Welcome to my Westfield SEiGHT Build Site

Tips/ Lessons Learnt!

This is quickly becoming a valuable list, if I were building again and would keep re-reading.

• Start a list like this right at the start of your project!
• I know there are loads of bolts. nuts and washers and easy just to leave in the packets but it is worth while buying one of those cabinets that hold those little drawers in which you can place all your nuts and bolts into. Label the drawers and you will always be able to find what you are looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Question everything! The construction manual is not always correct. There is usually more than one way to achieve an objective, think what options you have carefully and chose the right or best one. Do not rush, do manageable chunks of work, i.e. little and often.
• When installing the upper steering column there should be a 12mm spacer between the lower chassis mount and the steering column. Please ensure that this is installed before cutting a hole in the front bulkhead.
• When installing the wishbones ensure that you not only coat all nuts and bolts with copper slip but also between all surfaces, i.e. between the chassis brackets and the bushes. I have used three types of copper slip; in a stick like pritstick, out of a tub and spray. The spray is the best in terms of ease application.
• Remove plastic protective film from panels before riveting, leave it on for drilling.
• Tidy the drill holes in panels with an oversized drill but and on reverse or by hand. You can get a hand tool for the job also.
• Any holes drilled in the chassis should be painted with metal paint and left to dry before sealing and attaching the panels. Well this is an overkill but why not if you have plenty of time?
• Always run a tap down the threads of the wishbones, they may look clear but chances are they are not.
• Install brake pipe between front to rear through the transmission tunnel rather than underneath the floor.
• Instructions as to which and how many washers to install for the rear uprights is incorrect in the build manual. Install chamfered washers between rose joint and upright and between the shock mount and upright. The larger 7/16 washer, OD 28mm should be installed underneath the nuts on bolts on the outside of the upright only, there are four of these per side of car.
• File every corner round on every panel this reduces the risk of injury both before installing the panels and afterward. I have had reports of fellow builders causing injury to hands on the front bulkheads. Remedy of sharp corners once panels are installed is much more tedious when attached!
• Do Buy the optional Westfield Chassis stands, they represent good value for money and position the car at an ideal height to work on it.
• Aluminum panels can be cleaned quite effectively with WD40, as can most metal components.
• It is worth paying extra money for lighter components that are up sprung mass, i.e. uprights, hubs, calipers, disc, wheel and tyres. Every 1Kg of unsprung mass is equivalent to about 16Kgs of sprung mass! So saving 4Kgs on discs and brakes is equivalent to one person not sitting in the car which would make a big difference on performance.
• Dab a spot of paint on bolts/nuts once torqued, this way it is easy to identify bolts that have not been torqued up. If you align the mark without another dab of paint on some part that does not move then this will also serve as a reference point in which to check bolt is not coming undone!
• Never trust a torque wrench that you have not used before! If you find that you are stripping threads then chances are the wrench is wrong, try and compare to another one. Make sure that you are torquing up at exact right angles and try to avoid using extension bars and drive converters these can only lead to less accurate measurements. When torquing bolts in hard to get areas make sure that no part of the wrench head is touching any other part as this can lead to inaccurate measurements also.
• Installing CVJ gaiters over the bar shaft is made very difficult that there is a ridge between the splines and the smooth part of the bar, trying to get rubber over this is very very difficult. All you need to do is use a light lubricate such as WD40 on the inside edge of the gaiter. Also wind tape around the splines until the ridge is reduced, not completely but just enough. It then slips on easily. Now remove the tape!
• Where the construction manual describes use of self tapping screws use rivnuts instead. Use rivnuts for mounting fuse boxes to scuttle, makes maintenance and wiring changes for future upgrades a lot easier.
• The require hole diameter for pop rivets is 0.1mm larger. For example the rivets used for the Chassis are 4 X 9.5mm so drill a 4.1mm hole.
• The required hole diameter for rivnuts is 2mm larger than the bolt size. For example if installing rivnuts for M5 bolts then drill a 7mm hole.
• Use convoluted tubing over wire loom for extra protection and tidiness.
