Hi everyone,

I haven't yet sent my SVA form off, mostly because I was a bit worried about failing, but then thought i may as well send it off this week anyway, coz they'll tell me whats wrong if i do fail.

So i suppose a date around mid April is likely - in time for the decent weather.

So (and it's a bit cheeky, so apologies) does anyone fancy a play on my car this Saturday or next for a couple of hours so i can be a bit more confident of it passing?

(Also, would anyone like to give me a blat in their locost, coz i need a boost! - I've only driven a Caterham around some cones in 1st gear, and need some fly in the teeth excitement)

Will provide coffee, lager (to dust off the throat you understand) and sarnies!!

Thanks a lot guys,

Mark

Well, the SVA is booked for 1pm 25th April at Nottingham, and most things are about finished on the car.

It would be great to meet up with anyone who's free that afternoon, or suggest a pub for drowning ones sorrows.

All the best,

Mark

Good luck with your Sva I'm sure there is plenty of time to get all the niggles out of your car, have you thought about getting an mot done to get the lights etc set? i would come and help but your miles away. Good luck hope to get a report on how it goes.

Good luck with the SVA Mark.

I contacted the inspectors before my SVA and asked about lights, I was told to take some tools and I would be allowed to adjust headlamps during the test.. which was nice

they pass robin hoods at nottingham so you should have no probems.

best of luck anyway

was that a dig at robin hoods by any chance?

What such fine automobiles never

Dan

It was more of a dig at nottingham make it up as you go along VRO,but i spose someone has to be right.

Premiership referees or what

quote:

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Originally posted by bob
It was more of a dig at nottingham make it up as you go along VRO,but i spose someone has to be right.

Premiership referees or what

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Yep funny enough they do accept them at SVA centres,its just that my local VRO said "i would think that would be totally illegal" and then told merlin to make his own up.

ho hum just another of lifes little tests

[Edited on 8/4/03 by bob]

Cheers guys.

The more i look into the SVA the more it seems that our guess (on this site) is as good as the inspectors.

Sure they're all nice blokes (esp ones in Notts if they are reading this), but i think we should all expect to fail, because a common standard has not yet been reached. My mentality is "at least i can have a real drive of the thing". Then fail, and spend a weekend doing what they suggest. Then have another drive!

One thing that has come out of getting an SVA date to be aware of:

You need to prove the date of the engine. If you can't (and i may be in this camp) they "assume" its post 1996 (i think) and test it as a cat is fitted. Obviously most testers would know a crossflow is as old as the hills, but i need proof (letter from Ford), and wthout an engine number, I'm f£@kd.

Also, there appears to be some confusion on the padding on the suspension, ie i got a crappy photocopy sent from the SVA centre saying pipe lagging MAY be a fail. I will tell you more after my test!

Anyway, I'll give the usual report, and if anyones around that day, it'd be great to meet up.

All the best,

Mark

Mark,

I'll stand correction but as far as I understand the days of pipe lagging on the front to hide edges that would fail the radius test are over. I'd recommend fitting hard plastic nut covers on any edges including the steering track rod adjuster nut. This is M14 on my Indy. I also fitted an M18 nut cover over the top ball joint adjuster nut for good measure. I sourced these from Westfield after I failed using foam. I would have fitted them before the first SVA but I could only source up to M12, it was the inspector that put me onto Westfield. I would treat the word MAY as will, unless its covering nicely radiused edges.

I agree with your sentiments regarding the first time expectations. The inspector that assessed mine was helpful in respect of explaining what he would like to see for it to pass next time. If it does run to more than one visit then don't forget to book the next one whilst at the test station, but ensure that you allow a realistic amount of time to get it how they want it.

Hope all goes well.

Colin