Well, what can I say? If I could find words that would best describe the SVA Inspector at Bristol, they certainly couldn't be published here. In fact I think most places wouldn't publish them. This guy must be the most miserable jobwsworth person you could ever meet.
Since the car failed it's SVA test I have since been back for a retest, although I did not take the retest. Why not? Let me tell you.
With the details of the first test failure, Kallie and I set about fixing all the small problems that were found. Mostly loose wires, but the biggest pain was the braking test with the rears locking up before the fronts. I played around with tyre pressures to see if this was easily sorted and sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Luck would tell if we were OK. It could be down to the surface we were testing on, although thinking about it this was unlikely.
The cruelest parts of the first failure was what were deemed as sharp edges. The lower edge of my wooden dash failed, but the inspector clearly showed that this was the incorrect radius (yes, one he actually did measure).
The other, and most awkward, was the channel that run along the top of the windscreen to accomodate the roof. I was unsure what to do about this and so decided to stick a split plastic tube over the top, using silicone to stick it down with. The silicone should be easy to remove afterward with some white spirit to clean it all up.
The day of the retest arrived and we turned up early at the SVA centre in Bristol to make sure that everything was still where it should be and also so that we could do a quick brake test, as I was a little concerned that on one side the rear wheels was still locking before the front wheel. A quick test and that was inconclusive. Oh well. We would just have to pray that it was OK at the time of testing.
8.00am arrived and so too did the inspectors. The guy who was inspecting my car arrived aslo. We shall call him Jim in order to protect his identity (although his real name is Howard (Miserable Git)). As soon as he arrived, he took one look at the car and said that straight away it would fail. I sighed and waited for him to put his packed lunch away, clock in and then come and ask for the car.
I drove the car into the test centre and the argument, I mean discussion, over the windscreen started. Jim asked why I had not taken his advice re: the screen and put the tube on instead. I then chose to remind him that it was he that suggested I stick something in or over the channel so as to hide the sharp edges. I went on to explain further that this is exactly what I had done.
He then put his grubby paws over the tube and started to pull it off. It came off. Of course it would. If you pull anything hard enough that is only stuck in place, it will come off. As it had come off, he then claimed that this was still a temporary repair (exactly what the screen had failed on first time, temporary repair) and so would fail. I went on trying to explain that it was only lightly stuck on as it would be coming straight off afterwards so that I could fit a roof at a later date. He wasn't impressed with this, but agreed with me and also with one of his coleagues that this is what a lot of others do - remove the windscreen protection after the test. But he still insisted that he would have to assess the car as it was presented, and with the tube coming off in his hand, the car would fail.
So I went on to ask him what it is that I should do that would make him happy that whatever I placed on top of the windscreen would not be classed as a temporary repair. It was then that he suggested that I simply fill the channel with silicone sealant, leving the silicon proud of the top of the screen. This would cover all edges. The awkward thing though was that the silicone would have had to set. This meant that I could not pop down to a local builders and but some silicone to fill the channel. With the silicone still wet, it would come off in his hand. Hey presto, another temporary repair.
I decided to take the car home and fill the channel with silicone and while at it also fit a brake bias valve that should help with the wheels locking up. Hopefully when that is fitted, the front wheels will lock first time every time.
The channel has now been filled and the bias valve fitted, and then refitted the right way round. Hopefully another test date will be available soon as I'd like to have the car on the road for Easter. Time will tell. Hopefully Lady Luck will be on my side this time - or it will be Jim's day off!!
Today must be the day. The car is booked in for the retest today at 3pm. Hopefully Howard, I mean Jim, will be in a more pleasant mood today. All the work required has been done. The windscreen channel has been filled with silicone (just hope it comes off easily), the brake bias valve has been fitted and works a treat with the front wheels locking first. Now just to get the right words from the SVA Centre.
The drive down was uneventful, the weather not too inspiring, but we arrived in plenty of time, checked everything was OK and we were ready. Drove round to the SVA Centre and waited.
Howard came along with his colleague Tony and they both looked over the car. This time they appeared very interested and asked all sorts of questions about the kit and the car as a whole, showing some great interest.
I was asked for the failure sheet and he started to tick off the items that it had failed on, this time everything having been corrected. He still passed comment over the silicone in the top of the windscreen but had to pass it as the silicone provided a permanent fix. He then got into the car and took it for a drive so that he could test the brakes, with Tony his colleague checking. I also watched as this was the first time I would see which wheels locked first (Kallie had been the eyes before, as we did our own tests).
The front wheels locked first. Both sides. Job done. That was it. I had passed!
Howard got out of the car, asked me for £30.00 and wrote out my MAC. I could now go round to the DVLA to apply for the registration.
We got to the DVLA and placed the application for the registration and tax. They quickly took my money and then told me that there was no-one available to inspect the car. I would have to wait for an appointment. Bugg*r. Oh well, it now gives me time to remove the Pilgrim SVA kit and put on my own kit.
Waiting. Hopefully the car will be registered and taxed in time for Stoneleigh show this year, to which I will be getting free entry as I will be arriving in my Kit Car!!
Took a trip to Pilgrim today as Kallie was collecting his side pipes for which he has been waiting an absolute age. I had decided that I would buy a roof for the Cobra as you can never trust the British weather. Also, if I take it to Stoneleigh and it starts to rain, I don't wish to be the only one going home it a wet seat. While I'm waiting for the DVLA inspector, the roof will be going on.