Board logo

Race transporter conversion
richard thomas - 1/9/12 at 08:46 PM

Hallo....

Been looking at camper vans that have a garage for cars.....like a race transporter.....

I tow a caravan (sorry).....but quite fancy a mobile home with room for the toy.....thought it might be nice to take the toy on holidays to France etc....

They are quite (very) expensive to buy however......

So...

Why not build/convert one?

However, it's difficult to find any info on the net regards the regs, info, tips etc.....most searches end up with companies that convert for you.....

Anyone done it?

Looking at a 7.5 tonne truck conversion that has decent room for toy plus living room......that doesn't end up looking like a 7.5 tonne truck....you know what i mean....

Come on, surely someone on here has done it?

Cheers,

Rich.


zilspeed - 1/9/12 at 09:06 PM

I've helped out with such a project.

A friend has a race truck with lving accomodation at the front.
I helped out with the conversion.
What I would say is that a 7.5 tonne truck which is big enough to take a car in the back doesn't allow an awful lot of room for living accomodation of a size which is useful for anything other than a bed for the night at the track.

I've done it and wouldn't want to go on holiday for a fortnight in it.

The other consideration is the weight of the car for the purposes of the tail lift and also the MOT.
Converting the tail lift to be suitable is doable, but it's a whole load of work.

MOT, I'm not sure of exactly how it's not the same as your car, but I do know that it's a degree more complex.


cloudy - 1/9/12 at 09:16 PM

I was looking at Iveco LWB 3.5 ton panel vans - have plenty of length and enough load capacity but a few cm lacking in width


richard thomas - 1/9/12 at 09:16 PM

Looking at regs, not sure that 7.5 ton is the limit for a car licence if the vehicle is classified as a motor home or similar....?


cloudy - 1/9/12 at 09:21 PM

Don't know of any such exception - list is here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022499

Standard post 97 license gives you up to 3.5 tons


TimC - 1/9/12 at 09:27 PM

Have you seen MK9R's Sunshine Bus conversion?

www.austengreenway.co.uk

But blogger seems to be down.


richard thomas - 1/9/12 at 09:34 PM

Register as plant?
or for instant (ignore the price, it's mental)....what licence needed for this?

Leyland DAF Race car Motorhome/transporter | eBay


richard thomas - 1/9/12 at 09:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by TimC
Have you seen MK9R's Sunshine Bus conversion?

www.austengreenway.co.uk

But blogger seems to be down.


Liking that one....giving me ideas....

Tim, forgive me but looking at your avatar...your body was never quite as good as you thought it was....

Har Har....Welsh humour and all......boyo.....


cloudy - 1/9/12 at 09:56 PM

Great conversion! but fairly certain you'll need to upgrade a standard license to drive that, they are almost all over 3.5 GVW

EDIT: some research says there are a few 3.5 tons to be had - would be a good solution!

[Edited on 1/9/12 by cloudy]

[Edited on 1/9/12 by cloudy]


TimC - 1/9/12 at 10:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by richard thomas

Tim, forgive me but looking at your avatar...your body was never quite as good as you thought it was....

Har Har....Welsh humour and all......boyo.....




Shwmae Butt. Hit a man while he's down whydontcha?


Peteff - 2/9/12 at 08:26 AM

Owzabout a ossbox ?


lsdweb - 2/9/12 at 11:57 AM

When I had my single seater, there were a couple of guys who ran a car in my class - they had a long wheel base Merc Sprinter and it had a wooden ramp set up inside. They bolted wooden wheels (with push bike tyres on) onto the race car and winched it in up wooden ramps - it was superbly done and so neat - from the outside you would never have guessed what was inside!

I do like Austen's bus though and a 7.5 tonner has always appealed to me!

Wyn


DIY Si - 8/9/12 at 12:32 PM

Could you convert a bus? Once most of the seats are out, they no longer count as a bus, just a large vehicle. Not sure what licence you'd need though, but IIRC a few older guys I've met didn't have to upgrade theirs.


richard thomas - 9/9/12 at 04:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DIY Si
Could you convert a bus? Once most of the seats are out, they no longer count as a bus, just a large vehicle. Not sure what licence you'd need though, but IIRC a few older guys I've met didn't have to upgrade theirs.


Been reading up on this, there is a lot of discussion on whether you ned a 'C' licence if you take the seats out of a bus.....no weight restrictions on a motorhome....DVLA suggest that a bus remains a LGV if converted....but no law in place to mandate this.....i think.....only one case taken to court but the CPS dropped the case....


Ninehigh - 9/9/12 at 05:04 PM

I shall have to reconfirm this with my brother who's a bus driver but iirc you can drive a bus on your car licence if it's registered before 1982 and you're not using it to carry more than 7 passengers

Like I say I'll have to double check but there's an allowance along them lines