Another van conversion Q. Advice please

Im after converting a LWB sprinter or crafter. This will be my camping(+mtb)/work van and was wondering if there are do’s and dont’s regarding change of use to camper ( poss cheaper tax or insurance ) and if its registeted as a camper can i still use it for work (building/carpentry)? What are the requirements for a camper.. a bed & sink?
Are there any problems insurance wise if the bulkhead’s removed? Do you need seatbelts in the back?

nice blog for you to read

Also try here
http://sbmcc.co.uk
Sure there will be some helpfull advice on there.

Want that one >

Oh my!

To be a camper you need bed, cooker, storage etc. It makes no difference to tax costs. Insurance is normally cheaper but if you want to use it for work as well it’ll probably cancel each other out.

If it’s registered as a camper and no longer commercial then you get to do 60mph instead of being restricted to 50mph on single carriageway national speed limit roads. Makes a little difference in Scotland for example. Depending on the crossing it can be cheaper on the ferry.

As above, you need bed, cooker, storage, also a table with a permanent attachment, a water tank and a side window. DVLA have a document explaining.

Beware the Crafter and Sprinter enemies for conversion – Tinworm! Don’t let anyone tell you the Merc/VW have cured the problem, they’re lying. Look at any van over 3-5 years old and you’ll see it creeping in around doors, handles and lock etc.

Not anywhere nearly well built but this is why I went Peugeot Boxer, at least they’re galvanised.

i converted a sprinted 6 years years ago and sold it last year. drop me a pm if you want any advice on how we did it… a labour of love it was and the kiddies were crying when she left. Although they soon changed their minds about it when a 2 yr old Hymer exsis 1 562 appeared in the drive 🙂

A lot of people seem to find the Pug Boxer a better van for converting into campers. Not as fancy or fast as a Ava/Merc, but the Pug engine is steady and reliable and as said above they’re galvanised. And TBH how fast are you actually going yo drive a camper van?

Its not the speed I’m interested in. It has to double as a work van..I say double but it’ll mainly be a work van carrying lengths of timber as well as full sheets of ply/ mdf etc. There will be fold away beds to allow full height storage when not in use.

Just FYI the speed advice above is incorrect, just reclassifying as a camper does not get the vehicle class changed for the speed limits. Some of the new speed cameras can tell too!

If you want dual use for a work van, its very unlikely you’ll manage to show a conversion that satisfies the DVLA that its a campervan…you need to convince them that its a permanent conversion so fold away/removeable furniture, and lack of fixed appliances/cupboards rings alarm bells that you are just trying to save on insurance etc.

You may be able to get insurance for a modified work van via Adrian Flux, Camptons or Insurance Choice, but with business use on it your options will be limited. If you can find a policy, then you only have to do a basic conversion that keeps the van flexible for work use.

I see what you mean about the ‘removable’ fixtures. I was thinking that the ‘front half’ would either be two single or two double seats with a fixed table or even a couch/seat pull-out bed type configuration on the off-side behind the driver with a minimalist sink/ hob on the sliding-door side. Width-wise, a full 8×4 sheet fits between the wheel-arches so i could build a flat top across the top of the wheel arches 2.44m into the van allowing me to slide full sheets in from the rear if needed. Bike storage on/above this & two single beds that fold down from either side to make a double at the rear.

Does modifying/ removing the bulkhead have any affect on insurance etc?

I am in the middle of converting a NissanNV400 (Renault Master) at the moment.

Taking out the bulkhead does not affect the classifications. If you fit seats in the back then they need to conform to a pull test.

the smbcc.co.uk forum is an absolute mine of information and well worth the £15 joining fee.

A question for nickdavies regarding the speed limits.

On the A9 in the single lane a van speed limit is 50mph.
I have followed several ducato lwb size prof converted campervans which sit at the car 60 mph speed through all the average speed cameras. Are they just chancing it or are the allowed car speed limits. I assume their v5 classification would be the same as a reclassified van.

@ surroundedbyhills..do you need a pull-test or seatbelts if you have it as a camprvan if people are sitting in the back?

