32. IVA

So after completing the paperwork I was awaiting a response from the DVSA.

I picked the two local-ish private test centres to me, Walsall and Coventry....but after calling up they couldn't get me in so recommended Kidderminster as this was the nearest official one.  Apparently the private ones require the DVSA to come to then for the day so they have to have a few lined up.

So Kidderminster is over an hour away from me, seems odd that you are allowed to go that far whilst driving...so if it manages to get there and back and pass the test should be all OK!  We will see if we pass or not. 

I thought it would take a while for an appointment but the first one they offered was only 2 weeks away....so I deleted by a week just to have time to check everything as I am away for the first two weekends.

Pack has bee. Requested from AK so this will arrive a weekish before.

Its all quite odd being at this stage....honestly I am hoping to pass but will not be surprised if I fail....we will see.....

So - Turned up at the IVA centre in Kiddeminster  - I drove the car there in the pissing down rain but got there safe an sound despite having rush hour traffic on the M6 for an hour!  Slightly scary being passed by massive trucks......

The first contact with the IVA inspector was "what are you here for?"  ....after a long conversation they said I wasnt booked in....

After another 30 mis 'discussion' we came to the conclusion that it was booked in and Swansea confirmed this...so all good - lets go????

"Cant test it anyway"....Pardon!!!>>>????

Apparently the ramp was broken so they could not test the car.....FFS!  what a bloody disaster.

Eventually after more 'discussion' we agreed to at least test the top half of the car....

The guy checked and said all was fine apart from that the cap of the fuel tank must be tethered...I didnt agree but as i had to come back anyway then no point arguing...the key locks in the cap as stated but whatever.....also Jon then told me that the locking part is not required its just an add on as the seal is on the mail Aston cap and this is tethered.

So thats it back home again and to book a new slot with a 1 month delay - thats the summer gone then FFS!  I asked to change centre but they would not let me as I had - already part tested....jesus - can it get any worse!!

So awaiting the new slot....Beginning of Sept...

So here we area again at the test centre trying once more with a working ramp..... 

The chap ran through the tests not telling me if I had passed or failed - I guessed it was a fail as he pointed out one piece of harness that was more than 300mm without clipping....I even had holes there and had just not put the cable tie in.....bloody hell.

So after a couple of hours the silence was broken and I had failed  : ( - although it did just scrape through emissions on average - JUST!!!!

points:

1, Harness not clipped

2, Rear brakes better than front - thus bias not correct

3, handbrake below required performance - jesus this bloody handbrake!

4, Nylock nuts - thread not 1 full thread through.

5, Light switch not visible ( I put it under the dash)

6, Wheel hitting arch on LHS

7, Brake lines too near exhaust where they run up to the servo....I fitted these before the exhaust went in so didnt realise they would be so close.

So thats it - not terrible but Im loosing the momentum now - so much on at work and home the car is taking a back seat.

So back to the garage once again to rip parts out and re-do - very very disheartening...and will now be October no doubt to re-test.

Also its costing me £90 for retest - £75 fuel to get there £150 to rent trailer (weather is crap)  so blood expensive.  Think it might have been easier to let AK get it tested!!!!

sigh..........

So another appointment was booked and yet again I turned up at Kidderminster.....as I was unloading the trailer you would not believe it the guy came out and said there was no one to test the car as they were sick.  I was fucking furious, another wasted journey....fuel etc etc....

So to cut a long story short I argued with the DVSA and eventually was allowed to transfer to bother station to get a test.  I decided to take the car to AK and get them to take it to Norwich as at least they knew the center and they were reliable......so after another few healthy scoops of £s to get it to AK off it went and sailed through no issues!!

It passed!!!  Finally.

Although this has all taken the shine of it to a large extent I can at least sit back and not deal with them anymore.....well not strictly true as I am now seeking compensation....6 months in so far as they take months to get back to each mail....really poor service for something you pay a lot of money for.

33. Interior

So I decided to go with AK for the interior as i have seen their work and its good - so at least I can see what I get.

I chose black and I want a very minimal colour scheme - black and red with bits of Chrome but as minimal a possible as I'm not a huge chrome fan (wrong car to build then hey!!!).

So order was placed in Jan as soon as they were open....as I write this it is mid way through April and looks like its going to be may  - so 5 months!  so be aware....I think the trimmer has been ill so hasn't helped but till plan in advance - mine should just be ok but isn't far off holding me up!.

I went for perforated leather and apparently this looked better - but it does mean that you need to buy the deluxe interior as this comes with two hides so they get one solid and one perforated....more dosh!  as usual!!!

So as the interior was taking ages to arrive and asked for the carpet to be sent in advance - a tip from another blog....

