Plus
some other sundry tips that may help
1 Seat belt fixings if the fixing has not got
a weld nut to screw into make sure you use a lock washer or Ny-lok
nut also make sure that you keep the receipt and make sure it states
that the bolts are 8.8 M12 x 1.75 or above if metric & 8 ton if
7/16 UNF
2 Seat belts must run over a plastic or nylon
runner to avoid chafing of webbing
3 Bonnet edges should be turned trough 180 degrees
or an edging material should be fitted, note notched edges at corners
of bonnet
4 Headlights are able to be adjusted easily
at the test centre and rigidly mounted For example I had a problem
with a headlight housing being loose on its riveted mounting although
the part was new
5 To avoid headlight-mounting brackets, when
fitting cycle guards at front the headlights on my car were modified
to mount directly to the side of the nose cone and then rotate the
lens by 90 degrees this gives a nice clean SVA friendly mounting.
To make the nose cone Rigid enough I add 0.75inch x 1inch deep hoop
fibre glassed into the nose
6 Wiring the entire loom is now required to
be covered, with convolute tube or similar material as the SVA centre
I used would not except the mass production loom I used with insulation
tape wrap.
7 Cycle guards these should have edging material
fitted as the edges of most that are manufactured do not meet the
SVA
8 Do not neglect you exhaust out let this must
have a 3mm radii or you will fail
9 Do not fit and manufactures vehicle labels
i.e. raised letters as I used current rover 75 badge for the 7's
on mine and this failed the SVA
10 Do not fill in the weight area of the form
unless you have made the full calculations as the rolling road at
the SVA centre will weigh the vehicle before they start the brake
test and they will do these calculations as on a 7 rep they are
not what you would expect
11 Test Brakes before you go take you car to
the local MOT station and ask to use their rolling road to see if
you have a 60 /40 slit system approx. If you cannot get on a rolling
road drive the car with 1 foot on throttle and 1 foot on brake and
make sure the front brakes lock before the rear this is not conclusive
but will ensure the car wont swap ends on you.
12 I you have used a none collapsable column
use a MOMO or similar steering mounting boss these are expensive
but do have this feature built in, and make sure that you time the
universal joint correctly to avoid the wheel speed changing when
turning a corner. Also make sure that you have an off set in the
intermediate shaft for collapse purposes
13 If vehicle is seven derivative remove wiper
and screen for test as this will avoid any problems as you do not
need to have a roof or windscreen by law this also avoids the need
to fit a heater which will never get used as you are unlikely to
drive the car in the winter anyway.
14 Lights make sure they all comply to the radius
required at the time as I had several problems with so called SVA
approved light assembles. I ended up filing all the lenses to comply.
However they do not seem so bothered weather they have the E marks
now.
15 Rad grill be sure that this has all the right
rad's note I fitted a unit when I arrived as I cannot get enough
cooling with anything fitted in this area. I have noticed that some
people even enclose the sided to avoid air spilling out through
these gaps.
16 Remove number plates as they are not required
for the SVA and will fail the test good isn't it, that means every
car on the road would fail an SVA test and this is the Government
regulation to fit an item that does not comply to vehicle regulations
17 Make sure all suspension bolts have Ny-lok
or split pin fitted in the case of Ny-lok that at least 2 threads
are through the nylon. If you use split pin be sure that they cannot
be contacted on Seven type vehicle by the checking ball. If they
can fit nut covers in plastic obtained from Namrick or similar.
18 Front Suspension components should all have
the necessary radii, if not fit lagging foam tie wrap and then cover
with insulation tape as this is classed as a permanent fix. This
includes the steering rack track arms when cycle guards are fitted.
19 Bonnet catch use Dzues type fasteners if
you need exposed fixings on 7 type vehicle as they are flush enough
to pass the test. Or obtain rubber covered catches
20 Bonnet if you have louvers make sure you
fit edging foam as these will be higher than the SVA minimum
21 Fit wind cord around the under side of the
tub edging material if you use aluminium to avoid the radii being
below the minimum.
