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These are not MSA rules but the personal comments and views of Colin Salkeld, and published with his agreement. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE
Before entering the scrutineering area COMPETITION DOOR NUMBERS MUST BE FIXED IN POSITION please ALSO check that the following are in the vehicle and ready to be inspected (if requested) and not in the “service van, other car, co-drivers case” etc. etc. etc. 1. Road tax. 2. Stage rally log book (please take out of folder) or receipt. 3. Homologation Papers for Group ‘A’ or ‘N’ Vehicles. Photocopies will not be accepted 4. Current M.O.T. Certificate (if required due to vehicles age). 5. S.O.S./O.K. card 6. First aid kit. 7. Warning triangle. 8. Two crash helmets with current approval stickers. 9. Two pairs of competitors overalls (to the current standard or better) 10. THE DOCUMENTATION CARD SIGNED BY THE NOISE OFFICIAL AND FULLY COMPLETED BY BOTH CREW MEMBERS. When you enter scrutineering please:-
1. Open the bonnet and boot 2. Place the helmets on the roof. (out of bags and boxes) 3. Place overalls on the roof (with the label visible) 4. Have all relevant paperwork in your hand 5. Stay with the car. Don’t go walk about (to see mates, wife, service crew etc.) NOTE - TWO PERSONS TO BE WITH EACH CAR, WHEN IN SCRUTINEERING, ALL OTHER PERSONS MUST REMAIN OUTSIDE THE SCRUTINEERING AREA 6. One of the persons, with the car, MUST be able to answer any questions about the vehicle or it’s specifications. AFTER COMPLETING SCRUTINEERING ONE PERSON TO GO WITH THE SCRUTINEER, TO THE DOCUMENTATION TABLE, FOR YOUR CARD TO BE STAMPED OR SIGNED. YOU WILL BE ISSUED WITH A PASSED SCRUTINEERING STICKER. THIS MUST BE AFFIXED TO THE CAR ON THE CO-DRIVERS SIDE AND MUST BE VISIBLE TO THE EVENT OFFICIALS AT ALL TIMES DURING THE EVENT. THE OTHER PERSON CAN BE CLOSING THE BOOT, BONNET ETC. AND DRIVING THE CAR OUT. We hope that if everyone follows these instructions it will speed up scrutineering and make it as painless as possible.
PLEASE NOTE
TYRES USED ON ALL RALLIES MUST BE AS PER BLUE BOOK SECTION R. .
TURBO’S WILL BE CHECKED FOR RESTRICTOR SIZES, DURING THE COURSE OF THE EVENT AND/OR AT SCRUTINEERING. THE MAXIMUM SIZES ARE ---- 32.0mm FOR GROUP ‘N ‘ VEHICLES OR - 34.0mm FOR GROUP ‘A’ AND NON HOMOLOGATED VEHICLES. THE RESTRICTION TO BE NO MORE THAN 50.0mm FROM THE TURBINE BLADES AND NO LESS THAN 3.00mm WIDE.
PLEASE HAVE THE REQUIRED TOOLS WITH YOU TO ENABLE, YOU, TO REMOVE ANYTHING NECESSARY TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE RESTRICTOR. Remember don’t panic, be cool, it’ll be all right on the day P.T.O. The following items are some of the principal reason for failing scrutineering at the first attempt. Please ensure that your vehicle conforms to the relevant regulations on these and all other items.
1. Competition numbers not fitted to doors before entering scrutineering.
2. Each carburettor or spindle not having an external spring, acting directly and capable of closing the carburettor or spindle in the event of cable or linkage failure.
3. Roll cages not effectively padded, where any part of the crew’s body could come into contact with it in the event of an accident.
4. Defective front bulkhead sealing.
5. Defective rear bulkhead sealing (around side and rear pillar areas)
6. Turbo chargers not sealed. Turbo chargers including spares (if you intend to use them) must be sealed. If yours are not sealed, or the original seal has been broken. Please ensure that the restrictor is locked into position with 2 bolts that have a 3mm hole in each of them and in the rear of the turbo, to enable sealing wire to be threaded through and a seal fitted, the size of restrictor will be checked. Please bring any tools required to remove the air intake pipe with you. Each Turbo Seal fitted will cost the competitor £3.50 Please note existing F.I.A. or MSA seals that are unbroken may be accepted without any further checking.
