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Post by James on Oct 23, 2014 19:50:06 GMT
Front Grille fabricated and installed.
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Post by James on Oct 23, 2014 20:02:26 GMT
We used the bunch of steel rods that were supplied with the kit. We built it flat on a sheet of ply with panel pins holding everything in shape to start with. I cross-halved all the joints first with the grinder and then bonded the whole thing with liquid steel two-pack putty - fettling the joints approximately as they cured and then leaving for a few days to cure solid. An hour with files and abrasives had the grille looking great. Neither me or Larry are brilliant welders but I recon you'd be hard pushed to get it that neat any other way. It's also completely rigid. Good stuff. Few coats of primer and then several coats of wheel paint. Every point is bonded to the body so it would take a pretty good kicking, I recon.
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Post by James on Oct 23, 2014 20:12:29 GMT
We are using the original donor seats for the IVA and we will probably keep them. We are beginning to like them. A lot. Unpretentious, cloth, battered and used looking. Free. What's not to like?
Isolator switch visible on drivers side. Also our choice of mirror. They work well, are IVA OK and cheap. Love the black simple racing style and the position. Utilitarian. Anyone want to buy some brand new chrome bullets in their boxes? BOGOF?
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Post by Stiggy on Oct 23, 2014 20:15:28 GMT
all looking good, my only concerns are; The front indicators may only have a 5w bulb (E marked indicators will be equiv to a 21w bulb) as they are designed as a side repeater, the inspector may have issue with these. I also note that the white light from the number plate lights are showing to the rear of the car, again not strictly a fail point but he may pull you on this. Maybe they can be angled down of painted black to the rear.
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Post by Stiggy on Oct 23, 2014 20:24:20 GMT
just looked back at your blog. It looks like you had the rubber bodied front indicators in at one point, they are 21w. I noticed you mention frantic flashing, that my be because you have not loaded the relay sufficiently. They like to be loaded with 2x21w and 1x5w per side. I assume you have side repeaters fitted. Flashing at the incorrect speed is a fail I am afraid. Minimum speed is 60 per minute and maximum is 120 per minute.
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Post by James on Oct 23, 2014 20:33:52 GMT
Got you Stuart. Thanks. We've got good speed now with the winkers but hear what you're saying re the wattage. I was worried that the big rubber ones supplied seemed to stick up into the beam of the headlights too much. We will replace before IVA. The number plate lights have already been modified using aluminium self-adhesive tape to eradicate backward-facing white light. Keep looking - we need all the help we can get! Thanks again.
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Post by James on Oct 23, 2014 20:43:32 GMT
Looks like it's off with the headlamp cowls to replace the winkers due to Stuart's excellent advice.
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Post by James on Oct 23, 2014 20:47:47 GMT
(Almost) ready for IVA. Waiting for a date now. Any other last minute advice - all welcome!
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Post by spudman on Oct 28, 2014 22:05:55 GMT
Looks lovely. I will be copying your work on the grill very closely. Good luck with IVA, Spudman
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Post by James on Nov 10, 2014 16:38:52 GMT
Thanks, Spudman. Looks like we're all making good progress now.
Just a quick note to say we got a date for IVA which is next Monday 17th November at 1.00pm (they don't do morning appointments for cars at the Carlisle VOSA centre unfortunately). Am I right in thinking someone else has IVA the same day? If so we'll be thinking about you.
BTW. When you fill in the IVA application form remember that your VIN number mustn't have any letter 'I' s in it. I know this has been mentioned but being an idiot I forgot so the 'I' in REPLICAR caused the test centre to contact me and tell me the rules (it's a fail apparently). They have changed it to REPL1CAR (with a number 1) on the paperwork but now I have to alter the manufacturer's plate that I stamped out in aluminium. It will only take a second to alter with a hammer and a small flathead screwdriver. I should be able to do it without removing it from the chassis.
Anyhoo. My next post will be a report of how we get on!
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Post by R2S on Nov 10, 2014 17:21:40 GMT
James been looking in detail at the photos and it looks like you have the headrest on the seats lined up with the fairing, which isn't the case on the demonstrator, does this give a slightly misaligned seating position or does everything line up in your car (noting our chassis may be different from the original)?
Good luck with the IVA
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Post by np4wicked on Nov 10, 2014 20:15:28 GMT
On James' behalf, camera angle does it a lot of favours (not deliberately) it is slightly off line but we will be making some changes after IVA. Including those headrests, steering wheel, tyre sizes,exhaust etc. thanks for good wishes re IVA fingers crossed✌
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Post by marmot0 on Nov 10, 2014 20:23:21 GMT
I have my test on Friday so keep an eye on my post for a list of fail points. Cheers
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Post by spudman on Nov 10, 2014 21:18:42 GMT
Best wishes from me too for the test, will be very keen to hear how it goes.
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Post by np4wicked on Nov 18, 2014 18:28:38 GMT
Not good news from the Carlisle IVA centre, few tiny issues but tester wouldn't let us work on them, wouldn't even tell us what they where until he'd filled out the fail doc. Will let James give all the details but main one for us work wise is rear lights, side,stop indicator below min height, we don't have adjustables and he won't accept bigger wheels/tyres as he would have to retest speedo and that would mean a full IVA and not £90 retest. Anyway we're gonna have to jack up the rear end somehow. b&@&@#ks.
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