Woke up to find the rain bucketing down outside. Had loaded up the support car last night and got the Mrs to take me down and drop the support car outside then back to get the roadster. Had planned to take the scenic route to give me a chance to bed the brakes in but took a more direct route via a couple of industrial estates to try and bed the brakes in. Was a very wet trip!
Test due to start at 8.30 and I got there at 8.10. Examiner called me into the test bay and said he would be along in a bit. While waiting I got a towel and did my best to try and dry the cockpit down for him and then onto the test.
Started by getting me to take the bonnet off and have a general look around the car.The VIN was checked and he was very happy with my centre punched letters on the top rail. The car was then pushed onto the rollers and he checked the speedo - "You ain't gonna get done for speeding with that" was the comment I got
Because the speedo was digital and the declared top speed was 120, he wanted proof that the speedo went that high -
got the instruction manual out and he took a copy. Then onto the emissions. Took a copy of my letter from Ford, although he did say the donor V5 or the Burton catalogue would have been acceptable. He checked the engine number then in the probe went - CO2.5 and HC 600 so a pass.
Then a jig came out, he checked the headrest height, then that the aeroscreen was low enough. While climbing in and out of the car hed did comment "how long is this steering wheel staying on for, you want to get a nice small one on here after..." The bottom of the dash was then checked for radius and then a general look around the cockpit. Asked about the steering support frame so I got some pictures out to show him which he was happy with - grabbed the album off me and started looking at all the build photos. Then in the car I got and operated all the lights for him and the steering from lock to lock for anything touching. Checked the seatbelt mounts and harnesses. He was very happy with the wiring and the fact he couldn't find a single exposed wire anywhere.
Then into the cabinet and the sphere of doom came out - he walked around the car twice then said "No point in me getting this out as you've covered everything" and promptly put it away.
He thought the side repeaters on the rear wings looked a long way back so got the tape out and they looked touch and go - got a plumbob out and marked the front accurately then measured back to the repeater - maxallowed 2600mm, measured at 2580mm - phew. We did have a chat about this and he generally thought for safety they should be further forward and actually recommended putting them on the back of the cycle wings.
Opened the rear hatch and he had a good poke around in there. Then onto the ramp. First he got the wing check gauge out - all good. Then asked me to get in while he hoisted the car up. A bit of steering and brake pumping and a few questions about how the handbrake was arranged (the half moon guide) and then he asked where I bought my chassis and wishbones from - when I replied saying I had made and Tig welded everything myself he seemed quite surprised as he thought they were proffesional jobs!
After 10 minutes poking around underneath and bouncing the car he lowered me down and asked me to take off a nut cover on the foot of the roll hoop. "How are these secured", I replied, " With captive nuts welded on underneath" - "so how are they locked off?" Cock - hadn't thought about these bolts needing locking. Luckily I had a box of nylocks with me so while the inspector went off for a smoke I fitted the 8 locking bolts and he was happy.
Headlights next - "I bet these are out he said - they always are!". Beam tester out - "hmmm, not bad" he then then lent on them until they were spot on - good man!
Then onto taking the measurments for the brake test. He asked about bedding the brakes in and I told him thye had only had the drive to the test (a couple of miles). He asked if I had normal 'crappy' pads in and when I said yes he said brilliant - he reccomended to use the cheapiest nastiest pads you can get for the test - he finds the performmance ones just don't want to bite until hot. He peered outside at the rain and said he would give it a go on the rollers and if they struggled then he would take it outside for a spin to bed them in and repeat the test. As he went through the various tests there were a range of little comments - "the back brakes aren't very good - that's good". Rear imbalance was virtually nothing on the foot brake, but massively different on the handbrake "we don't measure handbrake imbalance so you get away with that one"
With it still chuking down outside he decided to use the motorbike weight station rather than the big one outside, so weighed it wheel by wheel. He then wedged it in the door of the inspection station and whipped out the sound meter - "we will have a go in here and if there is any problem we will have to go out in the rain, and pop the bonnet on to make it quieter!". Fired her up revved her up and was very surprised at only 92dB.
Then there was the outdoor bits to do - we both donned our waterproofs and duly jumped in the car. Whizzed around the test station which had massive puddles everywhere and was like hitting a wall of water whenever we hit one! The car was lined up with the test markings on the floor and the mirrors set - all good there, although he did comment that you only need 2 mirrors, but the car wouldn't have passed without having 3 fitted. He liked the high up position to see over the arches. Then he asked me to drive up and down at 25mph and slam the brakes on to check the wheels for locking. Apparently all 4 were locking almost simultaneously so he was happy with that. Parked the car back in the bay and a few other testers came over. The inspector said he couldn't find anything wrong and he needed to do some paperwork - what did that mean ???
I sat in the waiting room and was over the moon when he appeared with my Pass certificate in his hand. He was very complimentary about the build saying he that it was built to a very good standard and well engineered and that I had obviously spent a long time with the IVA manual.
Despite the rain I took the scenic route home and the car felt fantastic. with the roadster safely back in the garage I popped down to the DVLA in Cardiff, sorted out the paperwork so just need to wait now.
I must admit I was quite worried about the IVA but in the end was a very enjoyable and interesting day. Bob, the examiner at Llantrisant was very helpful and happy to chat and explain/discuss things. As I left his parting shot was see you when you build the next one
