Time To Apply For Sva ....

[Mitch]

leave it in, he can see all he needs to from underneath.

 

why do you think it will fail in this area??

 

Mitch

[enforcer]

I think I'm confident that everything's ok, but I did not want to end up in the situation where I have left the boot in and the examiner insists on me removing everything so he can, for example, examine the handbrake mechanism, much of which he will not be able to see from under the car.

 

I can't actually remove the boot floor because parts of the wiring loom as well as the handbrake cables are P clipped to it. I suppose they can't have it both ways?

[Guest Petemate]

Hi Richard

Nice car mate (with apologies to Vauxhall and that prat who falls down the scenery to meet the Astra driver...)

Go ahead and leave the boot lining in, I did and the inspector had no issues with this. He was able to check everything with the car on the lift, and bear in mind that my car has the handbrake on the tunnel top, with the cable and its support on top of the chassis just under the boot floor. He was able to see all the brake and fuel pipes (I had ensured that the fuel pipe markings were visible) and the wiring etc. You shuld be OK.

HTH

Pete

[enforcer]

Mitch, Pete thanks for your advice. At the moment the boot is all in with the exception of the panel that covers the fuel filler pipe/seal and the sender unit and seal. I want to check when I go for a proper drive tomorrow that it doesn't leak anywhere with the tank full before finally boxing it all in.

 

Blimey, nearly 500 posts!

[Guest micky bigthumbs]

Richard..the self centering.have you overtightend the steering wheel ..without the washer on top of the shaft....i did on mine and it wouldn't return...i put a bigger washer under and it was ok...iv'e changed the steering wheel again and its done it again ..not returning properly

 

Mick

[enforcer]

Haven't considered that .... I suppose I have done it up tight but I didn't realise this could effect the self-centering?

 

It returns smartly in reverse - would this be the case if the steering wheel was too tight?

[Guest micky bigthumbs]

never noticed in reverse

[Guest elwe]

We had no self centering going forwards but not problem self centering going backwards.

 

The day before SVA we changed the front wheels from looking approximatly parallel (but actually a few degrees toe out) to a few degrees toe in. This cured the self centering problem.

[Guest salty_monk]

Take plenty of picture of your build with you to the centre... anything they ask for that they can't see you should be able to sort out with a picture if they're reasonable....

 

Worked for Bill & Joey....

 

[Longboarder]

From all the pics you have posted it looks excellent. Good luck for tomorrow. Break a leg!

 

Nigel

[Jon Bradbury]

Yes, Richard mine did the same until I had it set professionally to 1.5 degrees toe in. Just get it down to kwik fit and stop fretting.

[enforcer]

Wow! First drive today. Only went a couple of miles to a local garage for an MOT check and to have the headlights set up and mixture correctly set. What an experience!

 

I chose a well-respected family garage where they were really interested and helpful. The great news is it would have happily passed the MOT test. Brake efficiency was well within the guidelines even though it has brand new brakes which have been bedded in for a distance of 1 1/2 miles! Really chuffed with that. The mechanic also had some helpful suggestions about the spongey brake pedal, although he reckoned that you couldn't really get proper firmness in the pedal until the brakes are bedded in.

 

I filled the tank up, well put about 25 litres in the 30 litre tank which showed 'full' and no leaks, although petrol had clearly soaked into the cork gasket and was a bit whiffy.

Had one small fire (well smoke) coming from a thin bit of rubber edging on the exhaust - not the 'titanfast' I have put around the edges of the heat protector, but on the cut end of a chrome tailpipe I had put on as it was properly radiused. So this has been discarded and we'll see what happens when the SVA man has a look.

 

The only bad news was there was a vehicle on the ramps they use for tracking with its guts hanging out - I have to go back again tomorrow

 

All in all it was brilliant fun - one small concern about the engine which I will list in the engine forum, but apart from that, big smiles all round!!

[Guest salty_monk]

Great! Hope it passes...

[Guest STEVE OXON]

richard, best of luck for tomorrow.should be ok with the ''lucky '' mountney wheel pad fitted,unless petesmate stole it all last time it was used!

regards steve

[enforcer]

Another fantastic drive!! And the car now self-centres beautifully. Turns out my 'setting the tracking by eye' equated to about 15 degrees of toe-in! No wonder it wouldn't self centre forwards and nearly broke my thumbs in reverse!

 

Now happily set up for 2 degrees toe in and working perfectly! Just a few more bits of foam, rubber and trim to do now, then all set for the morning. Shame I have to work tonight, but at least that will stop me fiddling with the car and breaking something!

 

Thanks to everyone who has given such helpful advice over the past few weeks, especially Dave Castle for the loan of various bits and some lengthy phone calls and to Steve Oxon for the Mountney Pad. It's a great club