7. Fuel or brake lines inside car not metal, metal covered or metal braided (the braiding may be internal or external)
8. Fire extinguisher gauges reading in the red, gauges not visible so that they have to be removed - to be weighed. Fire extinguisher operating system faulty (pull cables seized or batteries defective), locations not clearly marked.
9. Electrical cut off not working (pull cables seized) or locations not clearly marked.
10. Front and rear tow points not marked.
11. Unused lamp brackets protruding beyond the confines of the bodywork.
12. Seats not secure or construction defective.
13. Seat belts not FIA Homologated or not correctly fitted or defective i.e. webbing frayed or cut.
14. If auxiliary lights are to be used on the event they MUST be fitted for Scrutineering.
15. ALL forward facing auxiliary lights must go out when the headlamps are dipped.
16. General lights not working.
17. Co Drivers Horn not working.
18. Rear view mirrors missing. Colin Salkeld Message from the Scrutineers
Those of you who are worried about eligibility of Road rally cars, and are concerned by the note about certain classics not being eligible can relax. This note is correct, but only for modified cars. If you are running the car as it was manufactured; ie a standard production car, then K26.6.1 OVER-RULES parts of K22.2 dealing with camshafts, carbs, injection etc. This may well change in future but for now CARRY ON RALLYING!!
PS to be classed as Standard Production, you should retain all interior trim, though you can change seats and belts and fit a cage. To make up for this extra weight the navigator can go on a diet, or if Female, wear less clothes!
Mike McVeigh
The Blue Book is a pretty intimidating volume but I strongly recommend that all competitors spend some time reading the relevant sections for their chosen sport. ALL THE ANSWERS ARE THERE SOMEWHERE !!
All competition cars must comply with E12, then the specific rules for each discipline are outlined in the relevant sector, For instance all technical info on Rallying is in K. Safety equipment, helmets, suits etc are in Q. Note that there are often different rule for MSA and FIA events relating to these items, and watch out for changes which are normally announced at least a year in advance. For example many overalls have become unnacceptable for FIA events, but still acceptable for MSA, so unless you are doing Internationals, BRC etc, this will not affect you, but it may be worth checking if you are buying new Kit.
If you are looking at Helmets, the Blue BS sticker is still OK for MSA events, but I would suggest you get the Red BS 6658-85AFR, as this will certainly have a longer acceptance. Similarly the American Snell spec has a 10 year life, so the Snell SA 95 will become obsolete at the end of this year.
Always peel back the lining of a helmet to check its date of manufacture before buying, as I often get "new" helmets to sticker, which have been on the shelf for 2 or three years!
NOTE no matter what they may tell in a shop, the new ECE2205 spec IS NOT a direct replacement for the BS spec, and until there is agreement between BS and the European test methods, this is not accepted for MSA events
Now for the actual checks we do on cars;
We all have our own way of doing things, but a few hints may help to speed up the process.
Check cut off and extinguisher systems before you come to us, as on a typical rally about 20% will have problems with one or other, and it's easier to sort in your garage than outside the scrutineering bay!
Seats and harness mountings are crucial to your safety, so make sure yours are sound and installed as in the Book, particularly the angle of the rear straps as they can cut into the seat back or your shoulders if the angle is too steep. Mounting them from the rear cross strut of the cage is preferable to a bracket on the floor, as the angle is better, and if the car has a big impact at the back, the floor may be pushed up, causing the belt to slacken. Also, remember that with a rear impact, it is the seat back that will save you, not the belt, so make sure the seats are the best you can afford.
Padding on roll cages is often overlooked, but it should be fitted at any point where any part of you is likely to hit it if you roll, for instance unprotected bolts, & brackets at joins can cause nasty injuries.
Please stay with the car while we check it and have the Log Book, MOT if required, ready for us, this saves you and us time, remember you only have one car, we may have 150 to check!
If you change the color of the car significantly, you will need a new photo, this should be sent to the MSA for them to stamp it, similarly engine changes or change of owner or address should be notified.
Remember we are there to make sure you start, in a safe, legal car, not to stop you competing, so please cooperate if we find a problem, and if you really want to piss me off. tell me that the last Scrutineer passed the car ok, when I point out something!!
Seriously, if you have any questions, grab me at club nights, or give me a call, I am available to have a look at your car, do Log Books etc at any time.
Happy and safe competing
Mike McVeigh
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