z350convert

Ditto.

Is car still available????

Ok, so Westfield sold and now looking seriously for the right 350z for me.

With a private sale what would you advise in terms of HPI, accident checks etc?

Advice welcome.

Thanks

Fantastic.

That's going to need one heck of a big tube of glue

It was good to meet up with William and Colin on Saturday and to see some smart cars. Unfortunately I can't remember your forum profiles so could not reply direct.

I am not sure the influence was all good though, as i haven't even got a 'Z" yet and my head is already full of ways to throw money at it.

Shall post some details on the forum about the Westfield when I take it off SORN in Feb, just in case anyone is interested.

Thanks for the welcome and the advice.

PS Do any of you do the Goodwood Breakfast meetings in the summer?

A power drift is quite different from a tail slide. Have a look at old clips of Fangio with all 4 wheels sliding. So much tripe on YouTube about "drifting' which in most cases it ain't!

<a href="http://s1102.beta.photobucket.com/user/Fangi0/media/Henryforweb.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g449/Fangi0/Henryforweb.jpg" border="0" alt="Henry"/></a>

Thanks for the encouragement. I had doubts but the Westie will be up for sale in the early Spring or even Feb and fingers crossed for a buyer.

Yes, my elder brother had one until recently and he liked it because he maintained it had the 'proper TVR engine'. Have to say though whenever we went out in it we always used to come back with a misfire. Mind you this is the man who bent all the pushrods in his TR one morning during a spirited drive, but we were young then. I drove the Griffith a couple of times but it was a bit brutal and hardcore for my taste and incredibly badly put together. Must say an older TVR has been on my list but I would favour the Z for a number if reasons.

Ok, daft question, how wide is the car with door open enough to be able to get out when it's in the garage.

Haven't got a Z yet but my 1930s garage is almost 15 feet long so JUST long enough and about 7 foot 6 wide giving about 6 inches each side to get through the entrance.

I may need to knock a hole through the garage into the understairs cupboard to get out of the car. Alternatively I could move.

Thank you

If you are really not confident then why not have a morning at a skip pan. They will teach you how to cope with a skid and how to avoid it in the first place. The cause is excessive speed, steering or braking for the conditions.

Trouble is the skid pans (go to one with the traditional greasy surface) tend to deal with low speed skids rather than the more scary ones you could get with a z, but the causes and the correction technique are the same.

Lots of us have got int bad habits driving front wheel drive which is much more forgiving as the front wheels are pulling in the direction of travel. With the rear wheels pushing from the back not only have you got the rear tyres struggling to grip laterally on a corner but the grip is compromised by the need to transmit the power as well. Result, rear end break away. Quite fun but can be a bit scary when you end up getting a 360 degree view of the road you have just come down.

Just treat the surface with respect and give yourself time to get used to a powerful rear drive car like a z. Motorcyclists make the best drivers in the wet as they have to feel the surface and all the features like paint, drain covers and diesel that can drop them on their behinds.

Also, check out YouTube on skid control

Hope this helps

Was the Griffith a bit too powerful for you then?

No No, just a joke honest

Thanks for the viewpoint. I think this chap is a bit extreme and anyway anyone who comes up with that kind of boasting and thinks it impresses to own a Metro or an MGB has 'issues'.

By the way, have you seen this on you tube.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edPmpur6gLs

You sum it up well. After 6 years plus with the Westfield in all kinds of weather I, quite suddenly, feel like a change to something with grunt and character but more useful for the longer journey. This 'summer' I have returned from my blats a bit tired, cold and deaf for about 24 hours or so. On one occasion with grass and branches sticking out all over the place having spun it backwards through a blokes hedge. After major heart surgery and reaching 66 I fancy a different kind of thrill if you see what I mean. In fact since I declared SORN on the car in Nov I haven't been near it. That's a first and it tells me something.

PS how often do you guys meet at The Grasshopper in Westerham? That's on my Sunday morning thrash route in the summer.

No need to tell you that the driving experience from the Westfield will be different but as much fun in its own way. The Zed for the most part isn't going to touch the Westfield in 0-60 stakes but the grunt, effort and sound of getting there will.

 

The Zed won't be as nimble as the Westfield as it is fundamentally a GT car, so you can't drive it with your arse hanging out in quite the same way. That being said, managing and accounting for the weight and GT set up when making 'progress' is a pleasurable challenge in itself, especially because the balance of the Zed is so good. For scooting out along decent A roads with a few challenges, twists and turns the Zed really is good fun and it's rewarding when you get the opportunity to drive it in those circumstances.