• After rear hubs have been inserted through bearings in the uprights check that the inner bearing halve is still located correctly. Note the bearing halves will be pressed together when the hub nut is tightened (250 Ft. Lbs.).
• With regard to above tip it is better to install hubs into the uprights whilst off the car, it is easy to push down level and body weight is enough, you can then check the bearing half or cover on the back of the upright is located correctly.
• Tighten/torque bolts as late as possible, especially the suspension etc, you will find that you have to undo on my than one occasion whilst building the car.
• Route wire loom, brake pipes, fuel lines but again leave fixing to chassis with rivets/p-clips as late as possible, as you may find that something fouls the run later in the build, especially true if you are routing through the transmission tunnel rather than underneath the car.
• Consider installing convoluted cable protection over wire loom to provide extra protection from water and wear. Looks good as well!
• Check that the rear wheel studs will be long enough for your choice of wheels it is almost guaranteed that the standard studs will be too short. Changing these before assembly will save you a few hours of de-assembling later and less risk of damaging wheel bearings.
• If you do not purchase front hubs from westfield with studs already installed check that the shoulders on the new studs you install in your front hubs will not prohibit the wheel nut from reaching the required torque, i.e. wheel nut bottoming out on the stud shoulder.
• If you purchase the light alloy steering rack clamps do not use M8X25mm bolts, they are not long enough, go for M8X30mm.
• When installing nylon bushes you will need to remove the powder coat from inside the bush mounting in the wishbone. The bushes should be easy to fit by hand and the steel insert should be loose enough that it will fall out of the bush if not retained. It should however not be that loose that there is significant play between the bore of the sleeve and the bore of the bush. Click here for the procedure
• If you purchase front hubs from elsewhere there's a good chance they do not come complete with bearings, remember to add the extra cost to your budget. A bearing kit usually costs around £9 per kit, you will need two. Click here for part numbers. For installation procedure click here.
• When installing nylon wishbone bushes check that the suspension bolt is free to rotate in the inner steel sleeve before attaching to chassis. If the bolt movement is restricted, try turn the steel insert around, trust me it might actually work!
• if you install cross drilled and/or grooved discs, then ensure that the orientation is such that the leading of the holes/grooves should strike the brake pads on the outer edge first. Imagine the dragging force, and this should drag to the centre of the hub.
• Do not trust supplied fastener lengths in the kit. Sometimes for some reason they are not long enough for the job they are intended. This is especially important where Nyloc nuts are being used. The bolt should show thru the nut at least 2 - 3 threads to ensure that the nylon part of the nut is fully engaged with the threads.
• Do drill the holes through the floor for the seat posts, even if not installing until much later, you can then see where not to attach brake and fuel lines!
• If installing lines under the floor put a small washer between the floor and the p-clip, this will increase the gap between the floor and the line by a small fraction, in my opinion the gap is too small and when the floor flexes it will contact the line between the p-clips, even if the p-clips are less than 25cm apart.
• when installing he diff in the diff carrier do not torque the bolts up completely, check for gaps between the diff and the chassis, I found that my lower right hand side had a gap large enough to install another washer. You do not want any play between your diff and the chassis.
• Use an EZ-bleed for bleeding brakes it not only makes the job easier but more thorough.
• After initial bleeding raise rear of car and keep the brake pedal depressed overnight, then bleed from the rear again. Any trapped air will make its way to the top of the system, in this case at the rear calipers and the final bleed then ensures air free hydraulics.
• How to setup timing on a Rover V8 engine when installing a new camshaft, courtesy of RPI, click here
• Do not torque up the upper steering column until you have a dash or template to ensure that column is in the right place.
• If you have trouble reaching the required torque then there's a fundamental problem with the fastening method employed, take apart and examine.
• Installing the R380/LT77 gearbox, then cut off the unused mounting lugs as they fowl the chassis
• Installing the SD1 bell housing then you will need to clearance the lump that sticks out from behind the clutch slave cylinder