The Project
Options:
- AP Racing brake upgrade
- Quaiffe limited slip differential upgrade
- Wider front track kit
- Long range fuel tank
- Westfield chassis stands (a bargain at £50.00!)
- Detachable wings
Matt and I both run cars which are more than capable on the track. Matt runs a Renault Clio 182 Trophy with breathing modifications, a new ECU, and Pagid brakes with braided lines and racing fluid. I run a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX with AP Racing brakes, MoTeC engine management, breathing modifications, 400bhp, and some very expensive Exe-tc RM04 suspension.
Both cars are a heap of fun on the track, but the more trackdays you do, the more you want from your car! Everything you do to improve the car on track inadvertently makes it worse on the road, weather its brake squeal or scraping speed humps.
In addition to this, we both rely on our cars to get to work and meetings etc. so an accident on track or a mechanical failure would have a knock-on affect to our work and also our social lives whilst repairs are carried out.
We had talked about how great it would be to run a track car between us. It could be set up with no compromises due to not needing it to commute etc, we nearly always do trackdays together so there would be no squabbles about who gets the car on what day, and best of all, all costs would be split down the middle. It had always been a bit of a pipe-dream, and had always flirted with the idea, but when we started to look at it more seriously it became a very realistic possibility.
Personally I have been in love with the idea of a kit car for as long as I have been into cars, and building one would be as much enjoyment as driving it. Matt on the other hand just wants to get out and drive the thing, but I said, "We build it or I'm not interested!"
Westfield had the biggest appeal due to a wide range of options, very comprehensive kits, and their great reputation for fantastic technical support. We had visited Caterham Cars in previous years to look at prices, but Westfield look to offer more for your money, so we headed up to visit them.
We decided that we wanted to pursue the bike engine route, and due to our budget decided that the Megablade kit was the best option. We visited Westfield and were made to feel very welcome by Judy and Steve, who showed us a couple of cars. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there are no hidden costs in their kits. I was expecting the kit to cost a lot more that the advertised price, but everything you need is there with the exception of the engine, gearbox, wheels, and tyres.
Due to this, our money went a little further, and after talking it over we eventually decided on the above car and specification.