Hello all,

Passed my IVA retest at Exeter yesterday.
Also drove 200 miles without any major problems (albeit with a few stops to cool down after sitting in queues on the A30)

My main fails last time were related to the tester not being able to get in the car. I solved these by moving the driver's seat back (i.e. welded new rails - it's not adjustable) and fitting a smaller wheel. This meant moving the dashboard around to make the instruments visible, and changing some stuff which is now outside the exempt area.

With that done we tested the speedo , emissions and noise (scraped through with 0.1dB to spare). Ironically we actually did this with me in the car not him, but he did drive to test the self-centering and mirrors.

The only thing that didn't go smoothly was the braking. Both axles individually good but the balance was out - I had only set it based on the front locking first. Byron is a top man and let me have a couple of tries. Much to the amusement of people having trailers tested I spent half an hour with my feet in the air and my head in the footwell adjusting and eventually trimming the end of the balance bar to make sure it didn't foul the pedal bracket.

In the end it all worked out well and I am delighted to have an approval certificate!


Thanks to everyone here who has put up with and answered my daft questions since 2002 (yes it's true, I've been building this car for more than half my life).

One final one ... From reading the DVLA guidance I didn't think I needed an MOT, as my understanding is that the car is "new" at the point of the IAC being issued so it won't need one for 3 years, but I'm not 100% sure... can anyone who did this recently confirm?

THANK YOU LOCOSTBUILDERS!

Nice one!

Yes, you're correct; No MOT needed for 3yrs

Well Done

and good they let you correct the braking issues

quote:

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Originally posted by adithorp
Nice one!

Yes, you're correct; No MOT needed for 3yrs

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FANTASTIC!

I still find it really good to hear when people pass.

Sounds like your examiner was a top chap giving you time and space to get the brakes adjusted (some don't).

That feeling when you get the pass is just sensational.

ENJOY

CONGRATULATIONS - intentional CAPS as it is worth shouting!!

Great news!

Thanks guys, it is a great feeling! Yes, the examiner really was a top chap. Really knowledgable about Crossflows and old Ford stuff too, and very nice of him to help with the brakes. If I ever see him in an appropriate context I'll definately buy him a pint!

Thanks for confiming on the MOT, one less hurdle to getting that glorious Q plate in place. Just hoping I can get the unplastered walls and other long-promised jobs done while DVLA process my forms...

Fantastic !! very well done matey, Yes you don't need an MOT for the next three years although the road tax may be a issue like mine as you won't be able to do it online as they don't hold the road tax information, so you just need to go into a post office for the renewal .

The registration costs aren't too bad, but the road tax is painful unless you are able to get them to not put PLG on the form as it gets you a £295 tax bill every year.
Am sure down in Cornwall you'll have plenty of years use and fun.


Just a sad note from me, engines are possible going to be peoples issues soon, Here In London we are about to get a daily tax of £12.50 for any engines from before 2005 even if you have only just registered your car. It's down to emissions and here we are going to be banned from living and having any fun soon.

The DVLA were quite quick for my registrations, so you may be able to back date the tax to the first of this month and drive it before the end of the month, I was towards the end of a month when I get my registrations, so waited for the next full month.

Good luck though and enjoy, It take quite a few runs out to get used to the car, I've done about 2000 miles now and am still getting used to it each time while I get the car set up as best as I can.

Thanks Deckman, can't wait to get out and drive it! Hopefully I will fill in my forms correctly and hear back soon...
Even managed to update my avatar too after all these years

Congratulations!!!

Well done!

Excellent! Well done!

That’s a good long drive to get it to the test!

quote:

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Originally posted by Stuart Walker
Thanks Deckman, can't wait to get out and drive it! Hopefully I will fill in my forms correctly and hear back soon...
Even managed to update my avatar too after all these years

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Well done an another finally gets there!
And yes don't let anyone insist on it needing MOT and keep copies of your certificate
Hope it gets through quick and you can enjoy some sun while it lasts

Well done! Good feeling eh!!!

Congrats! Always good to see a pass, one more on the road

Congratulations!

…and you’ve still got half of the summer left to enjoy driving it!

Congratulations on the pass! Car looks great - enjoy!

Thanks everyone - copies of everything taken and a kilogram of paper on it's way to DVLA... Now to fix those little niggles I didn't get round to before the test!

Nice work! Congrats.

Congrats!! Must be a wonderful feeling to be close to the end of a build!

Sent my forms and original IVA certificate etc. to DVLA early August. After hearing nothing for the requisite 8 weeks before they will listen to any questions I phoned and learned that sadly they hadn't been received...

Sent copies last week (this time I sent them recorded, previous ones were not as I heard this cause a delay) and finally today had a phone call from a nice lady telling me that: They have found the original forms, I will get a Q plate, that she'll sort it out today and do I want to tax it 1st September or 1st October.

A longer wait than I hoped (and missed my planned first trip to Goodwood revival last weekend), but it's on the way! For anyone else in the same position I suggest it might be worth sending the forms recorded to avoid having to wait 8 weeks to confirm whether they have been received or not.

Well done Stuart, the wait will be worth it. When it's on the road, take it easy getting used to it, along with building some reliability with your confidence to drive it too

Good work! Must be a lovely feeling, I'm quite jealous!

Cheers Deckman, absolutely right. 20 years after buying the abandoned project I now have plates and I'm on the road, just building reliability, improving and tweaking things as I go.

Turned out we needed more eggs again
2022101 0_122308 by Stuart Walker, on Flickr

Happy days !!!

Just remember to check things after you get back and sometimes just before you take it out.

Nut and bolt checks for suspension arms
water and oil levels
Brake fluid levels and joint wipes with dry paper/cloth so that it's and easy job to find any leaks
Tyre pressures, I use 20psi for good grip and ride.

It's a good learning curve to allow you great confidence in your rebuild.

Best of luck and I seriously hope you really enjoy it

Jason