You read a lot in the news about businesses converting fleet vehicles to better suit their needs, but what if you are not a business owner and you want a special one-off vehicle conversion?
Will most major vehicle conversion companies even bother to take on your project, probably not.
This is where Osborne Motor Bodies Ltd. is different!
Not only do we work with businesses to adapt standard commercial vehicles to help them be more versatile and practical for their users, but we also do bespoke vehicle builds and one-off conversions for single projects.
A lot of people dream of buying a basic commercial-built van and converting it for leisure purposes. Others may even be thinking of doing a bespoke conversion that allows them to adapt a commercial vehicle to be dual-purpose – maybe for use with their small business, but with built-in sleeping quarters that enable them to travel the country at the same time.
What to consider when converting a commercial van
When you want to buy a commercial vehicle or van and convert it for your own leisure use, then you need to think practically about how you want to use and access it. For example, if you choose a van with rear access doors and solid side panels, will that make it difficult for you to load and unload the leisure equipment you want to use, such as fishing equipment or a dirt bike?
What if you want to use the van for camping? Do you want to have a small workable kitchen installed inside? Would it be easier to buy a van with side panel access rather than rear-entry access?
It is often more complex than you may think to convert a commercial vehicle for leisure use and your planning needs to start with your choice of vehicle. A lot of people make the mistake of simply looking at how much they can afford to spend on buying a van with little regard to the type of van, it's available space, dimensions, access points, passenger space, weight and fuel economy.
Second-hand or brand new?
If you are looking to buy a commercial vehicle for the sole purpose of converting it for personal use, then sometimes it may be simpler to go for brand new, but have it constructed from scratch on top of a standard commercial vehicle chassis.
At Osborne Motor Bodies, we usually have new and second-hand commercial vehicles for sale. Any of these could be a great starting point for your vehicle conversion project.
The internal fixtures you would like to have installed will need to be considered, especially how any structures will affect the weight distribution, which can affect vehicle handling and safety. By working with Osborne Motor Bodies, we can make sure that the structural integrity of your chosen van will be solid and properly balanced for driving performance and stability.
Before you even commit to buying a vehicle to convert, it will pay you to talk to our expert team first to make sure that your conversion plans are viable and that you won't be left with a model of a van that isn't suitable for the type of conversion that you want.
Making sure your conversion is fully compliant with the law
Regardless of whether you are converting an old second-hand vehicle, or you choose a brand-new basic commercial vehicle body that you can use as a blank canvas to install the interior that you want from scratch, you need to make sure that your chosen layout will be fully compliant with current health & safety regulations as well as with DVLA vehicle classification rules.
The health and safety aspect of your refit is especially important when you plan to include elements such as a gas cooker, heater or electric access points.
If converting a second-hand commercial vehicle, it will already have been registered with the DVLA as a commercial class vehicle. You may want to change this classification by registering your new conversion as a motor caravan with the DVLA.
This can help to avoid a lot of confusion while driving on UK roads as the police and other authorities that use number plate recognition will see that your vehicle doesn't match its original classification. You may get pulled over for an inspection to make sure your vehicle is legitimate and that you haven't swapped your number plate with a different vehicle.
You will also need to notify your insurer to tell them about your vehicle changes. You will need to make sure you have the appropriate insurance to cover your needs and to make sure that you will still be covered after the conversion has been completed.
Not many people are aware that every vehicle on the UK roads has a ‘plated weight,’ which it is illegal for you to exceed. You may think that this would only apply to commercial vehicles, but surprisingly this also covers vehicles used for leisure purposes, so bear this in mind too when you are planning to transport heavy leisure equipment, such as dirt bikes etc. Try to estimate the weight of the converted vehicle as well as anything heavy you plan to carry, including people and fuel.
Speak to our team at Osborne Motor Bodies as early as you can about your project. We are one of only a very limited number of vehicle conversion companies in the UK that are knowledgeable and experienced enough to take on your conversion.
Why not contact us today for a friendly chat!