22 Make sure fog light faces directly rear wards
if mounted on a bracket also not the 100mm clearance to the tail
light
23 My tester did not like screw drive type bolt
holding seats he required that I change them too bolts, also note
this guy is supposed to be the tightest in the south
24 Knee bolsters require padding fitted as this
was one issue I failed on as I did not have anything to do this
on day of test
25 Make special nuts with min radii for windscreen
mounting's as these protrude into cab and can be hit with your knee
( if you are a contortionist )
26 Exhaust Minimum clearance to steering more
specific to a Pinto vehicle type 7 as they can be very close SVA
wanted minimum of 12mm on both locks
27 Exhaust if using the unit like I did supplied
by Deamon Tweeks you need to make a bolt cover, I will lend anyone
wanting one, mine as it is made of steel and passed the SVA test
and I have now removed it as it looks awful and weights about a
1lbs 28 Make sure you get the SVA guy to check your rev counter
with his calibrated unit as mine was out and caused me to fail the
noise test the second time but when he checked it with his equipment
it passed. As my rev counter was under reading by about 1000 rpm
at 3800 I was really revving at 4500.
29 Have all the necessary paperwork with you
to prove the engine age or he will test as a new vehicle, Also check
you engine number is marked on your engine as ford built some engines
in the 80's with out engine number on Pinto unit guess what mine
was one of them, so if it is not their stamp it on
30 Wheel stud should come completely through
nut or engage with tread by at least 2 dia's, although mine were
standard ford components I had to lengthen the front one so they
had the same engagement with the nut as the rears
31 Make sure if you use a proprietary battery
tray it works ok as the one I used failed the test due to flex in
brackets when he pulled on it.
32 Brake pipe follow a corner as these are made
to suit vehicle they sometime touch the corner in this instance
fit a split rubber sleeve and clip both sides of corner this will
avoid any chance of the pipe being worn through by vibration, Note
maximum clip distance 225/250 for copper pipe & were possible use
substantial clip. It should be noted rubber pipes must not touch
other components in any extreme of their travel (note if any club
member would like to borrow my roll over stand this makes piping
a piece of cake I paid £350 for this so a contribution for the loan
would be greatly appreciated). I can deliver if required for the
cost of the diesel all you will need is some very helpful neighbours
or an engine hoist and you can roll the car on its side without
any damage.
33 Wooden dash will need a 19mm radii filed
on the lower edge before it is fitted with a padded surface or you
recess the clocks in. Remember that real wood will splinter and
could fail the SVA for this reason with a very sharp SVA examiner.
Also not close in Under dash to avoid having to cover all this wiring
as if it is covered by trim it does not need to meet the covering
requirements.
34 Brake failure warning light, note this must
be able to be tested from inside the car and the switch must be
marked with the standard ID or a Decal if you use a standard switch
which I used and stamped up a piece of ally plate and screwed on
as on the first test I failed for having dimo tape labels (self
adhesive plastic)
34 Try and keep all the gauges behind the steering
wheel envelope therefore don't fit that Water or oil temp gauge
until after the test this will mean you do not have to buy expensive
gauges only standard ones that would not pass the SVA test due to
the edge
35 Fuel Lines were ever possible make these
in a conductive material as fuel produces static while it is being
pumped and this need to be dissipated, you don't want to have the
same problem as the new Mini do you. Also use the shortest jumper
hoses you can although it is possible to obtain conductive lined
rubber hose this is expensive and difficult to source. Therefore
use copper pipe/aluminium or steel pipe as much as possible. This
is not really an SVA requirement but a safety one really although
a sharp SVA examiner will pick up on mass's of nylon or rubber hose.
Also note that Rubber hose is porous and will allow fuel to leak
over time in very small quantities yes that would evaporated but
this leaves you carb dry and you will have difficulty starting engine.
36 Fuel Pump cut off assy, for those of you
who have fitted an electric fuel pump myself and my neighbour have
come up with a tricky little add in circuit which runs from you
charge light. Basically this circuit keeps the pump running if the
alternator is running ie engine. If the engine stops or the fan
belt breaks the fuel pump will stop. This resolves the problem of
changing from a mechanical fuel pump. I will send a drg's of this
circuit to anyone who needs one or I can supply the parts if required.
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