Mods for SVA

[HearmeROAR]

Hi,

It looks like I'll be bringing my Mustang back to the UK and I'm trying to find out exactly what needs to be done. I've managed to piece together some items that need work but I'd like to check up on them.

1. Rear lights- Need to have a rear fog lamp and amber turn signals
There seems to be 2 options; Euro lights or lamps bolted onto the bumper. Euro lights for me

2. Rear fog lamp switch- Need to have a switch added into the interior
This worries me a lot. I don't want an ugly wart on my dash. Any options? Anyone with photos?

3. Front lights- Need to have a sidelight bulbs bolted into the housing
I don't understand this cos I thought POS1 on the light dial was sidelights. Does another switch need to be added?
I've seen angel eyes promoted as an alternative, is this true? Do angel eyes include bi-xenon HID?
Are there any leagl issues with bulb temp/colour, 6000K, 8000k etc?

4. Side repeater lights
It seems that a repeater lamp needs to be drilled into the fender. Really don't like this cos I have a very clean looking car.
Any other options or photos? Some photos I've seen have LED's on the wing mirror.

5. License plate holder needs to be added to front bumper
My state doesn't need a front plate so to avoid drilling holes I'll probably get a bracket that clamps on instead

6. Anything else?
Is this an exhaustive list? I would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks in advance.

[LuS1fer]

HearmeROAR said:

Hi,

It looks like I'll be bringing my Mustang back to the UK and I'm trying to find out exactly what needs to be done. I've managed to piece together some items that need work but I'd like to check up on them.

1. Rear lights- Need to have a rear fog lamp and amber turn signals
There seems to be 2 options; Euro lights or lamps bolted onto the bumper. Euro lights for me

2. Rear fog lamp switch- Need to have a switch added into the interior
This worries me a lot. I don't want an ugly wart on my dash. Any options? Anyone with photos?

3. Front lights- Need to have a sidelight bulbs bolted into the housing
I don't understand this cos I thought POS1 on the light dial was sidelights. Does another switch need to be added?
I've seen angel eyes promoted as an alternative, is this true? Do angel eyes include bi-xenon HID?
Are there any leagl issues with bulb temp/colour, 6000K, 8000k etc?

4. Side repeater lights
It seems that a repeater lamp needs to be drilled into the fender. Really don't like this cos I have a very clean looking car.
Any other options or photos? Some photos I've seen have LED's on the wing mirror.

5. License plate holder needs to be added to front bumper
My state doesn't need a front plate so to avoid drilling holes I'll probably get a bracket that clamps on instead

6. Anything else?
Is this an exhaustive list? I would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks in advance.

First off, know what you're doing. This is not an old school electrics car, it has a sophisticated electronics system that works through a smart junction box. Get it wrong and sometime down the line, it will burn out and you will have an £800 bill. Use LEDs for side repeaters. The SJB will not supply electric if it doesn't detect sufficient load and will burn if it's too much (as I understand it).

1. Several options: Euro lights; drilling orange LEDs into the existing units; making the reversers into indicators and eithar hanging a reverse light under the bumper or not bothering (not a legal requirement). Some people have lioght units with orange panes grafted in - thee's a set for sale on www.mocgb.net for £50.
2. My car uses the existing pull-out function on the headlamp switch but the front "fog lights" (which are too high to be permitted as fog lights) are disabled when the main headlights are on (only work on dip).
3. US sidelights are amber and what you have to have is white. Usually this is done by moving the outer orange sidelight bulb housing from the indicator and drilling into the headlamp. However, as long as it's white, you can have them anywhere as long as they conform to the angle of visibility test. Angel eyes get round this because you just move the wiring for the outer orange light to the angel eye which becomes your sidelight.
4. The side repeater has to be visible from 5 degrees outwards from the rear of the car so they can be fitted to the wings or in the door mirror.
5. US cars are permitted to use a motorcycle font sized number plate. Most plates are stuck on with 3M tape. They don't fall off.

Here is my guide to SVA applied to my Corvette but remember that the Corvette is old school electrics and you hack at your own risk. If you want a list of good SVA conversion specialists, look on www.s197.co.uk for the list. I can't tell you how many nightmares we've seen.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/627465/2

Edited by LuS1fer on Wednesday 10th September 08:18

[Roo.]

Instead of drilling holes for side repeaters I ordered a set of door mirrors from blue oval industries that have repeaters built in.

[tinman0]

I'd speak to Ian Goss (hes somewhere round here) and get him to do the SVA for you. Cheaper and easier, especially when it concerns the SJB. I'd also go to an S197 meet in the UK to see the dreadful work some SVA companies have done to S197s.

One of the things I like about mine is that someone with a clue did the SVA. The side repeater is the correct shape (eg oval), and is a healthy distance above the GT badge. Alot of people seem to make a statement with their side repeaters and totally overdo it. You can see a picture of mine on my profile iirc.

