perfectly possible to have a great drive without achieving ballistic speeds - 60mph is plenty on a good, winding B road
Good excuse for a couple of piccies.....
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