Carpeting isnt that bad but is tricky around the many corners and edges - the glue is rather sticky also so you have to be pretty accurate when you make contact - I found the bulkhead really really hard to do on my own but managed - there is a slight crease in the rear of the bulkhead but as I have the leather bulkhead cover this isn't an issue.

Looks way way better with some carpet on!!1

So after nearly 6 months - yes 6!  so order early....the interior is here....didnt take me long to fit as I got AK to send the carpet early so I fitted that before the rest of it arrived.

Looks great - very happy with it......now on to the last bits and bobs to get it all ready!!!

After putting it all back together I thought I would start it and see how it felt to be in a seat for a change.....but it wouldn't start!  what the hell......

So after a small amount of cursing I was thinking what it could be - everything powered and the pump primed but when starting all I got was the starter solenoid chattering and everything switched off and reset - thus low voltage.

Battery wasn't changed long ago so tried boosting it from my car but still not luck so that can't be it...

All I had done is remove the dash and replace it and also loosen the earth at the back when tidying the battery cabled up.  All the dash etc all seemed to work so couldn't see it being that as some other function would also have not worked so the earth?  Looks ok - but i loosened it off and realised that the carpet was stuck between the earth and the chassis -thus very poor ground and obviously couldn't supply the current required for starting - so its back running again!  thanks go for that.

32. Wheels

So I looked to see who people use...AK recommend Image wheels but people also use Vinage Wheels in the USA.

I contacted both....Bob at Vintage are back with a long description and prices offsets (he knew all of them) etc, very comprehensive.

I then spoke to Image wheels...and what a strange convorsation this was - i asked about offsets and before I knew it I was pretty much accused of stealing Ak designs....I did state that AK had just told me to call him but he said he couldn't give out off set information.  I then said i didn't care about the offsets as long as they fit!  he thanks said ok and seemed to calm down and said "look at the website and choose then Ill give you a price"....didnt really seem bothered and after a few more toys to engage it wasn't happening so I ended the call saying ill look at the website.....they aren't getting my money.

So back to Bob it was  - very very helpful and the wheels are the ones I preferred as they are Shelby branded etc and look the business.  After parting with a few pennies I have placed an order - i will await to see when they arrive - about 3 weeks apparently.

I chose 17" 407's Chrome with black centres....should look great with my red black and chrome colour scheme.

So for now I have not fitted the spinners as they are not IVA approved so they will stay off.  I must say after visiting AK to pick up my interior these are much much nicer (in my opinion) than the Image ones that they use so for me the correct decision!


Got some matching conti sport contacts on them 255/50/17 and 225/45/17 front - even saved a few hundred quid as I know someone who works for conti!..

31. Engine Start!

So after all this time it was finally here - I was in a position to start the car.  I had not done what most people seemed to do and started it as a rolling chassis I just left it right until the end.

As my dash was still at AK (3 months and counting) to be trimmed I made a quick ply one to hold the gauges and mount my wiring that was already made - so I had to make the dash layout the same-ish so it would fit!

I then made all the water connections to the heater and the brake booster - I used the small out let next to the big 10mm port - I then blocked off the big port - seems to work fine(comment from the future here!) , the big port was just too big to connect to.

...and here it is in all its Glory.....so time to crank...

Connected up the laptop, after buying a USB to serial adaptor who has a serial port now a days!

Up it all came and ..........

NOTHIGN....cranke yes.....start no.....checked everything...

Pump was priming and working, had a spark but couldn't read anything on the injector +12V  -hmmm...couldnt think what it could be .....spark seemed weak, no power to injectors but pum and ECH all ran fine?....

at about 3:30am I have a eureka moment - the pump works and so does the ECU, these are both grounded to the chassis - all the engine sensors are grounded to the engine....and don't work properly.

I haven't grounded the engine the chassis! DOH!  I did know I had to do this but as AK had put the engine wiring in while the body was off I hadn't really thought about it. So  made up a lead using battery cable and hey presto the engine coughed a little - we are getting fuel!

~No still nothing properly....

I spoke to Jon as I couldn't get any reading on the throttle , he suggested switching is around 180deg as it only wrks for a 90deg angle and could be back to front....

NOPE.....

So now our guess was the TPS sensor itself - so new one on its way from Ak...

Bugger.....

Here it is new sensor - 5 mins to fit AND!!!!

NOTHING!!! AGAIN!!!

FFS!!!!

What os going on still nothing from it.  So as its easter and AK is closed I had nowhere to go - so checked out the harness, downloaded the Omex manual and managed to find the drawing for the TPS sensor on the internet....

From my workings it was wired incorrectly!  the signal and power back to front....so after trying to de-pin the connector which proved impossible as it has round terminals so you need a special tool i cut the harness and spliced it back again with the two wires switched..