Rear lights are also quite discreet. I've seen some that just look like a pair of ugly bks hanging underneath the car. Mine are seperated and set back a bit so not quite in your face.

As for the ugly wart in the dash - can't get around it. Small little ugly wart just above the light switch.

[TRP]

HearmeROAR said:

Are there any leagl issues with bulb temp/colour, 6000K, 8000k etc?

Yes, Headlights have to be yellow or white. No another colour is permitted within the UK. This is why production cars tend to cap the lights at 5800k though the bulbs are still often called 6000k. Most are around the mid 4000k range. If you are using originally fitted headlights then you get a lot of leeway, but if you are planning on fitting a after market set be warned that the regulations on HID are quite complicated. You headlight must be ECE98 approved as must your HID bulb system. You must also have ECE48 standard self levelling and washer system.

[Mustang Baz]

I got my 2000 GT done by Mildenhall Motors in 2005 - very professional, cleanly executed and sailed through. Not cheap, but I did not want any problems. One thing to consider - have you done anything to your car which makes it "non-standard" and which could potentially compromise the SVA? I was advised by Mildenhall to hold off changing my mufflers, which I duly did, until after the test had been passed.

[HearmeROAR]

Thanks for the heads up on Blue Oval. I hadn't found anywhere that did single angel eyes until now. Considering getting the fog lights too.

Those side mirrors look kind of nifty too. Are you sure they're SVA approved





Yes, it's been modified, but don't think it should be a problem







But the exhaust is standard, I like the soft burble and general sleeper look of my car.

Retro Solutions seem to have a good reputation for HIDS and I was going to get some like in the link below, but I doubt they are ECE98 approved.

http://www.retro-solutions.com/ADJKIT.html

As for the wiring loom, I'm not much of a sparky and had intended to get some good specialist workshop in the UK to do it when I returned.

Thanks

[SurreyMustang]

HearmeROAR said:

Those side mirrors look kind of nifty too. Are you sure they're SVA approved

As for the wiring loom, I'm not much of a sparky and had intended to get some good specialist workshop in the UK to do it when I returned.

Thanks

Yes, the side markers in the mirrors meet SVA standards and are a very neat way of not cutting holes in your bodywork!

We also do a rear light cluster that includes indicators, reverse and rear fogs without having to go the 'Eurolight' route or have dangly lights under the bumper.

[TRP]

Does your car have ECE 98 approved headlamps?
Does it have ECE 48 standard self levelling aim?
Does it have ECE 48 standard headlamp washer units?

If the answer is no to any of these then the bulbs in your link can not legally be used.

Also something to note is in the UK headlights must be yellow or white light. So out of the ones you have linked to 4300k and 5000k ones would be legal even if the others are ECE approved. Unfortunately this is a failing of the ECE system and many things that are ECE approved are far from legal.

Personally for the SVA I would not bother modifying the car in any way apart from what is needed to pass the test or you are just asking for problems. If you want to change it later do so but I would still recommend doing only road legal alterations.

[SurreyMustang]

TRP said:

Does your car have ECE 98 approved headlamps?
Does it have ECE 48 standard self levelling aim?
Does it have ECE 48 standard headlamp washer units?

If the answer is no to any of these then the bulbs in your link can not legally be used.

Also something to note is in the UK headlights must be yellow or white light. So out of the ones you have linked to 4300k and 5000k ones would be legal even if the others are ECE approved. Unfortunately this is a failing of the ECE system and many things that are ECE approved are far from legal.

Personally for the SVA I would not bother modifying the car in any way apart from what is needed to pass the test or you are just asking for problems. If you want to change it later do so but I would still recommend doing only road legal alterations.

Absolutely!
We have problems with all of the cars that come in fitted with HID lamps. We have to retro-fit 'standard' Mustang lamps for the SVA.

Also correct about not doing any mods before the SVA. If you submit a car that has been modified, the test station may opt to carry out an enhanced test which will take more time and (undoubtedly) throw up problems that will cost more money.

A note on the rear foglight switch point. It is possible to use the original (front) foglight switch and have the rear fog coming on with the front fogs. They have to be rewired to meet SVA specs, but it makes the interior look far more 'factory'.

Edited by SurreyMustang on Wednesday 17th September 09:32

[Roo.]

I ordered the door mirrors from Blue Oval after seeing them on a car Trevor at Surrey Mustang had helped import.

I also ordered a set of his rear lights as well as I don't like the euro look ones. Like a rapper with a gold tooth, eh Trevor. I haven't ordered the set with rear fog built in though so will still need a light under the rear. Trevor has given me some very good advice over this.

My rear fog light will be wired the way Trevor describes of linking in to the front fogs so it comes on at the same time.