Extra work before IVA... Whoops !

Thought I'd just about finished work on the Zero before the IVA, but since posting my last blog a couple of issues came up after a closer inspection of the photos by eagle eyed Simon from GBS. First off was the angle of the fog lights, for IVA they have to be 90 degrees to the floor, (think they allow a degree or two, but still they need to be trimmed ). As I fitted these a few months ago I seem to remember how awkward they where to fit, on closer inspection today, they are IMPOSSIBLE to remove ! they are secured with M6 lock nuts and are out of reach between the rear panel and the fuel tank.

NOTE TO SELF... On the next build, use rivnuts !

So after lots of head scratching and cursing came up with a plan ? ... why not trim the lens instead ?

I am hopeful this will work, instead of trimming the black box ?

I repeated it for the reversing light as well, its difficult to judge as my drive way is on a slope, but its more like 90 degrees than before. (give or take a degree ! )

Simon also pointed out the fog light switch and horn switch looked like they where protruding from the centre panel to far. He explained to me that the IVA man has a 100mm mushroom looking gauge and if it catches on the switches then its a fail ?

Took the panel out and disassembled the switches, and again had a head scratching moment ! think it was lack of sleep this week, but needed a small screwdriver to push in a locking clip to remove the switch part so I could remove it from the panel. Once apart it all made sense, and re drilled the hole to 22mm. Reassembled both switch and now they are nearly flush fitting.

Lastly, and nothing to do with IVA, but I have several boxes with lots of bits in them, so sorted them out into 1 last box of bits, mainly bits to go on after IVA... wipers, wing mirrors, badges, etc. but slightly worrying is a couple of handfuls of nuts and blots which I have no idea where they go ??

So today work time... 3 hours

Total build time ... 268 hours

Photos before leaving for IVA

Still got to do the "nut covers" and a final walk round before it leaves, but here are a few photos before it leaves for GBS and the IVA test.

Summer Holidays, IVA trim, and Bonnet.

Its been 4 weeks since I worked on the Zero, most of the time was spent on Holiday ! A drive over to Holland with the family and a fortnight of R&R. While away, Ruth at GBS was sorting out the paperwork with the DVLA, and now that's running its course its given me a deadline to finish the Zero. GBS should have a slot in their workshop for my Zero in the next fortnight for pre-IVA inspection and other small jobs to finish off... i.e. Setting up the geometry, tracking, etc as I have not got the equipment for that part of the build.

So on the list of things to finish are...

IVA trim
Bonnet fitting with location pins and latches
Fill with some more petrol and check that the fuel sender is working
Boot cover
Nut covers for IVA

Just before I went on my Holiday I cut the bonnet for the exhaust header pipes, a rather scary moment cutting away with the angle grinder on an expensive bit of stainless steel...

Used a cardboard template, measured it about half a dozen times before making the cut, and it fitting back on perfectly !

Also the bond on the cycle wings had worked a treat after I took off the ratchet straps...

Look even better with the wheels back on...

 

Well back to today and fitting the IVA trim, starting at the front of the car. There is a list from GBS where all this trim should go, not going into all the details on the blog where everything goes, but the basics are that sharp edges are covered to stop harm coming to them if they come in contact with the car.

 

 

Alex just loosening the headlamp to get the trim around the edges...

 

 

 

That's one side finished !.... only took 1 hour !!!

 

 

While Alex was battling on with this little bit of trim, I was having my own nightmare with the nose cone trim...

 

 

 

 

 

The GPR was too thick for the trim, so a bit of fettling with a drum sander was needed to "thin" down the edging of the nose cone, once again took and hour to do one side !

 

Had enough of trim now ! time to fill the car with petrol, I had already popped 5lts in when we started the car weeks ago, so put a further 20 Lt's in, as it is a 30 Lt tank I would imagine the fuel gauge to read approx. 3/4 full...

 

 

Not bad, reading just over 3/4 ! (so the fuel sender works !)

Back to the trim.... cycle wings...  another hour per side ?

Beginning to hate this trim stuff ?


DAY TWO...

OK, ran out of time and another week gone by, Doctor, blood and Hospital appointments took up last week, plus Alex turned 15 at the weekend so didn't want to disappear into the garage. so 2 jobs left to do... Bonnet pins and latches and the boot cover.

Bonnet pins fairly straight forward, 5 in total, 2 on the drivers side and 3 on the exhaust side, these where set in with rivnuts, then placed the bonnet on top of them, marked where the holes to drill. Drilled the holes 2mm over size to allow for some adjustment, in the end drilled them 4mm over size ? think my marking was a little out ? any way it fits.

Now for the latches...
Screwed one of the latches to a piece of wood to make a simple card template.

Made a little mistake with the card template, I punched a hole slightly off centre, made another but lost it when I came to take photos after the latches where fitted.

Used a ratchet strap to hold down the bonnet, then used a bit of masking tape to mark out the holes to drill from the template.

Drilled with a 4mm drill bit for the 4mm rivets.

Next the boot cover, and it started to rain ! to cut a long story short, press studs around the boot cover and then on the rear panel, sorry no detailed photos, trying to get it done before I got too wet !

So just a photo of the finished article.

So last job to finish is the "nut covers", got to find some glue, as they keep falling off ! so that's tomorrows job, then off to GBS for the IVA test... Stress levels are rising ?

Time for this blog... 10 hours

Extra time for nut covers and a final check to before leaving for GBS... 2 hours

Total build time 265 hours