~ SVA Checklist ~

Here are a few tips you may not have thought of and some you may have!

Firstly - Think Safety at all times.

Don’t forget things move & heat up so bear it in mind when building and ere on the side of caution.
This will save you time, failure & possibly your life.

LIGHTING:

Front
Front light brackets need covering around the base of the headlight.  Wrap some u-channel and either glue on or bolt headlight down onto it.
Adjust the headlights by shining your tin top car lights at a wall, mark wall and then adjust your lights to match.  You won’t go far wrong although the SVA guys have been known to give you a chance to adjust at the centre.
Rear Lights
Even though these are standard items, check they have the 2.5mm Radius, if not sand off with Wet and Dry paper and polish
Fog/Reverse
Fit rubber beading around edges of fog lights between the lens and the casing (according to which type you get)
General
Read the lighting regulations with reference to the light positioning/measurements.  Don’t forget the widest point of the car is the rear arches so measure this and work from there.
Fog Lights are not a requirement but if they are fitted, they must work and have a tell tale light on the dashboard.

Here is a quick check diagram for FRONT & REAR with which you can check your car against
 

BRAKES:

Front
Aero quips must not rub on any anything when moving from lock to lock.  Also cover them with spiral wrap to protect them. Some centres may allow you to tie-wrap them to the cycle wing stays.
Rear
Test brakes if possible, ensure there is around 60/40 biased towards the front as you don't want the rear overtaking the front on hard braking.
Handbrake
The Escort Handbrake lever lower edges has edges that are too sharp, file off and ensure 2.5mm radius is met or cover in some way.
General
Make sure the brakes are not spongy, re-bleed if necessary.
 

BODYWORK:

Cycle Wings
Make sure the cycle wings don’t touch the bodywork/lights at any point.  You may need to install some collets on the steering rack to restrict the steering lock.  Some people have put jubilee Clips under the rubber boots but this is a short term solution.
Ensure your cycle wings cover the front of the rims vertically. You can usually test this by eye.
If edges of Cycle wings don’t have a returning edge, fit rubber over all edges.
Windscreen
Don’t fit windscreen or tonneau fasteners before SVA.  This is one less thing to fail or worry about.  If you do, Cover screen mounts and fasteners with rubber foam and tape on. Westfield can supply rubber covers to go over the sidescreen mountings.
Wiper Motor
If fitted, Cover the Windscreen wiper motor with a cover from Mini or Land Rover.
Number Plate
Although you don't need one for the SVA, If fitted, don’t forget to fit rubber edging around rear edge. You do require a number plate light though.
Scuttle
Fit a rubber edging on the scuttle return and cover retaining bolts with rubber foam or caps.
Bodywork
Some people have been known to fail on the non radiused portion on the rear edge of the nosecone & at the front side edges of the bodywork (older models), edge with rubber if required.
If your Exhaust Manifold exit is on the large side, edge it as it may cause a problem on radiuses.
 

SUSPENSION:

General
Cover all nuts with plastic caps, split them and glue on if necessary. 
Check and double check all suspension parts are torque'd down correctly.
Check the radius on the bottom of the shock absorbers, some have been known to fail on this item.
 

STEERING:

Track Rods
Cover track rod end nuts with rubber hosing tie wrapped into place.
Steering Column
If you don’t have a collapsible steering column, ensure that the dogleg on the UJ’s is 10 degrees or more.
Ensure the column does not rub against any chassis or engine parts.
Steering Wheel
Detachable steering wheels are not allowed, replace with a suitable padded wheel for the test.
Fit a collapsible steering wheel boss, only around £40.00 and worth it for safety sake.
 

MIRRORS:

General
Wing Mirrors have to have a 70mm x 40mm rectangular area of glass and within that, you should be able to fit a 70mm line horizontally. In other words, you need a 70mm height somewhere along the length of the mirror.
Interior mirror is needed but a passenger mirror is not but advisable.

DASHBOARD:

Switches
Fog light switch requires a telltale light.
You must have a brake test light on the dash.  This can be in the form of a test switch or a bulb wired into the handbrake circuit & brake reservoir circuit. This is then both a test and warning device. It must also have the correct symbol (!) or similar.
General
Bottom of dash need 19mm radius if rigid or 5mm if padded. Don't leave any sharp edges at the rear return either.
Under dash bolts need to be covered with caps and all wires secure.
 

WIRING:

Engine Bay
Take particular care in the engine bay covering with heat shield tape where possible.
General
All electrical cables must be covered in some way using spiral wrap or conduit.  Ordinary electrical tape is not acceptable for the SVA. 
Ensure all wiring that passed through any bodywork has been grommeted.
 

EXHAUST:

Guard
If you fit an exhaust guard, ensure if is flush with the leading edge of the silencer and covers as much of the exhaust clamp as possible.
Noise
If you can, get the noise level checked before SVA, remember the limit is 101 decibels.
Outlet
Exhaust outlet must have a 2.5 mm radius so must any other parts inc brackets.
 

PIPEWORK:

Fuel
Fuel pipes should be secured using fuel clips if possible. Some but not all Centres allow jubilee clips, I would suggest beforehand with your local centre.
General
Make sure brake pipes, fuel lines and electrical cables don’t cross each other and are Secured at 8-10 inches minimum. Use P-clips, cable ties or sticky pads to secure.
 

SEATBELTS:

General
If fitting eyebolts, make sure they sit facing forward, pack with washers if necessary.
Always use correct bolts (8.8 quality or stronger) and fit spacers if belts foul on the seats.
All securing bolts must fit fully through the boss with threads showing, a common failure apparently.
 

WHEELS:

General
If you can’t fit covers over the wheel nuts, make sure you fit enclosed type nuts with radiuses. Don’t forget the spare wheel retaining bolts.
Check you don't have directional Tyres fitted to the wrong side although this is simple to rectify.
 

PRIOR TO TEST

Paperwork
Paperwork takes between 10-14 days to go through the DVLA so book early.  If you are not ready in time, cancel it and re-book remembering that a 3 working day notice of cancellation is required.
MOT
It’s probably a good idea to have an MOT before the SVA.  This will give you a good idea if it will pass and may pick up any problems you have missed.
 

ON THE DAY:

Tips
Take plenty of tools, foam, tie-wraps etc to the test centre as some places will allow you to rectify small problems there and then, this may save you failing in the long run.
Remember to be polite and courteous, you don't want to upset them at such a late stage.
Arrive on time, after-all, you want to get your car on the road asap don't you.
 

More tips and suggestions as and when I get them.



Message: All New cars need to pass the SVA, If you have any other tips or stories, please email me with them - Cheers