distributor cap fitting - did you have t cut the footwell?

[jonclancy]

The side exit cap, as Splat and Jan mention is the one you need. I found that if I rotate the dizzy in its mounting, then the cap will come off. Reverse is true. It's tight but does work. Don't forget to Tippex the dizzy and mount with a dot to indicate correct position for reinstallation.

[Westfield 129]

So, why not turn your distributor around so that the correct side lead cap fits, then plug it in to the engine? Set the engine to TDC first. Then plug in the distributor and rotate the shaft until it engages. Install the rotor and then determine where the new #1 lead will plug in. Doesn't matter where the rotor falls. It goes in a circle. Make sure that the hold down clamp is loose.

If you can't fit the distributor because you have the brake lines in the wrong place, re locate the brake lines. It's not as though you have a choice. I certainly didn't, and reinstalled them for more distributor clearance.

You don't want to cut holes where none are necessary, then have to fabricate a new cover, rivet it into place, and have it leak CO into the cockpit... It's easy enough to fix the lines (especially when you do the second installation. I know from experience). Anyway, the tubing is cheap, and you can pick it up at the local auto supply, flared with the B nuts in place, just like the ones that came taped to the kit... Sometimes, you will have to do things twice.

Like I did when I found that the distributor would not fit, and had to relocate the brake lines...

Now, as for the difference between my "shop" in Thousand Oaks, CA, USA and your limited space in the UK, note the space where I am working on the car in my build albums. I have a small workspace at my home, not a massive shop. Yes, my garage is an attached 3 stall (full of cars), but I have formed a 4th in the back, in front of the washer/dryer/furnace for building the RHD W11 (its a small car), and it is not any larger than your cramped garage. Just enough room to work the washer/dryer, and the W11.

I do have a compressor, and have installed plumbing in for the air, so it is convenient. I have some air tools, a nice vice (recent purchase), chop saw, two types of brake bleeders (vacuum and pressure) so I can bleed brakes and clutches single handed. I have a special device to vacuum fill Noble and other mid engine complex cooling systems (AirLift is the trade name) that works incredibly well on the Westfield with the header tank. Then there is the rivnutter and the pneumatic rivet installer, which is really useful when working on the Westfield. Not really that much in the way of specialized tools. I pick up the tools I need, when I need them (and it makes financial sense). Since I like to work on my own cars, I have collected quite a few tools.

Dad started me off, giving me a UniSyn to sync the twin carbs on the Mercedes 220 and the Volvo, more than 50 years ago, and wanted to tune the engines. I still have it, and used it yesterday, in fact.

I make the best with my lifetime collection of hand tools. Fortunately, you don't need much in the way of special tools for the Westfield, but air wrenches, a pneumatic riveter and a pressure brake bleeder will take a few hours off your build, and save you some skin, maybe a trip to emergency, as well.

The reason that I got so involved with W11s is that I acquired one built in the UK, and it needed a lot of work. I got it working pretty well, and then the US Distributor of Westfields wanted me to store his car for a few days prior to a local DIY show, which resulted in a contract to rebuild his new Demo car for magazine testing (the fresh build was a horror show), followed by another local builder brought his car around with overheating, brake and steering issues, another wanted a suspension setup, another for wiring, and still another with a brand new one needed the whole car rebuilt (3rd owner in only 300 miles), then a full build from the crate... So I got a lot of experience in a short period of time. Fortunately, my prior experience as an advanced hobbyist was useful.

AND, much of my experience comes from making the same mistakes that you have, and then telling you about how not to make that particular mistake, and perhaps the other two that come from making the first.

SO... Yes, on initial installation, I found that the distributor didn't fit the RHD chassis, until it did. I used a side exit cap, rocked the engine around (and yes, I do use washers under just about EVERY bolt and nut) finding a couple of millimeters additional clearance. The brake lines needed to be relocated slightly. Finally, the distributor went in without the cap, no problem (but still a tight fit) and the cap was wiggled into place, with nearly a cm of clearance.

I am not sure that changing a clutch is any preparation for assembling or restoring a W11, but having built a swing set for a child, or a model aircraft might be more appropriate.

Sure, I do this for a living sometimes, but it is not my primary line of work. That's why I offer the full range of my knowledge of W11 build experiences. I am just telling you how to do it (or at least how I did it), where the manual didn't. The better you build the car, the better it will work, and the more it will be worth in pleasure and accomplishment.

If you think you are frustrated now, wait until you have to drive the thing, and find that it is completely dreadful. The trick is not getting the thing assembled, it is getting it to work, well, like a car. You will find that once you have the thing screwed together, your work has just started, as you try to figure out why the the steering doesn't return, while being annoyingly twitchy, has horrible brakes, and that the chassis is on the bump stops, and jumps all over the road. I have been through this for other builders, and with my own cars. I have plenty really useful information to offer, and I can save you many, many hours of screwing around, and quite a few quid that would be wasted on "experts" or "specialists". I am here to tell you how you may fix many of the problems. None of the fixes are difficult, and most are free, if not cheap.

I just want everyone to have as much fun with the cars as I have. I often use mine daily.

[seajayare]

Cheers all.

Sorted with no cutting (yet) new cap, re-route of cabling and re-bend of brake pipes and the confidence that it would fit I got from everyone elses builds ( dizzy does come in and out with engine in place now ).

if there is a handy build tips page I would add that routing of the brake pipes and cables should avoid the dizzy area. it maybe "cheap" to redo the lines but it is a pita

[Splat]

Well done. I think that somewhere along the line we've collectively buggered-up every possible aspect of an Eleven build, so someone here always knows the fix! It's sometimes frustrating, but ultimately an enjoyable and fulfilling process and the end result is well worth the effort. And once built the car is a joy to work on and tinker with as it's both so uncomplicated and you know it blindfold by then......

