More Bodywork Adjustments

Checking bonnet & nose cone alignment

After the disappointments of trial fitting the boot box and roll bar.  We returned to trial fitting of the bodywork. We were still dissatisfied with the fit of the main body on the LHS in the region of the scuttle.  Andrew determined that the top of the filler plate was still a tight fit and possibly holding the bodywork away from its best position.  The bodywork was removed again and after making a template of the RH plate we set a bout trimming the LH plate to identical shape.  The body was refitted. We positioned the 400mm boot box to space frame measurement exactly as we had done previously. Refitting the scuttle as before at exactly 915mm as instructed by the Westfield manual.

Studying the position

Bonnet and Nose Cone trial fit

Now to trial fit the bonnet and nose cone. The bonnet fit didn't look brilliant and the nose cone look wrong in respect to the suspension on the LHS. This prompted much discussion, checking and re-checking of measurements. We eventually began to get the feeling that there was a 5mm difference from side to side at the front even though the body was dead square at the back. . This was most noticeable by measuring the distance of the front of the scuttle to the hoop. 

Confused?  - We Were

We have acquired several Westfield build manuals since we began. Most of the manuals show a 5mm variation between right and left hand sides Except the Westfield 1800Q manual (supposedly the correct one for our vehicle), which gives identical measurements. Since the bodywork installation was only held in place by "G" clamps I suggested we offset the measurements by 5mm (as used in the 1800 modular build manual)

So we set the boot box to 395 on the LHS and 400 on the RHS. With the body in its new position we checked the rear wheel arch symmetry. As far as we could tell, they were equal front and back There had been a 5mm discrepancy before.  We re-fitted the scuttle 915 mm on the RHS and 920 mm on the LHS, followed by trial fits of the bonnet and nose cone again. The fit seemed to be improved in both line and length. 

It is important that the scuttle is located correctly. The scuttle determines the correct positioning of the windscreen, hood and doors as well as the bonnet and nose cone.  Further discussion followed, on the details to determine the best fit. Were we in the right position?

Before we could verify the position and the many measurements we had taken and checked we decided we needed to talk to Westfield

We have subsequently learned just how many different variations there are of scuttle and bodywork and it is important the correct measurements are used for the combination being used.