SVA and sharp edges

[Robin427]

Am I being paranoid about trying to remove any remotely sharp edges from my bodyshell, including the underside? Which bits are the SVA concerned with? Are they likely to run their fingers underneath the wheel arches ("...underneath the arches...") and below the car?


Robin

Drive it like you stole it...
http://www.creffield.com/cobra/index.html

[Happy Jim]

Robin,

The answer is no....but, if you are likely ever to be .....underneath the arches.... I guarantee that every sharp bit left will find a route to your bare arms :tu may as well take it off while you still can.

Cheers

Jim

[Steve]

Robin You must get hold of the "guide to passing SVA" from the DVLA people, It costs £25 or so, but is really useful in ensuring you know what bits you have to sort, and what you dont.

In direct answer, there is a cone test, which defines a lower extremity on parts of the car can be contacted by the examiner, and therefore need radiusing, and a sphere test, which again means the examiner will try to stick his ball in every hole possible, to see if he can contact a "failing" radius. - THhy should not touch the underside of the car, or inner surface of arches, but will get very interested under and around the underside of the dash, inside the opening of the nose, contactable door edges, screen, handles etc...

I have not heard radiusing on the GD to be a problem

Steve
GD/LS1/T56 in progress
sgullick@waverider.co.uk

[craigh]

the examiner cut his finger on the inside of my car somewhere which i thought was quite amusing! i made sure the cockpit area was edge free,and just used common sense on everything else making sure that external projections were smooth etc....any sharp edges on wheel arches and grills i removed as i went along

[Dax SC]

Hi Robin,

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Its bound to fail on something (that is not a slight at your build quality, just a fact). For your initial SVA Test, just go with the mindset that you are looking to come away with a list of thinks to do, not to pass fist time. The things I thought would fail were not even commented on, and it was silly easy fixes it failed on:-


Mark Smith
Dax 383 Chevy Stroker/Tremec TKO
Telford Shropshire

[Miket]

>Hi Robin,
>
>I wouldn't worry about it too much. Its bound to fail on
>something (that is not a slight at your build quality, just a
>fact). For your initial SVA Test, just go with the mindset
>that you are looking to come away with a list of thinks to do,
>not to pass fist time. The things I thought would fail were
>not even commented on, and it was silly easy fixes it failed
>on:-
>
>
Sorry Mark, I have to disagree, build it to the SVA manual and it will pass. You also have to know the manual back to front so you can give a constructive argument to the inspector if he tries to fail it.

Most of the more mature inspectors are the good guys and are appreciative of the hard work that has gone into the car, not saying that they won't fail it if something is not right, its the young ones straight out of college that you have to watch, pick at every small detail that they cannot relate to in the manual, jealousy and all that.

I've built a Robin Hood, Pilgrim Sumo and an AK and they have all passed first time, with compliments from the inspector on the quality of the build.

Buy or borrow the SVA manual, it is the most important part of the build.

[SimonP]

Robin,
As others have said, it's down to a common sense approach.
If you think something is too sharp, radius it if possible.

There are areas on the GD which do require some more attention to detail, the info is posted on the GD owners forum.

The SVA manual is now £30, it's available from HMSO bookshops (are they called something else now?) and also your local SVA testing centre.

It's interesting to read some of the criteria and think about how that applies to current production vehicles.
For instance, consider the door mirror side repeater indicators on a Merc C-class. There's a big old lens showing to the front of the car, but nothing to the rear. Yet the SVA regs say your side repeaters must show to the side and rear but don't have to show to the front. Hmmmm....

Simon.

[graham]

Yeah, 4 attempts for me and I went by the book for 3 years but there are some tests you cannot perform using the book as you need special equipment. IE noise test I dont have a sophisticated decibel meter, just my ears. I cant test accurately the speedometer. Brake front rear lockup, The sva test centre has the proper equipment. Here is a good one. The amount of fuel in your tank may affect the height level of your rear fog light!!!! So dont leave with a full tank ...arrive with a full tank. Height levels for headlamps can only be adjusted with their special light meter thingy, and no they may not let you adjust on the day!

I thought I may have a chance of passing first time but failed on 11 things. Sorted 10 of them then failed on noise two more times.

Gear lever trim ring although embedded in the carpet still failed on outer radiused edge. Best advice remove it fit it later attitude.

Best of luck

Graham

[osgood]

Contrary Mary

Robin friend of mine just passed the SVA test third go, with his Mirage. One of the failed items was that the inspector could touch the radiators both sides with his hand through the air intakes. Instructed him to fill the holes up with mesh.

Interestingly enough the mesh fitted was probably sharper than the radiators themselves but it passed on retest, who knows what goes on in their minds Eric

[tonym]

that brings up an interesting point Eric that i've been meaning to ask for a while, to pass the sva do you need the large centre hole filled with mesh? i have my rad in there (obviously) and two big fans so will that make a difference? Tinka, i know your car doesn't have mesh on the front, did it pass sva like that or was it meshed up first then removed? :tu