Thursday 29 July 2010

D Day

Having had yesterday to final check and final fit some major bits, I found that the engine wasn't ticking over as it should, and its first drive up and down the garage block was rather lumpy not running right between 1-2k rpm. So I buried my head in the EFI book of words to try and figure it out. But with no joy.
I had to raise the suspension so the indicators are 350mm from the ground. So a little worried I called it a day. Work has been a bit silly and taken all my time as well as father duties in my spare evening time.

So I drove it to the test which was a great drive, left extra early to take a longer route to bed brakes in and check for gross error while still close to home. Had some fella at my first stop, fuel, coment about my number plate falling off, told him its a kit car and they do that. :)

Image centre caps fitted, nearly forgot. lucky I put them in the boot when they came.

Here we go....
Sadly it failed on emissions, hand brake not bed in enough, sticker for light switch should read side/dip and not side/main. Earth strap from the Tank to the chassis, as he wasn't happy with it being earthed through the neg on the sensor loom.
I had fitted a loom cover in the engine bay and the bolts protruded into the passenger side... doh
Rear Fog light should only come on with side, dip and main. Mine came one separate. Easy fix.
The seatbelt eye bolts undid with him twisting the belt latch, so I must locktite them.
Steering wheel needs to be (E) marked or a certificate of conformity to EU standards?!?!?! I called him up yesterday to clarify it, and basicly the centre boss should compact if your face was to come into contact with it. Never mind the radius's, the centre basically needs to be padded if there is no E mark on the wheel. So that's now an easy fix.
The tester was really helpful on some other parts such as the braided hoses touched the wish bones and I was told to wrap them with rubber hose and cable tie them while it was on the ramp. I also added locking nuts to the anti roll bar tie rods.
He was happy with the drilled pedals as they come from GD, the holes act as anti slip in the way that rubber on your soles presses in. That was his reading or the rules.
So a small list, but plenty to do. Emissions being the big one. It must be a duff spark plug or a blocked injector as it was set up perfectly on the dyno at EDA. So its not timing.

I had plenty of positive comments on the build and lots of attention, lots of people loved the paint job! :P heheh

Friday 23 July 2010

Wheels are here

The wheels finally came yesterday, So it was straight on with them. But that was it, I had little time to do anything else and was itching to drive it out. Oh well.Lowered onto blocks as I didn't want the body to land on the jack. Its close on the nose!
Image forgot to send the blank centre caps....

Finally looks like a car. So Close!

Sunday 18 July 2010

IVA compliant bits

Had to add the final touches to conform to the IVA rules.

Headrest extensions for fixed seats. 50mm from top of seatI blanked off the side vents and siliconed round the lip as this could possible be below the radius requirements. The N/S has 2 holes with rubber edging.

Label for brake reservoir
Blunted/rounded door handles,
Switches have to labeled, but cos they are within the 127mm radius outside the steering wheel they are not radiused but also exempt. :P
Also had to cover the clock adjuster knob as it may be classed as sharp. (bottom middle dial)
EDIT: The Lights should read "Side & Dip"!

Mirror stub is contactable
Although the rear Fog supplied by GD that matches the reverse light is E marked, it wont pass as it has to be a parabolic lens designed fog lamp.
Front nose will allow the test sphere to enter and fail even with the number plate bar, so I made up a blank plate from MDF and filed the edges round and attached with some P Clips.
I fitted a steering wheel that has radiused edges and no slots like the motolita. Also used the Vecrta stalks as they show the correct symbols. EDIT: The centre of the steering wheel had to be padded for the retest, the inspector felt that it was a hard contactable area!? So i padded it with foam and gaffer tape. Think there will be a pic somewhere.

Boot handle too has some minor edges that could fail the test.

Best Speak to GD about these bits.

Monday 5 July 2010

IVA put back.

Well today was the last day of the allowed 3 days in advance to change my IVA date. Having spoken to GD and the wheels should be ready by the end of the week, however there is no stock of Toyo tyres in the UK at present! Delay from China has back logged most places. So I may have to get some Michelin's.

So a call to VOSA to get the date moved from the 8th, resulted in a bit of a pause on the phone, and then I was told the next available date is the 29th July!!!!
Wont make the GD track day on the 25th then. :(

Thursday 1 July 2010

Still No Wheels

I have now got everything ready for the IVA. But Image wheels are pissing about with various excuses. I'm gutted as my wheels wont be ready till the day after my test date!!! ArSE!!!
So much for their 6 week lead time. Ordered them about 9 weeks ago. To say I'm Annoyed at the mo is and understatement.

GD have been very helpfull trying to get stuff to me before they went to goodwood yesterday for the rest of the week.
Will re-evaluate on Monday and may have to rebook the test date. :(

So close...

Off to go and throw some blunt soft things about in the garage.