 

For a car with a keenness to 'get up and go' and a ratio of power, balance and poise which can be exploited to sublime proportions when driven well, when roads and conditions allow, its cracking value for money. I think its that final element which at the end is important. For the money you're looking to spend you will get a car that will have a character and will be a lot of fun to own and drive. Plus there's a great forum and social side as you can probably tell

Yes that's the one.

Cmw cars in wallington? Orange droptop by chance?

Yes I have seen the future..and it's Z shaped

I looked at another one today but couldn't get my hands on it to drive because it was in the showroom in Wallington, Surrey.

Have been passenger but not the driver yet, but they feel great.

Well I know. The view this chap expressed was well meaning I am sure but I can't understand it. This is the follow up note I got....

"The S2000 had no torque and not a true drivers car. It was too heavy, too cumbersome and too detached from the road. Looks great and at silly RPM, so silly speeds, it impressed, but just didn't feel as sharp as I feel it should.

A bit about me, raced go karts for ages, ran a go kart track in my last unit. Raced motorbikes from 15yrs old for 5 yrs and had gsxr 1000 Ducati 748 and a 916... As well as several others. But that's where I'm coming from. My road cars were a 1976 mini 1275 as a first car, had it 8 years and had pretty much every fast road component and twin webers that spat flames by the time it was stolen! Had many other cars at the same time including Alfa 156 GTA, MGBGT, MG Midget (which I loved and put several engines in and ended up with a MG Metro 1530cc turbo when I sold it). So my driving likes are raw components and feeling an organic part of the car.

I found the 350z a bit of a plastic toy to impress lady's and blokes down the pub. I didn't find the ride accurate and delicate enough... Basically same kinda story as the S2000. I borrowed my mums 1985 911 for a few months, that was amazing to drive. So I feel it is a personal preference. I feel everyone's choice in car will be different. In a few years I may want comfort, warmth and a smooth magic carpet style ride and buy a Jaguar.

I just think most people that sell a Westfield want another one..."

I still fancy a 350z

I LIKE THIS OWNERS CLUB!!!!

Thanks for all the feed back, I look forward to meeting you sometime soon.

By the way I am in West Wickham, Kent and once I can sell my Westfield in the early Spring (Feb/March hopefully) I shall be looking to spend 6 - 7k ish. Not a huge budget I know but it will be for my Sunday dawn patrols and blatting down to see my grandchildren etc. Not an everyday car with that fuel consumption!

Have looked over 5 cars now to get a feel of what to expect.

A couple of them have been a little noisy as clutch is released in neutral, just sitting with the car idling. Do they sometimes have a noisy thrust bearing?

Found out today, there is no cam belt to worry about every 3 or 4 years - well done Nissan.

What do you guys manage on fuel consumption around town with a light right foot and what would you get on open rural roads when you are having fun?

What are the pros and cons convertible v fast back please?

I told you I was going to be b nuisance!

Now here is a funny thing - member from my current club sent me this..."Swapping a Westfield for a 350z...

You'll regret it. I had a similar thought with a S2000. It lasted six weeks before it got sold and a westfield was in the garage. In 2004/2005 when the 350z just came out and reversing camera's were a great selling point I almost got one. But the Alfa 156 was a far better drive and much nicer car. Thanks to the depreciation of Alfa Romeo you'll probably get a lot of car for your money! Good luck with your decision, but hire a 350z for a weekend, it's like a Almera to drive!"

I can't comment yet because I have yet to drive one, hope to tomorrow, but you can!!!

Thanks

Brilliant!

Sadly Norman Joseph Woodland, inventor of the barcode system died a couple of days ago.

Am I alone in wondering how many times he has to go through the curtain at his cremation before he registers?

Thank you for the warm welcome. Yes I used the term 'Gentlemen' to give the benefit of the doubt. Expect you have heard this many times ...

These clubs are brilliant for help and advice. I could not run my old Westfield without the owners club although if you take too much advice you end up worrying all the time. No doubt I will be just as much of a b nuisance on this site as I am on the Westfield site.

Maybe a good z will come up on here for me in classified. They seem to sell quite quickly.

Regards

Neil

Just joined up.

Have Westfield SE to sell, if i don't change my mind, in the Spring.

Will be looking round at 350z from now till then for a 2004/5 plate.

Can anyone advise of any potential weaknesses in the cars. Have been looking at Alfa GTVs (plenty of weaknesses on those), probably a money pit so I have re focused.

Many thanks