Nigel Rogers

The IVA manual says the following about mirrors: The obligatory offside mirror fitted to a vehicle with a right hand or central driving position must be adjustable from the driving seat. Alternatively, if knocked out of alignment, it must be capable of being returned to its former position without the need for adjustment. Looking particularly at the: Alternatively,if knocked out of alignment, it must be capable of being returned to its former position without the need for adjustment. Do you interpret this as mirrors must be able to spring back like they do on your tin top? The answer will help me decide whether to modify or buy! Many Thanks Nige

Take it steady in the "beast", glad to hear you got it fixed. You could work on your car as fast as me only 3 1/2 jobs to go on my IVA list

Hi All, One of my IVA fail points was fog lights coming on with the side lights, so I fitted a normally closed relay using the Brown/Black wire from the light switch (133 Diagram 2. Exterior lighting - head/sidelamps. Models from 1990 onwards) which is power off when main beam switched on. The problem with this is that the fog lights work with sidelights when the ignition is switched off. The IVA manual section 28 Rear Fog Lamps Note 4 1) states that: The rear fog lamp(s) may continue to operate until the position lamps are switched off, and the rear fog lamp(s) must then remain off until deliberately switched on again. My car didn't fail on the fact that the fog lights don't have to be deliberately switched on again. So I am in the position that I have fixed the problem that the car failed the IVA for, but only when the ignition is switched on and the car doesn't actually comply with the IVA manual as it's written. I think the fog light regulations are possibly the most confusing part of the IVA to comply with .

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

Hi All, I have read lots of posts about VIN plates and am totally confused, please can anyone tell me if this one http://www.kitpartsdirect.com/item.php/site/froogle/sn/VIN-1 would be OK, and where do people generally attach them - right side/left side or somewhere else? Cheers Nige

Thanks for all your replies, the more I think about it, the happier I am with the to do list. I'll let you know what the fixes are. Steve PM about that rad on its way!

Hi All, Sort of a tale of woe, but nothing seriously up...... Took car to test on a transporter and glad I did as the bottom radiator hose split whilst the examiner was checking the mirrors after checking steering self centering etc. So the car didn't get it's noise test. That's fail point one, Now to the rest: Fuel tank cap not positive locking - I have the original Sierra tank and due to where the fill pipe is, I used an old push fit type cap - Fix = Spend out of filler hose to connect to locking cap. Rear registration plate space not compliant and sharp edge on what was there - Fix = Make a bigger plate. Rear view mirrors field of view - Fix = Different mirrors, or blocks under the current ones to raise them up (you can see the rear arches). Gear knob wrong curvature - To think I took the Sierra one off - Fix = Put the Sierra Gear Knob back on. VIN plate - My fault, completely missed need for VIN plate in addition to chassis number - Fix = Make and fit one. Headlamps too dim - These were units supplied with kit - Fix = New ones, any good suggestions. Rear fog lamp illuminates on with side lights - As its the Sierra loom, the examiner thought it was because the donor had front fog lights and wiring different - Fix = See where I can wire the fog light to. Couple of tie wrap pads were not glued inside rear wheel arch - The sticky back pads were working well so I didn't stick them on - will fix with Araldite. And that was basically it. The thing I am most worried about is the radiator hose, this car blew a top one a while back, that was air in the system, so I fitted a bleed. I am using the oversize supplied radiator and I think I might have to invest in a smaller one and improve the hose routing. 6 months to get it sorted. Cheers Nige

Of course, what box did I tick in section 4..............(A). Sorry for being stupid, thanks for your patience and answers

I am just looking at the fee for the IVA test. I had it in my head that they charged about £450. Please can someone confirm that I should be paying the - Passenger Cars M1 (no more than 8 seats in addition to the drivers seat) Basic L,M,N, P fee of £199? http://www.dft.gov.u...poster 2012.pdf Cheers Nige

Good thought, but my pedal box is braced with an idea pinched off Steve in Stockport so I don't think its that, but I will check that its not fouling on anything. Thanks for the offer, but I'm the other side of Cheshire in Macc - I've got a few things to try before I am stumped Cheers Nige