Rear seats only need to comply with safety legislation if you intend to carry passengers when moving.
If it’s just somewhere to sit when parked up you can use what you like.

Professionally converted or factory built on unregistered vehicles iainahh.

Makes a differrnce

Just FYI the speed advice above is incorrect, just reclassifying as a camper does not get the vehicle class changed for the speed limits. Some of the new speed cameras can tell too!

Professionally converted or factory built on unregistered vehicles iainahh.

Happy to read information which says otherwise, but I was informed that once classified to Motorhome then the speed limit increases to car classification, but the taxation class stays the same as before. All of my vans have been reclassified and I’ve never had an issue with speeding tickets.

Re the rear seats. Pull tests only needed for commercial converted vans, self converts have different rules. The seatbelt debate rages long and hard but the rule is “they have to be used if provided” if not provided then not.

Personally I’d not want someone sitting back that isn’t on a safe, seat belted seat. but the amount of ‘rock and roll’ type beds that get sold with seatbelts, that people assume are safe, haven’t had any sort of testing done on them.

I converted my van to a ‘Motor Caravan’ and as it started life as a van, its still classed as a van from a speed limit point of view.
There is a lot of misinformation around on the web.

Depends on the weight of the motor caravan (if that’s what’s on the V5, that’s what it is). Consult the table below – 3.05 tons and below its the same as a car:

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

Ewan has provided the correct doc, under 3.05t most PVC’s will be under this if done right) classified as a motor caravan on V5 = car limits.

Ewan and blazin-saddles are talking sense/correct. Just reclassified mine, took about 10 days to get the log book back, loads of info on the net….

I’d be starting off with a base vehicle of 3.5t so I dont reckon I’d get it re-classified as under 3.05t.

3.5t will be the Max gross weight, once converted if under 3.05t actual weight, car speed limits can apply once reclassified.

Re: SBMCC is not the universally friendly place it once was, over-moderation, bitching and infighting seems rampant. Some long termers have left and some give to the effort of deleting their posting history. After I wasn’t invited to renew my membership, I found the splinter group that is currently free at diymotorhome.co.uk. Give them a go!

Cheers Spooky et al..

Tymbian, I doubt your empty van is 3.5t, as mentioned above that’ll be the MAX gross weight. Nearly all big vans are well under this empty as they’d never be able to have any cargo otherwise. Just watch for ones pre fitted with Tacho’s as they are ltd after conversion still.

So would you get your van weighed on a weigh bridge to prove it is under the 3.05t limit? How do the dvla check?

Also has anyone converted one recently adding graphics to make a panel van look more like a motorhome as per the exterior requirements?

Apparently they’re not so fussed on the graphics thing now. When I finish mine i’m def not going to put any on. Looking like a camper seems to be ‘has side windows’ and doesn’t have “MAN WITH VAN” written on the side.

Seems they can be a bit fussy if it just looks like a crew van, my van is a bit stealthy with just windows, they look like bonded ones so I will take the photos with them wide open and perhaps dress the van with some stickers made from tape to avoid any doubt!

Just to save starting another thread; has anyone done a conversion and then thought “bugger it, I should just have bought a campervan”? We’re vaguely considering fully converting my LWB Trafic but also thinking about selling and just buying a second hand pro conversion.

Im not too fussed with the whole sticker thing either i think it looks shit. Hopefully 2 opening side-windows like these[/url] and the whole sink/cooker/storage/ bed thing going on inside will convince them its used for camping.
As for the starting a project then deciding to buy a finished camper, I can imagine, depends on many factors..time, skill-level, budget, what hand-tools you have and vision. For me personally the lwb vivaros,traffics etc. are too small.

after spending ages looking at different layouts of motorhomes & campervans, we decided doing a conversion would be best for us. But as it was already spring when we decided this, we opted to buy a conversion which was closest to our needs, use it for the summer, then either modify it during the winter, or buy a van and start our own conversion from scratch based on our experiences with what we have.

I am sure that GOV.UK web page has been updated with slightly different information.
I got my T5 reclassified last year without any decals and it also looks very stealthy

Interesting go-getting American type gets van tidy

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