patwellington Posted October 17, 2002 Share Posted October 17, 2002 Is there any guides on what is EXACTLY required for the SVA inspection? I think the car is ready but I have heard nightmare stories about the test. Any advice or guideance is warmly welcomed. PS. Thanks to all those who replied to my insurance question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomo Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 There's a very good SVA guide that you can download from the web for about £8. I'm afraid i can't remeber teh site but a search should find it. Its on an internet bookshop site. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 Pat, That's a can of worms you've opened there... If you want to know EXACTLY what is involved in the SVA inspection, then you need to get a hold of the SVA Inspection Manual - this is available from the Vehicle Inspectorate (via DVLA in Swansea I expect) though I borrowed a copy from a mate. The manual is worth casting your eye over, I believe the online guide Simon suggests in an interpretation into more sensible english of the the manual. To be honest I didn't use the manual much, but did flick through it, and it helps get you into the right frame of mind. Current hot topic seems to be radiussing of edges. This includes both the inside and outside of the car and covers so many areas, but here's a few examples: the inside edges of the cockpit sides where the GRP 'folds' over, any sharp edges on the nuts and bolts in the front suspension, the radius of the buttons and switches on the dash, radiused edges of any bodywork edges.... I could go on, but you get the idea. There are also lots of common sense safety aspects, like checking of the belts and their mounts, edges of the tunnel and interior panelling. Basically anything you may impact or may impact you in an accident. Stir in a good measure of MOT style mechanical checks, and you're starting to get the picture! Don't be too scared by the SVA, in general, it is there to help and protect us as drivers of these silly little cars. But do respect the SVA and try to abide by the rules - some of them are... frustrating, and others are common sense. I took and passed my SVA on Tuesday. I'm currently trying to catch up with my build diary, which if you read through you will get the gist of some of the things I did in preparation for the test. Oh and a general rule of thumb is to go expecting to fail and come away with a list things which you can focus on to get it through the test. Then if you pass it is a nice bonus. Best of luck. If you have any specific questions feel free to drop me a line and I will do my best to help. Moom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 Close but no cigar. Failed SVA Thursday. I can confirm that edges are very much in vogue and make sure that whatever you do to them is permanent. Anything that can be removed or things held on with tank tape will fail. So glue the front wing edging and sidescreen mounting caps on (although I did get away with that but I had stuck 3/16th cc foam over them) and pay attention to the headlamp brackets, taping them up is not the answer. Seat belt mounting point height can be critical if the seats are not bolted directly to the floor even with the recommended spacer on the offside mounting point (this is probably obvious to everone but me!. The mounting must be of a height that means there is a downward slope towards the datum of 450mm above the seat cushion I had runners under my seats - suffice it to say only drivers of my build will be driving my car now much to the chagrin of my 6'2" son! There is a lot on the site about wheel centres - my examiner said they where not an issue! Declare a lowish but reasonable figure for the max power rpm. Make sure the clutch cable does not touch the steering column and that the handbrake cables are held away from everything with P clips. Not a bad idea to talk to the test station to find out any key points that they may have come across before. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenwolf Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 The above is all good sound advice - ignore it at your peril! You may also like to read the checklist on my build site:- SVA Test report and Checklist Good luck on the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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