Pit Examination

Onto the pit examination, which is very thorough. All the Ford components are checked, the steering, the brakes, brake pipes and hoses, fuel lines, wiring etc. You name it, it's checked. There is a tannoy system that the examiner may use to contact you, as he does this examination. For example footbrake on, footbrake off, handbrake on etc. 
Apart from the obvious, the examiner is also checking that nothing is fouling, such as a brake hose rubbing on some part of the car. A fuel pipe too close to the exhaust, wiring loose or anything coming into contact with a moving part, such as rubbing on the prop shaft.

The examiner picked on two faults here. He allowed Doug to come down into the pit and fix one with a cable tie.
The second point wasn't a fault at all, but due to the Ford suspension, in relation to the speedometer sensors. When the car is jacked up the sensors look wrong, but with the car on the ground they are perfect. Doug explained to the examiner that he had spent a whole week sussing that one out and he had fitted the sensors, as the car was jacked up now. The speedometer worked perfectly on the jack, but wouldn't work when the car was on the ground. The examiner lowered the car, to see what Doug meant and found everything to his satisfaction.

Head Lamps
The headlight beam test was next on the agenda and Doug had to adjust the headlamps slightly.
Weight Check 
Onto the weighing machine ramp for the car to be weighed prior to the brake test.
Axle One Front  437kg.  Axle Two Rear  521kg. Total weight 958kg. 
Design Weights Axle One 520kg. Axle Two 650kg.

Trial Run The examiner had a run round the test station and said to Doug that this was the best presented kit car to pass through the Aberdeen test station so far and one of the nicest cars to drive.  He took photos of the Falcon and spent some time looking through Doug's build photos. He asked Doug how long it had taken to build. When Doug told him, he said yes it shows, you have taken your time to build the car to a very high standard and with all new brake parts and attention paid to detail. Well done Doug. SVA test passed with flying colours. Now where is that Big Smile.  There you go, they are not so bad after all. Just doing their job. No more nightmares now, about men in White Coats.

Hype

A lot of hype abounds in the kit car industry, about the SVA Test. You may have heard some weird and frightening stories, just remember that buses and lorries go through a similar test every year.
What has the SVA done for the kit car industry, it has sorted out the good from the bad, the cars are built to a higher standard than ever before. 
If you are building, it is well worth buying the DVLA SVA Manual for about £30.00 available from Swansea or any participating VI SVA Test Center. Updates are available, as regulations can change at anytime.

Remember that your car must be insured prior to driving it to the test station, you can insure it on the JBA chassis number. 

You may have noticed the two different license plates, Doug drove to the test center with the donor plates on his Falcon, as the donor car was registered in his own name.  We were under the impression that the Falcon would retain that number, which used to be the case. 
However new regulations state that you can't have the donor number on a Falcon, ( See Here  section "D") instead Doug was granted an age related registration number at Dundee Licensing Office. His car is now on the road and he and Anne are enjoying every minute.  
Thanks for the run in it. All the Best Doug  it's absolutely Superb!.

The Falcon is painted British Racing Green, now where do you think his first trip will take him. The Emerald Isle of course, along with a friend in a Mazda Miata MX5. Have a nice trip, remember the photographs.

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