Since buying the Elan, my schedule and good weather have infrequently aligned, making it hard to put meaningful miles on the car. It also means that the Westfield has seen very little action, as getting to know the Elan has taken precedence. This weekend the weather was beautiful: sunny and unseasonable warm with temps knocking on the door of 60F. Although the playoffs were on and yardwork beckoned, I managed to get in some miles under the guise of running important errands.
After today, two things stand out: first, the Elan lives up to the hype. It's a 50 year old car with a modern feeling suspension, however, the engine and brakes do show their age. The Strombergs don't offer throttle response as crisp as a good fuel injection system (or Webers) and the unassisted brakes require some muscle to work, but they do have good feel, and the engine does make decent power. The suspension though; brilliant. Great steering feel, very good grip, and the car simply flows from corner to corner.
Second, the Westfield is a highly involving weapon. There is no more apt way to describe its capabilities and attitude. Turn in, braking, acceleration -- there is simply no delay to any input and the car begs to be steered with the throttle. The fact that the car doesn't cosset you, that the seats and harnesses firmly lock you to the chassis, creates a sense of oneness that I haven't experienced elsewhere. When the road turns twisty and the speeds rise, it truly feels like an extension of your body, delivering a very entertaining experience.
After today, two things stand out: first, the Elan lives up to the hype. It's a 50 year old car with a modern feeling suspension, however, the engine and brakes do show their age. The Strombergs don't offer throttle response as crisp as a good fuel injection system (or Webers) and the unassisted brakes require some muscle to work, but they do have good feel, and the engine does make decent power. The suspension though; brilliant. Great steering feel, very good grip, and the car simply flows from corner to corner.
Second, the Westfield is a highly involving weapon. There is no more apt way to describe its capabilities and attitude. Turn in, braking, acceleration -- there is simply no delay to any input and the car begs to be steered with the throttle. The fact that the car doesn't cosset you, that the seats and harnesses firmly lock you to the chassis, creates a sense of oneness that I haven't experienced elsewhere. When the road turns twisty and the speeds rise, it truly feels like an extension of your body, delivering a very entertaining experience.
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