SVA

If you have been following my Blog you will be aware that I was trying to get the car built in time to get it tested under the SVA regulations rather than the new IVA regs. 

 

The car was complete and I had fitted SVA kit from MNR except for the MNR SVA exhaust which they didn’t send down to me as they didn’t have a one for me!  As you can imagine this caused a major panic on the Friday before the test, in the end I managed to find a friend who had a spare Remus R1 can and got this fitted to the car.

 

My test was on 27th April, I borrowed a trailer from a friend and the father-in-laws camper van and travelled up on the Sunday to a campsite just outside Taunton.  This meant we could have a few beers the night before and not have to get up (very) early to get to Taunton for 8.00am.

 

We arrived at the Test Station at about 7.15am and had to wait until 7.55am for anyone to turn up!

 

The test started about 8.15am and it all seemed to be going far to well, the tester had not even pointed anything out to us!!! So we thought it was either very good or very bad.!!!!!! He then told us to take the car outside for the sound test, the bit I was worried about as I knew the exhaust would be loud (but hopefully not too loud).  At his instruction I ran the car to 7500rpm and he just gave me the LOOK…….I knew it had failed 105.6dB – It needs to be 101dB

 

So that was it I had passed on everything except the noise…..to say I was gutted was an understatement!!!!!!!!!!! Everything else had passed

 

SVA Re-test 1

 

After returning from my SVA I contacted MNR and advised them that the car had only failed on noise, and that this was the only item they had not sent me.  After a few calls they agreed to send me their SVA exhaust, I got this fitted and re-booked the test for the 15th May.

 

We arrived for our test confident that the exhaust would get us through…………out we go to the rear of the Test Station run it up to 7500pm again………….OH NOOOOO……..101.6dB (failed by .6dB!!!!!!!!!!)

 

SVA re-test 2

 

When I got back from my re-test I contacted MNR again but was told that it could not be their exhaust that was too loud and it must be something else.  The bike engines have very loud induction noise and thought that this may be adding   to the noise level, I ordered some acoustic foam and stuck this the underside of the bonnet and between the chassis and the bodywork in the engine bay.

 

Due to work commitments I was unable to get the test booked in quickly so got a date of 29th June, it has almost taken me as long to get it through it’s test as it did to build it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We arrive at the test centre feeling hopeful, we do the same again rear of test centre/revs/look from tester…ohhh wait a minute he is smiling IT HAS PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

What a day we came away withthe MAC! all we have to do now is deal with the DVLA.

 

I went to my local DVLA office the following day and got my Build up Inspection booked for the 8th July, if that all goes well I could receive the paperwork and the car could be on the road on the 13th July (which happens to be my Birthday)

 

DVLA Inspection

 

We arrived at the DVLA inspection site and took the bonnet and nose cone off so that the Inspector could see the chassis and engine numbers, after he had finished inspecting an old Austin Healy he came over and looked at mine

 

He then went through all the of the receipts and checked the chassis and engine numbers, looked round the car for a few minutes then confirmed the car would be registered on a current registration mark………well chuffed BUT now have to wait 3/4 days for my paperwork before I can drive it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!