I received email confirmation that I could book my IVA test so I phoned up, only to be told that the next available test in Kidderminster was 28th of August! As I had a finished car, I asked for alternatives and was given Friday 15th of July (about a week after the date I phoned) in Derby. This meant about a 70 mile drive rather than 40 miles, but worth it to get the earlier test.
So after final checks, aligning the headlights and calibrating the speedo, the car was ready for the IVA test.
On the 15th of July at 4am, my Dad turned up at my house with his Discovery and a trailer to tow the Westfield when it inevitably broke down. However the Westfield ran fine and at about 6am, we reached Derby and stopped at the Mcdonald’s down the road from the test centre.
The only problem I found on the way there was that the speed sensor was not picking up. This was a problem I had found on the driveway and found it difficult to pick up the speed correctly whilst preventing the sensor from rubbing on the propshaft. I did a few laps of the McDonalds car park and adjusted the sensor until it worked.
After breakfast, we drove to fill up with petrol and then to the test centre. I arrived early and started to get nervous that I was in the wrong place, until just before 8am when the roller door was opened by Roy the tester and his apprentice.
The test is conducted in the long building, moving the car forwards for each new test. There were a few minor problems such as sharp edges that I was allowed to cover as we went along. The ones I can think of were the ECU plate edges and the front shock pre load adjusters which had to be covered.
The emissions test went surprisingly well with no cat, and I got a receipt showing 0.59% CO vs a target of 3.5%
The other tests included things such as speedo calibration, light function and alignment, seat belts, steering lock, checking pipes and suspension, fuel filler locking and tethering, sharp edges, brakes etc.
They took lots of measurements shown below which will be used in the application for a registration number. Total weight with a tank of fuel but no passengers was 610kg.
At the end of the test, the tester went away to make some calculations as I covered the final sharp edge, and when he came back he presented me with an Individual Approval Certificate as the car had passed!
We packed everything up and then drove home again. The car had completed 140 miles with no major problems and passed the test so I was very happy with a successful day! Thanks to my dad for carrying tools and towing an empty trailer across the country. The most surprising thing was that I had driven 140 miles in a bright green car, with a crash helmet and no number plates and had been pulled over by the police exactly 0 times.
Since getting the car home, I have now put the other wheels and tyres on and sent off my application for an application form for road registration… Hopefully in a few weeks it will all be sorted and on the road.
Kit's Kit Car 