Thanks for replies, I had been thinking about the NRV being the right way round.as pipe was collapsing between NRV and manifold Garage owner has put cars through SVA test, I got emissions sorted, checked steering alignment was able to drive car round, check self centering and a second opinion on everything so worthwhile for me. Cheers

Well, my car finally made a trip to a local garage today to have a bit of a pre IVA inspection. All went well apart from the brakes. The servo hose is collapsing as I have used the wrong type of hose, so whilst I've got equal braking I've got low efficiency. I know I could remove the servo, but it will be easier to replace the hose I think. Sort this and I have no excuses left to stop me submitting it for the IVA test

Spent ages going through IVA manual making notes of things I think I may have missed, quite pleased as it seemed to be mostly niff naff and trivia but.................I haven't got an effective firewall between the fuel tank and the passenger area. So that's the seats out (absolute nightmare as they're fixed and I can only get an 8th turn at a time on one of the bolts on each seat) carpet out fabricate some metal, no wonder I've not finished it nearly 8 years after I started ! Good job I'm not in a hurry!

Thanks, Couldn't find that on link I was using, it is a lot later version..........more reading! Cheers Nige

Hello All, As the Business Link website is not completely available at the minute, please can anyone tell me if Version 5.02 is the latest available of the M1 issue of the IVA manual? Currently being chicken and looking for reasons not to submit my IVA application Cheers Nige .

7 years, 6 months and still going

So, I finally get the exhaust quiet enough to run the engine without winding up the neighbours, stop it belching soot out and just as I am thinking the fan should cut in soon, pop hiss...........the bottom hose let go I will finish this car one day..................I've only been at it for 7 years after all Thanks for reading, I feel better for that

Hi, I have a standard Robin Hood exhaust, which I modified so I could pack the silencer to try and quieten it down. Having achieved nothing, I think I packed it too tight, I really did ram the wadding in to the front and rear chamber. Please can anyone tell me how much wadding to use and any other permanent ways to quieten the standard Robin Hood exhaust? Thanx & Cheers Nige

That's right, just the left and right bits, the boot lid is steel. The grp also provides some sections you can use to trim above the rear wheel arches as well. Cheers Nige

Here's a picture of mine, some people know the old 2B4 boot grp as the "toilet seat" and really don't like it. I found it did an OK job! Cheers Nige

Thanx for your help. Yep only the one picture, it took ages on my own pc without all my "work kit" and there is a big washer behind the brake hose More stuff to make. After some fiddling about, I've got solutions and I'll post them for comment once there done (Don't hold your breath ) Thanx for the offer Peter2b, I'm the other side of Cheshire not to far from our esteemed Chairman and its about time I darkened his doorstep (Hello Steve) Congrats to Dinger for his first time pass, feel a bit guilty posting nif naff over good news Cheers Nige

OK, added to doc with numbers relating to questions. IVA.doc Cheers Nige

Please find picture of anti roll bar to lower swinging arm? I'll have to take some piccies of the other bits. Cheers Nige

Hi All, Checking around the front suspension with a 100mm ball (sorry sphere ) is creating a list of even more jobs to do and questions to ask! 1) Is it acceptable to fix a type of cage around the back of the front wheels to prevent the sphere contacting the mudguard brackets etc? 2) I have a 2B4, I presume that the point at which the anti roll bar fits into the rear side of the lower swinging arm needs to be protected? (the edge of the "washer" is sharp) 3) The IVA manual says that panels should be bent 180 deg, but is glued on edging strip accepted as permanent on the bottom edge of the front suspension infill panel and lower edge of the rear panel corners? 4) Has anyone got any tips regarding he obscure edges the IVA examiners look for? Many Thanks Nige

Welcome, One problem you will have trying to use your present bonnet and nose cone, is the holes where the nose cone is bolted to the bonnet. Not too bad with the nose cone as it will be hidden by the bonnet, but if you trim the front of the bonnet to remove all the holes you will end up with two problems. The remainder of the bonnet will be too short to make up your scuttle and bonnet, and because of the shape of the bonnet, you will probably struggle to get a decent gap at the front edge where it meets the nose cone. HTH Nige