Update

Sunday 5th January 2014

Guess its time for an update as I've been pretty quiet on the blogging front of late.

Whats the reason this time for the lengthy absence? Well quite simply I haven't done a fat lot on the car until the past few weeks.

With hindsight, rushing to get the car drivable for Blyton was a mistake because since then I have hardly done anything as most jobs needed stuff that had been completed for Blyton to be removed to allow other jobs to be finished off and then re-done. It has felt like a bit of an anti-climax to be honest particularly as holidays followed Blyton then before I knew it late autumn was upon us and cold, dark damp nights are hardly the most enticing weather to get working in the garage.

I applied and paid for my IVA back in September and there was some confusion with my application regarding the engine performance figures I had supplied to VOSA and also they said the engine needed to be certified by an approved inspector prior to IVA and the certificate was to accompany the car. This was something of a shock as I was led to believe that Ken at EDA could provide all the evidence that would be needed to verify the date/origin of the block. As is typical of many government agencies the red tape in getting this sorted delayed things several weeks. Anyway, following these delays I decided that I would wait to IVA and register the car until early 2014 so in the event I ever sell it, then it will be a 2014 car not a 2013.

The engine inspection was arranged and passed (although I am still awaiting the certificate in the post) and the performance data clarified and a test date of 13th January 2014 agreed.

I have now arranged with Andy at GD that I will drop the car up there on Tuesday 7th January and he will do the final IVA prep and I will then accompany him to the test in Nottingham on 13th. The car will then stay with Andy for some final fettling of panels and fitment of hood and tonneau before I register it, hopefully on 1st March. This will then entitle the car to a '14' plate but I plan to register on my own 'AC 62 COB' plate that I bought a while back.

Over the next few days I will do my best to update the blog with all the little jobs Ive been working on to get the car ready...