AND....

IT BLOODY WORKED - I now have TPS signal!  thanks god...

I did have a coolant temp issue also but after speaking to John previously this was sorted as I had removed the CTS from the engine to put the one in for the dials but you need both - so i replaced this and added my dial one at the opposite corner as there is a capped port - not easy with the engine in but i managed after making a speaking snanner/allen key tool!

So now to try to start..

Tried cracking and it coughed into life - briefly and then conked out...retarded the IGN slightly and ROAR it starts and blipped the throttle and away it ran....not sure why i have to retard the timing so much but will speak to Ak about that!

BUT it started - and kept running -after checking around the engine all looked good so how about driving - power steering works and the brakes etc had all been bled so good to go...

So managed to pull it out of the garage (thank got it had PS!)

Seems VERY odd seeing it outside!

So after looking more at what I had to do to keep the engine running and retarding it so much something was not right - obviously it ran so it can't be anything not connected so all i can think of is the timing of the engine and thus the map in the ECU???  seems odd as AK must have downloaded this.

So called Jon and he said he had never hear of an OMEX harness being wrong and never had the engine not run first time....but said he would send me his map and I could try that, as he couldn't lay his hands on it straight away I had to wait and the family wanted to go to the Sea life centre so even more waiting argh!!!

So back from the day out the map was waiting in my inbox....downloaded it to the ECU and.


It fecking ran! first time....idled nicely and that was that - its finally all working and running as it should be....

I reversed out of the garage and sat there satisfied running - put the hand brake on and promptly rolled backwards!  with it FULL on - still rolled backwards....that will be the next job then to try for the 17th time!  BUT IR RUNS AHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

Well until that was that i realised there was an open port on the throttle - this clearly isn't right and thus needs to be capped off (checked with Ak and this is the case).

So after capping it off - it doesn't run properly any longer....wtf!

So after speaking with another cobra builder (Hello Andy) and getting a contact in Omex i got the following instructions to set the throttle...

Basically involves changing a few settings on the Map4000 programme and then monitoring the lambda feedback whilst altering the mechanical throttle cable - now all good and it runs properly again!

-          Ensure the engine is at normal operating temperature

-          Go to tab 3: Sensor Setup. Set TPS AutoZero Gain and TPS AutoZero Offset to 0

-          Now set TPS min to 30 higher than TPS raw (at closed throttle)

-          Go to Tab 8: Air Bypass

-          Adjust the main idle screw on the linkage whilst looking at the scopes, you are aiming for the following –

a.       Idle Speed Error to be at 0rpm 

b.      Spark Feedback to be at 0˚

c.       Valve Feedback to be hovering at 0%

d.      Both Fuel Feedbacks to be hovering at -5%

-          Once you have set the throttle go back to tab 3: Sensor Setup and set TPS min to the current TPS raw value, if the parameter Throttle reads anything other than 0.00% (for example 0.13%) add one to TPS min.

-          Cycle the power off and on to the ECU and recheck the scopes are showing as expected and Throttle always returns back to 0.00%.

Then....

Another issue - bloody hell - will this car ever run???

The car keeps failing to crank - basically it will crank and then seemingly get stuck in a position and you just get a mechanical clunk.

i spoke to AK and to Roadcraft and they both said i will need to add a few shims to alter the starter a little further away from the flywheel so it doesn't engage so tightly.  After receiving the shims and trying 1 right up to 4 it made no difference and after looking at the starter engaging it clearly is not meshing too tightly so must be something else.

Removed the starter and tested it on it own - no issue so part seems ok.

I fed a battery feed onto the starter solenoid and it cranks every time, so its the wiring??? This is from AK so seems odd to have some sort of high resistance/bad ground etc...  After mulling this over i realised that the immo was in this circuit and thus tried it without the immo - hey presto the car starts every time!!!!  So need to find a new home for the immo circuit. Ahh well no worries there but at least it starts every time now!!!

At last!  seems like this has taken a lot to get the blinking thing running.!!!!

30. Build up after paint.

So its all painted and now to build back up - I'm struggling for time as usual but a few early (4am) starts and I got on with it.

The paint is REALLY easy to scratch - i.e. ever wiping off some dust can scratch it as its still very soft...so within 2 days I had a number a scuffs and chips - nightmare - but thats how it goes.

The stuff all goes back on quite easily and much faster than the first time obviously.....

Lights, wipers (what a bugger the wiper motor is to fit - and it went the wrong way again so I had to strip it and alter the park location again like i did the first time - I don't get this as it was working correctly so I am obviously altering where it park via some way that I am not realising - anyhow an hour or so and it was all sorted again.  Trying to make sure the wiring is tidy takes a while and making everything neat....as I'm sure IVA will look for it but also It would nag me if I knew it wasn't right...

