SVA PASSED ! (LONG) - THANKS AK SPORTSCARS !!

[DrFelch]

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW LATER TODAY...

Thanks to everyone on this group who has helped me with the build (yes, I think even ANDY gave me some useful tips once..)

Yes, I would like to say a BIG thanks to DAX, GD and Pilgrim for putting me off sufficiently and ensuring I went with "AK Sportscars" for my Cobra kit choice !!!!!!!!

Exactly 1 year taken to build. I knew NOTHING about cars before I started (I mean nothing !). Took my finished (is it ever finished ?) unpainted car up to AK a couple of weeks ago and they took it to Derby SVA centre, only to find that the usual chap who does the SVA's has left, only to be replaced by 'first day new boy' !!!! ;( ;( ;(

Turns out one of the reasons he failed the car (whereas previous SVA inspector always passed) was the distance between the rear numberplate light and boot lid handle was 'too small' to fit a full size plate in. AK's (Dan) response was 'thats no problem, we always trim a TINY piece off the bottom, and previous MR SVA man always passes them...'. New boy SVA wasnt having any of it apparently !! Anyway, he took it back a week later to the same chap and Dan had put his FULL SIZE number plate on (after moving the number plate light up a bit etc). SVA boy removed the plate and put his 'SVA' plate on instead just be sure......

Anyway, picked it up yesterday and what a great drive home ! I cant believe how much windwings make a difference (in terms of being able to hear the side pipes over the wind and keeping your head still whilst driving !). The stainless side pipes/headers were Ken's own creation and totalled 92Db on SVA boy's scale on a tuned Rover 3.5 engine (not bad !). The pipe noise certainly isnt intrusive as many people have said it would be (mind you, I have only done about 100 miles so far !

Only problems are :

1. Black smoke at tickover when revved (quite common and cured by a Edelbrock jetting kit (smaller jets) + tune I am told).
2. Engine wont tickover too well now MSD 6AL is installed (almost DEFINATELY due to the distrib vac going to the WRONG port on the carb !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - will check today).
3. Gearbox (LT77) is still utter S H I T (I think clutch fluid nearly run out suggests a leak at the slave and air in the system which doesnt help !). The gearbox has been recconed so I think its the selector. It crunches when going into 2nd and 4th and take a while to find third !!

Now I have got the not-so-fun task of running in !!! (3k revs for 500, then increase 500rpm every 100 miles ???)

I need a hood too (AK owners recommendations ?). I saw AK's hood + flashy side screens yesterday and yes, it looked the business ! However, I have got to sell my old car first to be able to afford it !!! (seriously !) I dont think I will use the hood too much (only for emergencies as opposed to go out for a spin even if its raining etc).

I want to thank the guys at AK Sportscars as they have been a REAL help. The kit went together really well and just as I had finished the build manual came out !!! x( x( . Its a corker too (I wish I had it while I was building !). The bottom line is, AK were the only company who let me drive their demo car (I cant understand why other manufacturers think you will give them about £5k-10k without even taking one for a spin ???????????????????)

Anyway, look forward to seeing you all at the shows (cant make Exeter though ;(

If anyone lives close by and wants to pop round for a look/chat, I am in the south Suffolk area...

Marcus

[Philip]

Hi,
glad to hear you finally got it on the road. Was I right about the performance of the RV8 or is it too early to tell?
Im in Norwich, go to a few meetings will you be joining the East Anglia group?
Phil

[Miket]

Marcus

Well done, another of the best kits on the market hits the road.

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[DrFelch]

Bit too early to tell about performance.. Only up to 3k so far (but it still feels good so far).

I should be able to attend some EA meets too !

Marcus

[TINKA]

Hi Marcus, fab news mate, glad you have got your car home all road legal. As far as the tick-over goes, have you got a standard cam or a wild cam }( }( }( in your engine?? If you have the standard cam it should tick over great.The vac takeoff on mine is off the nearside pipe with the other one blocked off with the blanking plugs provided, as you know I have had it on a rolling road and it is now running really sweet. What have you got your timing set to and have you checked that the timing marks are accurate? x( x( When I checked mine by getting no one piston at TDC I found that the mark on the harmonic damper and the pointer were 4 deg out.My timing now is set to 8 deg.
As far as the black smoke goes when revving from tick-over this is quite normal so don't worry about it.

See you soon mate and I will catch up with you when you get back from your Holiday

If you fancy getting those miles on pop over sometime when you get back. :tu :tu :tu

Martin :tu :tu

[Rodders]

Hi Marcus well done with the AK . I,m just over the border in Essex so maybe will see you at one of the EA meets.

[DrFelch]

Hi dude, its a Viper Hurricane cam. It seems a bit better now I have changed the vac over to the Offside (as per the RPi website) and I have set the timing to be about 8 degrees BDC. It used to run much better before the MSD 6AL ignition was put on it (something must be wrong !). Anyway, see you soon Martin. The MSD has been plugged directly into the standard AMP on the side of the DLM8 (I thought this whole Amp had to come out ?). Anyway, I am getting conflicting info from two different Rover V8 specialists as to why its smoking etc...

Marcus

[Philip]

Marcus,
If the pickup is a hall effect in your distributor then I would be tempted to throw the old amp and pickup away and use a luminition setup in the old distributor to fire the MSD. The problem might be that youve now got such a high voltage on the top of the dist, due to increasing you HT, that it is being picked up by the amp as a signal from your halleffect, therefore creating all sorts of firing problems. If you haven't got a strobe light that will work with the MSD then simply bypass the MSD amp ie. fire the coil via the lumenition amp, to get the timing right then reconnect it all up again. Wont help the smoking but may be the problem with lack of performance since fitting the MSD. I had all sorts of problems with mine, mainly due to interference with the ECU, but this was one of the problems I had,
Phil

[DrFelch]

Pictures attached as promised (still in SVA suspension mode !).

Sorry its gel coat blue like all the others...

Marcus

[plod]

wow, very nice. And you didn't know what you were doing when you started. More nerve than me mate. Looks great, nice rear wheel steering too

I take it you got the driving to the mot thing sorted out

Paul