landrover Defender Camper!

MOB993

I am planning to convert a Landrover Defender 110 or 130 into a campervan. I know there are certain requirements to be met, some for the insurance company and some for the vrt crowd that change it on the log book.

Requirements:
Sleeping accommodation, sink, twin hob cooker, table, 1.8m height, storage etc.


I was planning on creating a pop-top on the roof such as the one in the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TTT1GoAcOY

I know I can make something like this physically but will it meet the requirements to be converted to a camper and insured as such?

I prefer the ambulance chassis myself;



The reduced height might limit your insurance options;
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=85389295

MOB993

Have seen these Ambulance Landrovers in person and would make for an easy conversion but not that readily available and more than likely more money when compared to a standard 110.

Or this:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/101-ambulance/5237209

the 101 would just be too much and its petrol too..

And the ambulance models are V8 petrols too I think..

MOB993

Actually contacted Dolmen insurance to see if they would insure and they said:

"Unfortunately that type of vehicle would not be suitable for our campervan scheme. "

I am gona ring and get talking to someone and see why.

Can a campervan be insured but not as a camper i.e. could I insure the defender privately?? even though I would have it as a camper on the log book?

Some of them are TDI

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/land-rover-defender-130-ambulance-mazda-35slti-diesel-CAMPER-EXPEDITION-/251335732712

wexie

Early ones are thin on the ground but Defender's are coming into Vintage age.
56 euro roadtax a year, regardless of engine...Just insure it as vintage, use it as a camper

MOB993

MOB993 wrote: »

I am gona ring and get talking to someone and see why.

They demand the 1.8m headroom...see thread I posted earlier

You could keep it as a commercial or private, and insure it appropriately. I don't know about registering it as one and taxing it as another, they'll probably pull you up on it when they check the reg.

wexie

This would make quite the camper if you had the money, time or effort

Somewhat more reasonable, and vintage next year

Oooh wow! I want the tipper! "Parties over! Everyone out!!!"

MOB993

Yea vintage could be the way to go..

wexie

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Oooh wow! I want the tipper! "Parties over! Everyone out!!!"

LOL, I was more looking at the 150 inch wheelbase but I guess you could keep the tipper body

enfield

Lads lads lads, that 30 year rule for vintage changed in 2010. If you have a vehicle that was made before 1980 its is vintage and anything made after 1980 will never be vintage. That's now the rule. So if you have a vehicle made after 1980 it will need the test every year but will still qualify for the 56 euro vintage tax. Guys also want these old vehicles so they don't have to get it tested. Just so's you know.
Cheers.
Tom.

Wait it will be vintage but not DOE/NCT exempt, it's also a landy so it's got an aluminum body, military heritage and good old fashioned mechanics. It'd be no problem get a DOE.

Also it's one of the few vehicles that the body is bolted to the chassis instead of welded so that's replaceable or just lift-able for repair jobs.

wexie

I'd have thought tax would be the biggy no? Getting a test done every year is a smally price to pay for 56 euro roadtax.

If you want no test either you should probably look at a Series III 109, nearly as big as a 110 and should be plenty of them around with 200 or 300TDI's.

(personally I think the Series III actually look better but it's just the convenience of having stuff like...you know....brakes, but depending on what your budget is you could always get a cheap 109, put on decent suspension, disc brakes, etc. etc. make it a nice hybrid with the best of both.)

Few landy conversion ideas in here.

MOB993

enfield wrote: »

Lads lads lads, that 30 year rule for vintage changed in 2010. If you have a vehicle that was made before 1980 its is vintage and anything made after 1980 will never be vintage. That's now the rule. So if you have a vehicle made after 1980 it will need the test every year but will still qualify for the 56 euro vintage tax. Guys also want these old vehicles so they don't have to get it tested. Just so's you know.
Cheers.
Tom.

So your saying I can buy a 92 Defender just over 20 yrs old and have it taxed as vintage? But just need it tested every year...

wexie

MOB993 wrote: »

So your saying I can buy a 92 Defender and have it taxed as vintage? But just need it tested every year...

No, it needs to be 30 years or older to get vintage tax, anything pre 1980 is NCT / DOE exempt

MOB993

wexie wrote: »

No, it needs to be 30 years or older to get vintage tax, anything pre 1980 is NCT / DOE exempt

I was thinking that it would still have to be 30years+ to be vintage.

wexie

MOB993 wrote: »

I was thinking that it would still have to be 30years+ to be vintage.

errr.... is that not what I said?

I think there's some confusion between vintage and nct/doe excempt.

Vintage is anything over 30 years (currently pre 1983) which qualifies for cheap tax.

A car that's 1983 will qualify for cheap tax but will still need an NCT.

A 1978 will qualify for cheap tax AND be NCT exempt.

The beauty of defenders of course is that if you have a 1983 log book (and chassis, officially) you could, in theory build a completely new car and it will still qualify for cheap tax and insurance.

MOB993

Sorry for my grammer But i was actually agreeing with you.

A 83 chassis and new improved body sounds like an idea...:D

MOB993

Yes now you mention it..

http://cars.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/landrover-discovery-300tdi-cheap-tax-58/5561572

MOB993

And http://cars.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/land-rover-hybrid/5304853

wexie

MOB993 wrote: »

And http://cars.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/land-rover-hybrid/5304853

Gee that's some serious money, even though it would appear to be a nice machine. For that kinda money I'd let you have my Range Rover (1978)

I guess you're not stuck on having the space for a camper conversion then?
Keep an eye on Ebay.co.uk there are interesting things coming up every so often and prices seem to be somewhat more reasonable than here.

I'm personally considering changing it for a 110 as I like the space in them. Ideally I'd have both but I'm pretty sure the Mrs wouldn't appreciate why I'd need to have both

(actually ideally I'd want a hybrid 88" (for offroading) a 110 (for camping) and a RRC (for driving and just cause they're cool)

MOB993

Well was considering the camper conversion because I only need 4wheels some of the time, fishing, transporting the motorbike, and of course camping. A 5 door 110 is what I intend to use as the conversion vehicle and if not 5 door I will just use a 2door commercial.
If there is a Defender Hybrid available I might consider it.

Hybrid you say?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-MONSTER-TRUCK-OFFROADER-BUGGY-PORTAL-AXLE-TDI-TAX-EXEMPT-PROJECT-/151118874058?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item232f6305ca



ah, tyre kicking, :rolleyes: couldn't resist

MOB993

Done a bit more looking in to it all and I would be happy to just have a vintage 90 or 110, or one about to be vintage in a year or 2 if it was in good nick.

There are some nice older defenders out there but the majority of them are in the uk, I really like the ex-mod ones for some reason too.