Nickp
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 09:36 PM |
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Westy worth buying?
A mate's considering buying this Westfield, anyone know the car?
Any opinions / comments? Worth the money? Spoke to the owner and he seems dead genuine. He reckons the engine's a belter and very strong.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WESTFIELD-sei-2l-fiat-twin-cam-/290947190824?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43bdcdd028#ht_352wt_1156
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TimC
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 09:38 PM |
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I quite like it, but the passenger has to press START!
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Nickp
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 09:45 PM |
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Ha ha, never noticed that. Could save on fuel if you're on your own though 
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daniel mason
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 09:53 PM |
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i dont normally comment on threads like this as i dont like to run down peoples cars. but to me,at that price id say it could be a money pit and a
heartbreaker!
its not a standard westy. 20xe,zetrec,duratec etc and for not much more matts 206bhp duratec mnr could be had. just my opinion!
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Nickp
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 10:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason. but to me,at that price id say it could be a money pit and a heartbreaker!
its not a standard westy. 20xe,zetrec,duratec etc and for not much more matts 206bhp duratec mnr could be had. just my opinion!
Do you mean it's too cheap or too dear? The guy reckons that £5K was put into the engine build.
I know it's not the norm but there do seem to be a few about with Fiat twin cams in 'em.
We've been looking at the MNR too
Thanks for the input. I think he needs to see a few and see what floats his boat.
[Edited on 29/7/13 by Nickp]
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daniel mason
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 10:11 PM |
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if it was me. i would spend my money on something else! westfields are for sure worth a look and have strong residuals, but id go for a zetec or
duratec variant if funds allowed. just never been a fan of that fiat twin cam powerplant, and can see it bieng a money pit!
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Nickp
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 10:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
if it was me. i would spend my money on something else! westfields are for sure worth a look and have strong residuals, but id go for a zetec or
duratec variant if funds allowed. just never been a fan of that fiat twin cam powerplant, and can see it bieng a money pit!
No probs, ta for the input. Others around the same money seem to be either Pinto or x-flow, which just doesn't do it for me (or him). As a
Montecarlo owner I do like the old twin-cam, but if it is a 200bhp unit and goes bang then yes it would cost a packet to put back as was. 
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daniel mason
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 10:27 PM |
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that was my exact thoughts!
go take a look, have a good look around the engine. if all seems good it may prove a bargain. if it needs another £5k rebuild then maybe not.
having said all that.if budget does allow.a westy should top the list. you could buy one,run it a couple of years and probably sell it for the same
money!
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pewe
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 10:33 PM |
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Sounds as if all the right work has been carried out on the engine.
Power is about right for that set-up and that should be reliable.
The routeing of the hose between the cam covers from the rear pick-up point (which used to be the heater hose) to the thermostat housing means
some-one knew what they were doing.
Fiat/Lancia Lampredi engines are quite long stroke so won't rev highly but should last well.
They were developed over many years/models and spares are still quite readily available from the likes of Guy Croft..
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10
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Hector.Brocklebank
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| posted on 29/7/13 at 11:08 PM |
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Used to run a Fiat Twin cam engine in a MKII escort many many moons ago, the engine was bulletproof, I even ran it dry of oil after I holed the sump,
fixed the sump filled it of oil and it was a sweet as a nut.
As said longish stroke so didnt rev that high was but it made belter gobs of power with a pair of dellorto's on it
If the guy can produce receipts for the work and the work can be confirmed to have been done to the motor by cross reference with the engine number,
then it would be fine. and yes a lot will advise a zetec or what ever because it is all they know.
Old school yes but a decent enough motor, you only need to look at the venerable pinto as proof of how good and old motor still can be, don't
write it off instantly through ignorance, go look,listen and try to get a drive in it to decide for yourself.
Some people can never handle the truth and always try to shoot the messenger instead of taking an honest look in the mirror (its always easier to
blame another than to face reality), but secretly they wish they could grow a pair and be the messenger !!!
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Nickp
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 05:51 AM |
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Thanks guys
You're confirming my thoughts on the choice of both Westfield and engine, I think we may be taking a look 
The 'old' twin cam may not be a rev monster in std form with its relatively long stroke but give it some forged pistons and the right cams
and it'll 'sing' past 8Krpm all day long
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spaximus
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 06:42 AM |
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At that money it is a bargin. The fiat engine is strong and was popular when it was one of the first Twin cams out there. It was a regular swop into
cars that were performance based.
You would not get a VX or Duartec for that money. As with everything, if it looks good, drives good then if you are happy buy it.
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franky
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 07:02 AM |
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The fiat twin cam is a very very strong and light engine, if he likes it then go for it. The engines got to be a better choice then a zetec/pinto,
well no worse and very light. you can get some great books on tuning them by guy croft also.
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mcerd1
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 08:22 AM |
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and if the engine ever did go bang who says you have to put the same kind back in its place
-
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Volvorsport
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 08:50 AM |
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Guy croft engines(Lincoln) highly respected.......
www.dbsmotorsport.co.uk
getting dirty under a bus
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franky
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 09:48 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Volvorsport
Guy croft engines(Lincoln) highly respected.......
