9 replies to this topic

[Bigedd95]

I need a bit of help

I am fitting a duratec 2.0l in my 1992 mini and turing int rear wheel drive .

I have finaly come to the terms that my mini will have to go for an iva test to keep the thing legal

I have been through the iva test book but still need a littel help

So my question is ,
is there anyone out there who has taken a mini for an iva test ?
what sort of things do i need to look out for
i know you need a collapisable steering collumn , what one should i use on a standard mini rack ?

Any information at all will be helpfull

eddy

[Bungle]

check out the z cars section as they have to build their cars with the test in mind

there is also a very good how to guide

[Bungle]

here is the link

http://www.theminifo...est-list-hints/

[Tamworthbay]

Also worth ringing up your local test centre and chatting to the inspectors. When I did my kit car, they were very helpful and when I turned up they knew me already and knew I was trying to do things properly. I am sure it helped me get a couple of borderline things through.

[tiger99]

You might not need a collapsible steering column, if the rack is behind the wheels (it is), and is designed to collapse forwards (again, it is, and there have been some pictures on this forum which would back that up). But you could fit a double UJ'd column anyway, with some work, and the MG Metro Turbo steering wheel is one of the safest so should be ok.

However, there will be massive problems with external and possibly internal edge radii, amongst other things, so you will have to deal with at least the body seams and gutters, bumper ends etc. And what about the fuel tank location? It must be in a seperate space, sealed from the passenger compartment, which can't be done on a standard Mini unless you weld up the gap between rear bulkhead and body sides, which will show on the outer surface after a while, regardless of how well you do it. In your case I would imagine that the tank is moving, but where to? It needs to be protected from penetration by adjacent items in the event of an accident.

You really need to go through the IVA manual page by page, and determine exactly how you will achieve everything that is required. You can make things like the edge radii testing tools, and the cone and balls which are used to deternmine which parts are contactable, at home, and try running it through the tests in the manual, to see how much alteration the bodywork will require.

Be warned, you will need to work very hard at it to get a Mini to pass, and the car may end up not being as you would really like it. Kit cars are far easier, as they are designed with IVA in mind.

[Bigedd95]

The fuel tank will be fitted in the boot which is seperate from the passenager compartment.

[tiger99]

Unfortunately the Mini boot is NOT sealed from the passenger compartment, even if you blank off the obvious apertures. There is a gap at each side of the rear bulkhead, because it is not possible to weld the bulkhead to the side panels without the joint showing on the outside. Even if filled or lead loaded, a visible crease would soon form due to body flexing. The fact that it is not sealed, according to what I read in the IVA manual, is a fail. A van, with underfloor tank, would be much easier, you would just need to weld in a "tunnel" around the filler neck to seperate it from the interior space. But you would have to do some not too difficult mods to improve crash protection for the tank, to prevent penetration.

But it depends on what they mean by sealed. You will be aware that the location of the Mini fuel tank was similar to many other cars of its era, but no car is made that way nowadays. The tank is always under the floor, and the filler neck never passes through the boot directly.

The reasom I mentioned that problem was not to say that it can't be done, but to provoke some thoughts about how it can be done. The obvious and unacceptable (but ok for IVA) way is to tolerate a weld line up the body sides. Nicer, but adding weight, is to double skin the boot sides, or the passenger compartment sides, and weld the inner skin to the edge of the rear bulkhead, as well as around its other edges. For a small scale example of how that might work, consider the small heelboard/floor/wheelarch closing panels, which effectively move the seal between inside and outside the car to the lower edge of the body side, instead of needing a weld across the face of an external surface.

I may want to build something that will need IVA myself, so I am very keen to see all the difficulties discussed. For instance, I really don't like having ugly rubber trim on the gutters. i can see other ways around that problem, all of which are hard work.

By the way, it is always worth checking the very latest IVA manual, as there have been some changes, and a few of those are actually helpful.

[Tamworthbay]

I know the IVA is different to the SVA, but when my Robin Hood was SVAed they were more than happy with the rear bulkhead being riveted and sealed with sikaflex. It wasnt structural as the the car was a tubular space frame. Based on that would they accept a decent bead of sikaflex up the sides of the rear seat back? The obvious way to find out is ring up and ask.

[midridge2]

https://www.gov.uk/v...ehicle-approval
check thisout for more info. http://www.minimag.c...al-May-09-1.pdf

Edited by midridge2, 24 February 2013 - 11:22 AM.

[Bigedd95]

Guys this is really great help !

With reguards to the the seams on my mini . my mini does not have any seams as she has been deseamsed . The roof gutter canhave the rubber bead round it and ill take it off after the test .
The way i look at it i will do all the neccessary modifications to the mini to past the test. ONCE THE TEST IS PASSED , i change t what i want , like the rood gutters seal will be taken of and ect
then when vosa or the pigs pull me over beucase they ar jelious , i can show them my form and they can go home and cry about it ?

:)

eddy