Exactly - he failed it on the blocks, he didnt understand them. when he walked the car with me he seemed struggling to explain what's wrong.

Suddenly seemed embarrassed about the blocks as they are obviously new- but I knew by the way he went about it all that it wasnt going to pass. He didint like it and anything marginal was going to be a fail.

Yeah my seat tips/rocks - i have some white clips, just thought that as it was still in the runners that are welded to the floor that it would be ok. To be honest I didnt like the people there.

He kept asking me if I'm restoring it and told me it needed stripping down and starting again. - waste of my time (and money) with them to be honest.

It went really well on the drive there though - first time since the engine conversion.

Aiming to get it to the show.

Well the MOT genuine reasons are under way. but this is the 'steampunk' exhaust mod I knocked up to put the fumes behind the car using the G40 exhaust.

I so didnt want to use this bit of pipe, but then every other thing wouldn't work and it was inevitable - quite like it now.

Oh and yes - painting the bumper and arches is imminent!

Nothing wrong with that exhaust. Don;t think the sticking out bracket should have any effect as not sharp.

You could get a VT17 form and apply to VOSA but you can't repair your car or use it for 14 days so I've never done that.

And there are more genuine reasons anyway.

Wobbly seat is a fail. I know of a copper who is now paraplegic because police cars did not have MOTs and his seat came loose.

I once had a fail for suspension and poor underfloor welding. They never looked below the carpet and did not understand about welding through underseal. I just never use that MOT centre again. Especially the ones that don't understand dangling suspension.

But G-lader blocks?

Edited 7 April, 201511 yr by dvderlm

To be honest there are genuine reasons it should fail.

However the tester listed 24 points!

Of which 3 or 4 are genuine things which I'm going to fix.

Seat wobble

Headlight alignment

Outer tca bushes seem to be coming out of the front side - possibly due to me buggering around with the arb, as the arms were new 400 miles ago.

Tca dust cap perished and letting in dirt- need to look at these as they are also relatively new.

To be honest I was pleased the engine conversion passed emissions so easily.

Also brakes since upgrading passed with flying colours.

The other things I think are easy fixes.

24 points?? Dam...

Well it's raining today, which is typical as today was to be my tech day on the polo, to put right or change things for the mot.

Headlight adjustment, control arm boots, outer anti roll bar bushes as well as tightening up the braided brake lines.

Time permitting going to finish the swap to the Vauxhall 256mm set up from the VW11 that are on there now.

Also wanted to install a cut off switch for the electric fuel pump - which again is not mot but it's inside.

At the MOT place. Fingers crossed.

I've worked through all viable of the 17 failings and quite a few of the 7 advisory points.

Most was simple stuff.

Just takes time - especially as I'm not mechanically inclined and most jobs on the he car are first time learnings for me.

Edited 30 April, 201511 yr by Retrotub

Fingers crossed...

working on the Polo is how I learnt all my knowledge.. it really is a good car to work on most of the time! :)

It passed, which has been a long awaited goal.

I'm not sure how much of the tidying up ill have done, so it will be a bit messy still but it will be at polo social which has been the target.

Edited 1 May, 201511 yr by Retrotub

Brilliant!!! :-D

:)

Well, its taken a little step back.

Terrible rattling over bumps and a grinding sound from the brakes have taken precedence over cosmetic stuff.

However, I've been unwell and not been able to sort stuff.

Got to get the wheels rebalanced, change the front brakes and find out where the rattle is coming from - so its not going to have carpets or a tidy up before polo social.

To make matters worse, my father in law took it for a spin while I was out. He noticed while at the shops the arch trims coming away slightly - I had only put a couple of bits of tape on the tops intending to finish this week.

He decided they needed to be all pulled off in case - so now they all need re-painting. (I had used plastic primmer and bumper paint and many coats but if you bend it and pull them off the car the paint cracks) - pissed off doesn't describe it!

Also still getting a lot of flack from home about the polo :(

Edited 22 June, 201511 yr by Retrotub

Probably just an anti rattle clip come off the caliper, they're not the best design on the polo.

Also, what a knob your father in law is.

Yeah dude that's not cool.

And the anti rattle clips can be a pain. With out them you will get pad rattle and maybe brake squeal. I had some brakes that even with the clips in they still rattled. Was annoying.

Well, rattle reson found i think.

The old pads and discs - which actually had a lot of meat left - had noi anti rattle clips.

f more concern, I cant have done up the carrier bolts well, as the lower was missing"!!!!!!!!!!!! Great work JC!

So I'm guessing that will be my rattle!

Cracked on with the arch painting - continually swearing about what happened, id made a really good job of them as well. It must of taken some twisty force to get the arches off and crack the paint. I'm having trouble repeating it without going medevil on them.

My car will be at the social - getting there safely is the priority. Anything else to do with the car is a bonus (it will be a mess)

At least you will be able to take it this year.

Be good to finally see it :)

There are two caliper bolts for a good reason. If one fails, you still have some braking. I drove from Glasgow to Lochgilpead (Scotland's oldest renauilt dealer) in a camper van with a missing caliper bolt.

Make sure you tell your father in law and leave a prominent notice on the driving seat - NO BRAKES.

I've done that. I lost the top bolt which meant it jammed it's self against the wheel when braking.

From (knackered) memory, one Side bolt is longer than the other, make sure they're the right way round.

From (knackered) memory, one Side bolt is longer than the other, make sure they're the right way round.

Your memory isn't knackered !! ones 49mm the others 59mm The top one is the longer

and VW11 bolts are different to VW1 ones..

and VW11 bolts are different to VW1 ones..

Those lengths were for the VWll I think the VWl's are 45 & 55mm??

This is a concern, I've just used a bolt that I had. Its probably a VW1 bolt in the lower hole.

What should i check for before driving?

Your life insurance policy .

That it's a M8 high-tensile socket bolt of correct length for threaded and unthreaded part?

If the brakes are bedded in (say 150 miles of use) you could try emergency stop on a quiet wide road very near you...

but in this case I think just get the right bolts from a VW dealer.

Agreed - You'll get a full set for under a tenner.