Well, you’ve got to find something to keep yourself entertained while you’re deeply embedded in the restoration of a particularly nasty Sunbeam Tiger V8. In Peter Hayter’s case, buying a Westfield for a spot of sprinting seemed the best way of alleviating any boredom. Trouble was, by the time the Tiger had been converted to right-hand-drive and had a new Edelbrock-tuned 302 V8 fitted, Peter was having so much fun with the Westfield the Tiger had to go.

Bought as a road-going Westfield, complete with nasty, big, modern wheels, it’s been through so many developments and changes there’s nothing left of the original bar the gear lever. Even the chassis and body have been replaced with light-weight versions.

Back in 2005 the first season of sprinting didn’t go half badly, recording a first in class at Goodwood, a third at Lydden and a Fastest Time of the Day at Eelmoor. The secret behind this Westfield’s awesome speed lies in the engine bay. Having developed the car into a lighter machine, the rumour mill started grinding about Peter selling his existing engine in favour of an even more powerful one. That wasn’t necessarily the case but when Peter was approached to sell up, it did seem the right moment to go faster. SBD then set about making the 2-litre Vauxhall XE much more powerful than it ever had a right to be.