Meet The Car Club - Westfield Sports Car Club

1. How long has the club been going and how did it start?

It all started back in 1986 (we have our 40 year anniversary next year!), just 4 years after Westfield Sports Cars was founded by Chris Smith. The first Area meeting was held at the Clock Warehouse pub near Derby, amazingly the Derby and Notts Area still meet there every month!

2. What can you tell me about the club?

The Club is based around the love of the “Seven” style car and we are proud of the fact we have members from all over the world, and we are the biggest “kit car” club in the UK. 

3. How many members are in your club, and why should new people join?

We have around 1,100 members worldwide, the majority of which are UK based. The area organisers and Committee (all volunteers by the way) cover all parts of the UK. So regardless of what part of the UK you live, you will find an active bunch of welcoming and friendly enthusiasts online and in person organising meets of all kinds.

On top of the amazing meets that we do all over the country, we also have a vast bank of technical knowledge that is easily accessed by our members going back decades (especially important with a kit car made up of seemingly random parts!). If you want to know what brake disc, calliper and pad your 1993 wide body car will need then you will find it on our Forum. If you want to swap your engine, not only will you get sage and friendly advice, but you will probably also get helping hands from local members too (I have personally played a small part in 3 engine swaps along with numerous other local members in the past year or two).

4. Do you hold any events throughout the year? 

Our main National events are at the National Kit Car Show at Malvern (previously at Stoneleigh), Newark Kit Car show, plus we have well attended events at the Silverstone Classic.

Regionally, our AO’s (Area Organisers) do an amazing job with local events and meets. Our glossy magazine (Westfield World) is packed with photos and writes up from the regions. Across the UK, you will find literally hundreds of meets a year of various types.

5. What are your club’s best achievements?

Probably our inclusivity and the friendships we build! We really have something to enhance every member’s ownership experience, from road trips and scenic tours, pub meets, attending local and national car shows, through to track days, our very own 7’s Sprint Series plus incredible technical support. These shared experiences lead onto fabulous friendships that transcend just owning our bonkers little cars.

6. What would your club like to do more of?

We are trying to attract more owners of other marques of “seven”, actively engaging with owners of MK Indy, GBS Zero, Luego, MNR, Raw/Silva, Tiger/ERA, etc. and working hard to enhance our social media presence. By doing this, we are hoping to ignite the passion for the “seven” with the younger generation for years to come.

7. How does your club work with Lancaster?

Lancaster is one of the small number of trusted partners we work closely with to help our members. Most insurers don’t even know what a Westfield is, so specialist cover is incredibly important (“how do I insure my car” is one of the most frequently asked questions for any new owner) to help protect our pride and joy.

About them

1. What was your first experience with classic cars?

My late father was a real petrol head, having dabbled in grass track racing in his youth. He was also huge fan of the car design genius Colin Chapman, so owning a Lotus or Caterham Seven was always an ambition of mine. After being lucky enough to drive a Caterham in the 1990’s, I was hooked by the seven experience.

2. Tell us about your classic car? What made you pick this make/model? How long have you owned it? What’s your favourite feature/detail?

Being 6ft 5 (and not the slimmest of hip), my options for seven style car were limited somewhat….. I then discovered that I could shoehorn myself into the wide-bodied Westfield so in 2019, I bought my first one (a 2.0 Zetec on old school twin 45 Weber’s). I joined the WSCC that same week on recommendation of the previous owner who sold me as much on the Club as he did the car!

After about a year of grins (who doesn’t love the noise of Webers?!), I was lucky enough to upgrade to a Westfield MegaS2000, with its high revving and more powerful Honda F20c engine. She revs to 9,000rpm, puts out close to 250bhp, weighs under 600kg, and just makes me smile.

My favourite things about the car are the “Jekyll and Hyde” nature and the old school analogue driving experience. Happy to quietly (well not that quiet!) potter around the Peaks on Saturday but be quick enough to be worrying supercars on track on Sunday.

3. Do you have any other cars in your collection? 

Yes, I also own an early supercharged Mini R53 JCW 200 that my sons have inherited as a track car. It has every performance and track modification and is now helping pass on the passion for “adding lightness”.

4. What restoration work have you undertaken on your classic? Are there any modifications or upgrades you’ve made? What do you enjoy most about being part of the classic car community?

Firstly, if my wife is reading this, I have absolutely no upgrades!

For the rest of you, I have an unfortunate addiction that forces me to replace all the “heavy bits” with much more expensive lighter bits (normally made of carbon fibre of course!). This enables me to indulge in my other addictions (cake and beer) while maintaining a healthy power to weight ratio!

5. What are the top events you like to attend with your classic car club?

While I do love the large national events, I have a real passion for the smaller local meets and driving the Peak District B-roads. Getting to the track is also a big interest of mine and a fabulous ways to spend a few hours with great friends. Whether we are doing a track day at Donington or Curborough, supporting our own 7’s Sprint Series at Mallory, watching some grass roots motorsport or having a pint at the pub, we make great memories.