Ps: I see that you're in Wilts. My fully restored car is just to the west of Andover if you ever need inspiration or photographs of a "how to fit....." nature. See the photos here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=412&p=3470&hilit=Photos#p3470

and drop me a line if you fancy a visit.

[Westfield 129]

Routing the brake lines along the frame rails will usually keep them out of the way of other components.

I connect the brake master cylinder(s) with teflon flex brake lines for ease of removal and replacement. I terminate the hard lines at a bulkhead connector on a bracket (you can purchase the brackets) within 12" of the master cylinder to connect the flex lines at the bulkhead connector. The teflon lines have no effect at all on brake feel or modulation. But they are much easier to connect if you have to R&R a master cylinder, while allowing the buiilder to terminate the hard lines at a more convenient location.

The short teflon lines are best made up by a specialist, with crimped hose ends. Only two are needed, and the price is not too dear, especially if you value your time in doing the installation or replacement of the master cylinder unit(s).

A flex line is already used for the clutch, and it is quite likely that the clutch master cylinder already has a provision for a remote reservoir (if the one y0u have has an accessory plastic reservoir (Mine did).

I also prefer to use master cylinders with remote reservoirs, or modify the tandem brake cylinder to use a remote reservoir. Much easier to service the brakes when the reservoirs are up top, visible and easy to top up.

[M400too]

I have had issues with the engine fit- I don't know if chassis is slightly different or has been altered as all the things being said are logical but when your starching your head as it just isn't as stated its frustrating- I am sure you will sort- I have a full running chassis - just need some wiring to do- fog/reversing lamps and holes in bulkhead and its there- its all about getting the weather and time - Scotland is not sympathetic
as all say just keep on - its worth it

and nearly everything from the fifties drove like a dog compared to today so full authenticity there!!!!

[Westfield 129]

Specifically, what issues with engine fit?

The only problem I ran into is the bell housing Vs. frame with the T9 conversion on two of the late chassis cars, both LHD and RHD, that caused an annoying rattle during cornering. That was fixed with a Sawzall (or an angle grinder. Both work), removing a blister from the bell housing for clearance. This required removal of the engine to do properly. on the cars I was rebuilding (press demo and a friend's freshly built RHD chassis. Both had a rattle from contact with the bell housing against the frame in the same location (Chassis right hand side, forward tunnel bulkhead).

If you are looking at the fresh engine installation, you will see the close proximity between the frame and the starter blister on the T9 conversion bell housing. This will result in an annoying rattle when the car is driven. You might even be able to lever the engine and get the rattle after the engine installation. Best to cut this prior to installing the engine.

Having had prior experience correcting two built cars, I cut the T9 bell housing prior to installation on the scratch built RHD car. The cut is shown in my build album. The cut looks bigger than it needs to be, but all is necessary if you want to eliminate the rattle during hard cornering. A little more cut is best, as you doh't want to remove the engine to get to the bell housing to add additional clearance.

From what I have seen between my early production W11, and the late cars from '06 and '09, Westfield incorporated some detail changes to the chassis around the tunnel opening to accommodate both the rib case and the T9 gearboxes, including a removable transmission mount plate that handles both the rib case and the Datsun units, relocated cross braces in the tunnel for the shift levers, and inside riveted aluminum bulkheads in the footwell.

As you are nearly done, I have a suggestion that will save you a lot of time in development and sorting.
Set the ride height with the driver in the car. 5" front 6.5" rear. With the driver in the car, and each corner set to the proper height, the cross weights and diagonal ("wedge") differences will be within 2~3% if you don't have scales to do your initial setup. If you do have scales, use the same measurements, and your corner weights can be set in just a few minutes. Within 2% left to right, and within 1% diagonal (this is the important one). The lighter the driver, the closer the initial balance (provided you put the battery on the opposite side of the driver, in the rear).

Set the camber with the driver in the car as well, and then the toe (tracking). This may require cutting the steering tie rods AND the rod ends to get the correct measurement (This avoids the huge Toe Out problem that many freshly built W11s have, and the attendant nervous steering and lack of caster return). Do this prior to the first drive, and you will have a fabulous handling W11, with a reasonable ride and proper steering. You may have to make more than one cut to the tie rods to get the right toe in. In every case that I have run into, the cut is more than is listed in the build manual. You can check the toe with two thick alloy plates and a pair of tape measures. Oh, and don't turn up the damper adjustments past one click unless you want spinal compression damage. One click works fine up front, Maybe one in the rear, maybe none.

If you take the car to a specialist (alignment shop), make sure that you are sitting in the car when the adjustments are done or that your weight is i the seat. Failure to do this will result in a car that will be poorly set up, with no proper tracking (huge toe out), camber or ride height when the job is done. A race car shop with scales should get this right the first time.

This is the one main problem that I have seen in EVERY W11 that I have worked on (including the one from the UK) that was set up by the builder, or a shop. Both neglect to ballast the car with the driver prior to setup and end up with spooky handling.

I use a "Smart Camber" tool and a pair of "toe plates" (alloy plates with a pair of tape measures) to do my setups on the garage floor. Occasionally, I have scales available as well. Scales are not mandatory to get a useful initial setup. If you can borrow a camber tool, you can get a professions setup at home, and save yourself some money.