He's pretty much the best anywhere for these motors. A touch pricey though!
The more I think about it the better this car is for not having the usual motor fitted.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 10:26 AM |
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It looks right as rain to me also . Only way to tell what it is worth is to see it.
Only thing to watch as with all hemi engines over revving can too easily result in bent valves.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Nickp
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 10:46 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
and if the engine ever did go bang who says you have to put the same kind back in its place
This is very true.
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Nickp
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 10:49 AM |
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The more I think about it the better this car is for not having the usual motor fitted.
My thoughts exactly, dare to be different!!
Btw you do get what you pay for with GC, no corners are cut!!
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teegray19
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| posted on 30/7/13 at 11:38 AM |
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I want it  always wanted a red westy. (dont tell the F27)
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Magic Beans
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| posted on 31/7/13 at 10:56 AM |
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Morning all,
I'm the guy who's interested in it and am planning to view it in a couple of weeks, once the owner is back from holiday.
It's interesting to read the feedback from people on here, as obviously it's a little different from the norm which is what I tend to like
in cars 
I'm on the look out for anything like this at the moment and am looking to spend £5k-7k, more for the right car, so if anyone does know of
anything out there I'd be interested in hearing about it.
Phil
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franky
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| posted on 31/7/13 at 11:18 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Magic Beans
Morning all,
I'm the guy who's interested in it and am planning to view it in a couple of weeks, once the owner is back from holiday.
It's interesting to read the feedback from people on here, as obviously it's a little different from the norm which is what I tend to like
in cars
I'm on the look out for anything like this at the moment and am looking to spend £5k-7k, more for the right car, so if anyone does know of
anything out there I'd be interested in hearing about it.
Phil
I don't see how you'd get more for your money than that car.
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Magic Beans
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| posted on 31/7/13 at 11:23 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by franky
quote:
Originally posted by Magic Beans
Morning all,
I'm the guy who's interested in it and am planning to view it in a couple of weeks, once the owner is back from holiday.
It's interesting to read the feedback from people on here, as obviously it's a little different from the norm which is what I tend to like
in cars
I'm on the look out for anything like this at the moment and am looking to spend £5k-7k, more for the right car, so if anyone does know of
anything out there I'd be interested in hearing about it.
Phil
I don't see how you'd get more for your money than that car.
That's the kind of answer I was hoping for
I'm trying to keep my options open, just in case there are issues with it or it sells for whatever reason.
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Nickp
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| posted on 5/11/13 at 10:03 PM |
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Remember this? I certainly do! And it seems the answer to the original question was probably no
My mate Phil bought it in my absence and made a few school-boy errors, not checking the things on the 'must-do' list I left him.
The engine was supposed to have 200bhp and built at great expense. Anyway, alarm bells started to ring with me when he said its performance
wasn't blowing him away when it should've gone like a stabbed rat in my opinion!! A quick compression test showed a lowly 125psi across
the board and it was also overfuelling massively, hence the poor performance. He then added insult to injury by dropping a grub screw down a carb and
fired it up, embedding the screw firmly into the head and damaging the piston too!! So off with its head, and give it a good sorting -
We formulated a plan to get the best out of this engine without spending a fortune. It's easy to plough £4-5K into making the old Twin Cam
really fly. Not an option!!
The owner Phil was off to the USA that week and a nice set of shiny HC pistons were 'smuggled' back in his suitcase. These should bring
the CR up from the std 9:1 to nearer 11:1 which should really help the cams work-
The old damaged head could've been repaired but when I inspected it I was less than impressed with the porting job that'd been done on it
so that won't be reused. Instead I've donated the Volumex (bigger inlet valves) head off my Monte to the cause. This head made a healthy
150bhp on std cams and CR, up 30bhp from std.
The cams in the old engine are going to be reused and are a pretty aggressive Piper Rally/Race profile of 290deg with 11.2mm of lift which have to be
timed in very carefully to avoid the valves and pistons clashing. Powerband's quoted at 3000-7500rpm.
It's been an interesting build with a few challenges to make all the bits work together. It's been finished off with some top quality
parts from Guy Croft i.e a 'refurbed' better than new oil pump, competition Turbo head gasket, 12.9 head bolts etc etc.
It's now all back together (but Photobuckets just packed in!!) and seems to be running sweet. I took it out for a quick drive yesterday and
although I couldn't thrash it due to its 'newness' and lack of set-up it certainly feels like it's coming on cam very
strongly, much better than it did before. Hopefully, once it's setup it'll be much nearer to the car that Phil thought he was buying.
As an added bonus, it's been a good few years since I've driven a '7' type car, and even though this narrow bodied Westy is
snug for a 6ft1" 16st bloke I still really really enjoyed it So, it should inspire me to crack on with my roomier Haynes!!
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daniel mason
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| posted on 5/11/13 at 11:54 PM |
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glad its worked out in the end! wouldnt have been my choice but what do i know!
hows the monte carlo rebuild coming on?
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