Westfield or Caterham? What's the difference?

Westfield or Caterham? What's the difference?

Author
Discussion

Painey

Original Poster:

534 posts

263 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
A friend of mine's considering taking a Caterham and a Westfield out for a test drive this weekend and when he asked me what's the difference It got me thinking that I hadn't a clue!

I know the basics such as different engines, k-series being in the Caterham etc but apart from that I'm lost.

Can anyone fill us in? We're both going on the Caterham day at Brooklands on the 9th August so if you're going and you see a blue Griffith 500 that will be me!

Cheers - Chris

Graham.J

5,420 posts

266 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
Erm,

The name

The bodywork is different on a westfield, as is the way the chassis is built, Caterham braze their chassis as they like to keep to the way Mr Chapman did it.

Also the price - More often than not Caterhams are a tad more expensive than Westfields.

Some would argue that the build quality is different, which ultimately isn't true, it really depends on who's built it and how much time and money they had to spend on it.

Apart from that there isn't much difference between them.

That's all I can think of at the moment, but there will be some more people come along and tell you whats what I expect

>> Edited by Graham.J on Friday 11th July 12:56

moomin

311 posts

271 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
erm this could be a serious can of worms!

have a read of this: Westfield vs Caterham

moom

Graham.J

5,420 posts

266 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
D'OH beat me to it, I was just seraching my Favourites for that site.


Oh and if you get an aeroscreened car wear a helmet, I went without one to the MOT centre and got a stone on the bonce, not a big cut but hurt like bu**ery

Edited to add the headachey smiley, good thinking moom!!

>> Edited by Graham.J on Friday 11th July 13:31

moomin

311 posts

271 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
a big girly wuss said:
Oh and if you get an aeroscreened car wear a helmet, I went without one to the MOT centre and got a stone on the bonce, not a big cut but hurt like bu**ery


Graham.J

5,420 posts

266 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
OI, big girly wuss *mutter* grrr

JimNoble

410 posts

289 months

Friday 11th July 2003
quotequote all
moomin said:
erm this could be a serious can of worms!

have a read of this: Westfield vs Caterham

moom


I think I would disagree about some of the things there. Especially where he says that caterham bodywork is easier to repair.

GRP repair may be less of a known quantity, but it is possible to do repairs without replacing whole panels - something you can't really do with aluminium...

Jim

mikeww

155 posts

264 months

Saturday 12th July 2003
quotequote all
Hmmm,
Don't agree with the above comments on repairs. Firstly you can do a certain amount of panel bashing with the aluminium which just isn't possible with fibreglass and you can replace part panels and weld.Having being hit a number of times this year in races I'm really glad it's auluminium bodied as I'd probably be on about my 3 rd tub otherwise.

petepeter

6,437 posts

264 months

Saturday 12th July 2003
quotequote all
read the westfield vs caterham write up....

I have to agree with the author...The caterham is probably the better all round car. But I got my 165 bhp Westy for £5750. Done loads of track days (20+) in it with very few inexpensive problems and have easily competed with similar caterhams. Its yellow and looks stunning too.
Now I would have had to spend twice or three times that for a Caterham of equivalent performance.

As Ive got a 911(996) too, I wanted a cheap alternative track car ( I split the cost with my neighbour) and to be quite honest its been the best value car Ive ever had..

Set of brake pads £16!!!
Toyo prox Ti1s Tyres..£39 quid fitted at Elite Essex!!!