Berlinetta and IVA

[adrenaline]

Hi, I am new to the forums and have joined because I have a Ford Cortina based Berlinetta with a 2.3l V6 driving through an auto box. The work done on it so far is to an excellent standard. I bought it locally off a guy that worked at the Jag and it had been his hobby, so it is chromed and polished in places The engine has been rebuilt from the ground up and drinks petrol through a new weber downdraught carb. The exhaust is two pipes and sounds awesome when it runs.
I bought it around six years ago unfinished but have done nothing to it due to breaking my back in a flying accident. It has sat in my garage and I have done nothing to it whilst I had three surgeries on my back and learnt to walk again....
All this time I have thought that I will finish the Berlinetta one day.........
The time has now come and I have read the post on page IVA.....and it seems due to the front subframe the Berlinetta will never pass......!!
Is this still the case......??
Is there anyone still trying to get there car through IVA.....??
If a top brace was put on the front subframe would this get around the problem.....??
Has anyone considered using different suspension ie something like a vw beam ass this just has two bolts either side close to the centre......would a box frame from this to the existing bolt holes in the chassis get around the problem.....??
Does anyone have any ideas how to get around this problem......??
My son is a phd engineer......would stress analysis help.......??
There must be some way to do it........it's a shame to throw away such a nice car.......??
Look forward to your ideas........

Carl

[danny_nelson]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Hi Carl,
I know the car you bought. I have my own thoughts on the Cortina front sub frame. My email [email protected] Drop me an email and I will share some thoughts.

[dbazdavies]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Does the club know how many Berlinetta's have not been registered ???

[dbazdavies]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

There are plenty of front suspension kits available for Hot Rod cars

http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/installations-kits-parts/front-suspension/street-ryde-mustang-based-front-suspensions.html

just a thought

If I had a Berli unfinished would look for an project with a V5 !!!

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

The key is that the component has to be used in the same way the manufacturer intended so if you can mount it like that you should be ok. The vagaries of IVA are even more ridiculous though since what may pass with one tester may fail with another. I know of a gentleman who runs a very big business selling car parts to kit car builders and stocks several types of mirror - all of which have passed IVA and all of which have failed. I think it is partially up to the person presenting the car for test to argue the case with manual and documentation in hand?

[adrenaline]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Thanks for replies so far......
So if I understand you correctly Cameron, there is a chance that if I present my car for test at a different station, one preferably in the 'sticks' it may pass with the Cortina crossmember as is........??
With the Cortina crossmember the problem I understand is that it was designed to fit the Ford with a top mount as well as the bottom mount. Do you reckon that as long as there is any mount to the top of the crossmember it will pass. .....not necessarily the same top mount as in the Ford

[adrenaline]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Can I ask does anyone know of any other IVA fails for the Berlinetta and their respective cures or work-arounds........

[jon_cox]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Does anyone have any pictures of the problem. As a collective we may be able to come up with solutions that will please the IVA inspector. But as a roadster owner I have no idea what the problem is. I am a design engineer and can design and analyse some structural alternatives.

[adrenaline]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Jon, I'll get to my lock-up this weekend and take some pictures, that and a sketch or two should help

[adrenaline]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Does the club know how many Berlinetta's have not been registered ???

It would be interesting to know.......
If you know of one, or have one let us know

Carl

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Danny has had some experience with Berlis and knows of some which have been SVAd and or IVAd (or not) so he can give chapter and verse - but I believe that the examiners must apply the standard and so if a solution can be engineered that matches or exceeds the original design spec then it should be able to pass! There may well be a long long list of things that I am unaware of in Berlis so best get your gen from the horses mouth and talk to Danny first?

I'm following this with interest as I intend to sell/swap the roadster this year and get a Berlinetta

[danny_nelson]

Re: Berlinetta and IVA

Okay part of the problem is that the Cortina front subframe is( hung) in position with rubber bushes in the Cortina, and the engine is supported on mounts attached to the sub frame. When fitted to the Berlinetta the sub frame has the top mounts cut off and the engine mounts discarded. The sub frame is then fixed ( by drilling the bottom cross member) to the Berly chassis (solid fix, nuts and bolts) so the subframe now becomes an extension to the chassis. Becomes a beam really, to carry the suspension units.