Side vents also needed fitting as these had never been on yet - so here they are,....relatively simple but tricky on one side as they brake servo etc is difficult to get around.

When you only have one pair on hands and need two - you find a way!!!

I also fitted the roll hoop escutcheon plates  - I knew I wasn't happy with the fixings but i carried on fitting them.....the result:

The fixing heads stick proud of the surface and they are hard to counter sink correctly..

So.....off with them all again and start again.

Better!!.........

Then for a scary bit - adding the badge.  I drilled the holes in the body and prayed that they were going to be central and OK!!!!

Luckily t looks fine - just added some silicon underneath to ensure it stays there.

27. Gas struts

So what a bitch of a job this was.....

I learnt a few things along the way that I really could have done with knowing a little earlier like there are different sizes of bonnet cams.....mine are the small ones that are difficult to fit...Im sure they meant to tell me that this was the case!

So AK say to pop rivet the bonnet brackets on but then I need these to come off again for paint.  AK did say that they would drill them out and replace them but i didn't fancy the ends rattling around the bonnet so I opted for rivnuts.  These seemed to work quite well but I'm always nervous I will over compress them.  With them in place I measured 10 1/2 inches down the body and mounted the other ends. 

Then to let the gas out....I used the method of connecting only one strut and then letting gas out until its is able to be closed,  then repeated with the other side.  Then with both of them connected assessed how hard it was to close - a little more out of beachside and we were done....

( this section could contain lots of swearing and various other words to explain my extreme dissatisfaction but ill avoid this!!)

When the bonnet closed the cams now hit the body.  The gas struts have pushed the bonnet up in car line slightly and because I only have the short cams (I didn't know you could get fricking longer ones) they need to be so close to the body that there is no room.  

When I fitted the bonnet locks I didn't want the brackets on the engine bay to be visible so I made it all fit very close to the body so its now all a little too close.  I may have to cot the seal and reduce the body a little here but never mind.....hopefully the bonnet will be closed most of the time!

29. Prep for paint...

So with the new year here I decided to give the build a kick in the direction of completion.

Called AK, ordered the side vents; one of the only bits left that I needed to buy. I also booked the car in for exhausts and paint as well and ordered the OMEX ECU and interior.  I am not looking forward to the bill!

Initially it seemed rewarding to strip the windscreen off and mirrors etc as it was getting closer to painting, however as reality dawned that I needed to remove the engine harness (as I am having the engine bay painted), washer bottle, heater matrix, horn, thermostat, handbrake, shifter, transmission wiring, roll bar brackets, seatbelt brackets  and all the bright work.  This, by the end of it, was quite frustrating.

I just have to concentrate on the fact that the next time i touch these components I will be putting them on for the last time - thank god!!!

The car is booked in at 355 Paint right next to AK.  I chose them for a number of reasons, they do a good job and are used to painting Cobras, also I need to get the exhausts made (which with more being an LS3 I need to take it to AK to get this done).  So makes sense to get it all done in the same-ish place.


So off we went to AK - 0 degrees C and snowing just the weather to move a car!

It took us an age to get the bloody car on the trailer as it was so low - it kept hitting the bell housing on the end of the trailer as it went over the brink.....but managed it in the end.

Here we are safe and sound at AK.  Spoke to Darren at 355 and discussed the colours and prices (£££££££££££££!!!!)    building a cobra is NOT CHEAP!

As I have learnt by now nothing is very exact in terms of timing with building a cobra as everyone is rather non precise on timing...sometimes quick (AK generally) sometimes slow (Brasscraft!)

So within a few days Jon said the exhausts etc was done - and some rework on my fuel system as the filter was too close to the exhausts....blimey all seemed very quick  - so car was now with 355 to pint the engine bay with was also done in a few days....

Now to pick the paint - 355 gave me some paper samples (was expecting little jelly moulds but hey!)

I have picked Jag Caldera Jed, Bentley St James Red, Ferrari Rosso Corsa and Scuderia.

The only one I have every actually seen on a car was the Jag red (as I work there) so in the end i picked this one even though it looked quite dark on the cards...think its the second from the left on this pic.

Took about 4 weeks after this to get the call to say it was ready to collect so I asked AK to deliver it as I didn't want to damage the paint.

 and here it was!!!!

OK so WOW I love it - right colour choice and a great job by 355 - they certainly put some effort into the the body work and filling the little areas around the door hinges and boot release etc  - all filled lovely and makes the door look more solid  - happy boy!

Now to get it in the garage - there is a slight slope so want easy - in the end I needed the local window cleaners and post man to give me a hand.....and in it went.