IVA Test

IVA Test

Another early start to get up to Nottingham for half eight, however the car was loaded in the trailer the night before so we could get off straight away at 6am, also making sure that we had all the spare IVA trim and some tools just in case. We arrived in good time and the engineer got to the inspection straight away.

Sitting pretty in the morning sunshine.
We also, as all others have done, left the side screens at home as they are occasionally an IVA failure.

First off the bonnet came off and the car was gone over with a fine tooth comb. He also showed us all the places that they concentrate on, especially the places where the small plastic ball can get to.

1. It was at this point that we were told that we would be required to cover the end of the top wishbones, where the locking nut is on the ball joint. 
2. We were also required to cover the joint where the front brake lines meet through the body panel. The joint at the calliper was deemed to be sufficiently protected by the other parts to be required to be covered. 

He then mentioned that the front bonnet catches should have been better covered. This was a last minute fix as the car had been returned to us without the front catch covers. However instead of failing us he went to sort some paperwork for a short while so we could fix those issues, other than that there were no troubles with the car he could find. He also answered our question about the seat bolts and verified that it doesn't matter to them, meaning that we'll be changing them for shorter ones after we get back.

He then moved onto inspecting the underside on the lift, then checked headlight alignment (which Caterham did for us), then checked the emissions, then he moved onto the dyno to check the speedo and braking, then the sound check, then finally he took the car to the scales for the big weigh in (a whopping 590kg kerb). The biggest relief was definitely the emissions and noise test as many people have failed  on one of these two, especially as the car has only been run by Caterham with 1 mile on the clock, and we have only run the engine on the drive, but both passed, but with next to nothing to spare.  

Glad we went for the EU style tunnel as it proves a good place for a phone and other bits.

All in all we were in and out within 1 hour, and that is including the 15 minutes he went off to fill in paperwork. We were then given the certificate as the car was being loaded, now all there is for is to send the paperwork off and wait for the registration number. This is likely to take longer than expected as we have decided to include a note with the paperwork asking to wait for the registration change on the first of March. At least this will give us some time to do the changes on the car we have planned.

Build Day 42- IVA Trim, Handbrake Cable, Steering Clamp, and Lambda Probe

Day 42- IVA Trim, Handbrake Cable, Steering Clamp, and Lambda Probe

IVA Trim   

Covers on uprights, also on steering rod ends. (The one over the bolt connecting the steering arm to the upright was removed by Caterham during the PBI, however may put another back on)

Cap on head but not nut, of the front upper wishbone mount.

Cap on bobbin and on bracket top.
(Also on PBI Caterham fitted some scuttle trim onto the front of the cat heat shield.)

Handbrake Cable 

We have now finished fitting the P clips to the chassis and handbrake cable as many others have done. We do feel however that it runs a little close to the drive shafts, however this is the best we can get it. 

During the PBI Caterham have removed the P clips, and cable tied it to the "A" frame, which somehow takes it slightly further off of the top of the drive shafts. 

Routing of the handbrake cable.

Steering Clamp 

We have noticed, when re-reading other peoples blogs that the chamfered side of the small side of the steering clamp should face the shaft and not outward as seems most appropriate.

Tightened and torqued.

Lambda Probe 

We have now decided where we wish to run the lambda probe wiring along the body and to the connector. We used adhesive cable tie bases to hold the cable tight to the body, then ran it up the end of foot well, then along the top, being fixed in certain places. We have decided upon this so as to reduce the possibility of cable damage by stones etc. as it runs at one of the lowest points on the car.

Cable tie base on inside of chassis.

Cable running from possibly destroyed cat and up the foot well.
This was later removed by Caterham and relocated along the underside of the car, then up the tunnel, under the battery.

Build Day 2- Front end & IVA Trim

Day 2- Steering Rack and IVA Trim

Firstly we decided to do the first thing mentioned in the build guide, the steering rack, using the designated fastener pack. Very easy job just a few bolts through the lovely aluminium machined brackets. At this point we did notice that the movement of the steering rack seemed gravely, however we are hoping that this is just it not being moved properly.

Rack with track rod ends fitted, ensure right amount of turns for model.

When this was loosely fitted we moved onto the lower wishbones. These proved tricky as they are tight in the brackets, the instructions are stupidly unclear and the bolts are awkward to get to sometimes. Here is where it gets interesting, the manual says to put no washers between the front mount of the arm and the chassis, and 4 washers between the chassis tube and the back mount of the wishbone. However the general consensus from other blogs seems to be to ignore this (instructions for wide track suspension, standard on SV) and just fit it like the standard model.

Rear of Lower wishbone, 2 in front 2 behind.

Front of lower wishbone, 2 washers behind.

We quickly realised that it would become increasingly difficult to fit the IVA trim around the holes in the bodywork for the suspension and steering to pass through. Around early afternoon we decided to start the long and arduous process of fitting the fiddly rubber trim. In order to keep the trim attached until, and during, the dreaded IVA inspection, we used small amounts of superglue on the inside of the body, as advised on many other blogs. Also manipulating the rubber and warming it makes it easier to handle.

It is highly advised that this part it carried out by people with reasonably dexterous hands as it is quite fiddly, as my dad found out as 1. he has huge hands, and 2. has half his right index finder missing, which makes it difficult for him... (or he's just a bit old and blind hahaha)

IVA trim, glued, with taller edge on the inside of the car.

Note around the upper wishbone bracket the body panel is very close at the top and bottom. For the bottom the panel can be gingerly forced outwards in order to get the trim on, and the upper can be stuck on once a section has been cut out of the back.

To finish of the day we decided to spray the inside of the chassis with anti corrosion spray. The spray we decided to use was "Dynax S-50 Extreme Duty Anti Corrosion Wax". This was incredibly simple to apply as it is in an aerosol can, and supplied with the application tube and nozzle. Two rivets were drilled out from the underside of the chassis behind the lowered floors. Also it was sprayed through the front mount for the lower wishbones. Finally we lowered the car off of the rear chassis stand and onto wooden blocks on the floor in order to allow the wax to spread through the lower chassis tubes.

Just a quick time lapse of our first full day of building.