Convert from minibus, crew cab, or panel van?

cormie

Hi there,
I'm looking to get as big a van as possible, under 3m high but at least 4m load length (back of driver seat to rear doors), that will serve the following purposes:

To use as a back up day van for transporting furniture etc
To use for storage
To use as a 9 seater (Driver + 2 up front and 6 fold down seats in the back) for road trips etc
To use as a camper (seats will also double as a fold out bed)

I'd like to go for either:

Ford Transit Jumbo/ELWB
VW Crafter LWB/High Roof or Maxi/Super High Roof
Mercedes Sprinter LWB/High Roof or Maxi/Super High Roof

I want it to be 3.5t GVW Max and driveable on a B license and looking for 4 wheel max, so no twin rear axle.

As far as I'm aware, if a van is to be used to carry passengers in the back, it needs to have windows and seats with belts. Since the likelihood of finding exactly what I want for sale second hand is I imagine zero, I have the following options:

1) Buy a minibus, and take out all seats and fit custom seats - Problem is that most minibuses will be over 3.5GVW and will probably have a higher selling price
2) Buy a crew cab and take out bulk head behind passenger seats and re-line walls and floor to be uniform throughout.
3) Buy a regular panel van and add windows (not sure how big they need to be?), remove bulk head if present behind driver seat.


Which option will have the higher overall cost depends on what kind of van I can buy initially, but I'd like to know the cost estimate to add custom seats and to add windows if necessary and any other necessities I may not be thinking of.

Due to popularity of these vans in the UK compared to Ireland, I will most likely have to buy in the UK and import so will need to take import costs into consideration and also have any customisation done to an approved and accepted standard.

Please see the attached image for more details. Any feedback and cost estimates would be brilliant.

CJhaughey

I think insurance will be your biggest hurdle, not the layout.
Insurance companies typically ask for a pic of the front seating layout to weed out commercial vans looking for camper van tax, cooker with two rings and seating.
What you are proposing is a bit of a red flag to them as it will bring a higher risk being used as a commercial vehicle.
Not being a downer on it but you have to choose whether its going to be (a) camper or (b) a commercial vehicle to get insurance.

cormie

Thanks a lot for the reply. I'm not sure what you mean about the front seating layout? Why would the front seating of just your regular driver + 2 front passenger seats that you get in every van be an issue with determining whether it's commercial or camper? I've seen a few transit conversions and the likes and they all seem to leave the front seats as they were?

autumnalcore

If you take the bulkhead out of a crewcab its not a crewcab anymore, have to have a cargo area of something like a minimim 45% of the loadspace or wheelbase cant remember which. You can have a bulkhead that isnt full height thoigh see racevans for the idea.

If you use a crewcab for social domestic and pleasure it has to be privately taxed. and its extremely difficult to insure.

Not sure what you mean about a backup dayvan but if you use a camper for commercial purposes in the event of an accident its unlikely you will be covered be insurance.

Regarding the 2+1 in the front campern insurance is a group scheme Dolmen require a walkway between the front and the back for their scheme although some, older vans seem to have got away with it and had continued cover. Certainly 2+1 + 6 fold down seats is way outside the average for the group scheme.

cormie

Thanks for the info. So based off what you're saying, it looks like the best thing to do is just to convert straight to a camper if there's gonna be tax/insurance issues with a crew cab and issues with a bulkhead/cargo too.

I think It'd be good to add at least one of these anyway:


So behind the driver seat and then maybe another behind the passenger seats in the rear?

The backup day van just means that I have enough floor space to transport the likes of a sofa and other bits if I need to, or floor space for storage. I just don't want permanent seats taking up floor room.

Is there only one company who insure camper vans are you saying? What is the group scheme? Does there have to be a particular width for the walkway? I have seen some transits with the double passenger seat in the front removed and having only a single seat. I guess driver + 1 in the front and then 7 in the back could be possible too.


This is what a poster on another forum said too:

Buying a 3.5t jumbo panel van and doing the rest of what you want will be the cheapest option.
The other options will see you throwing away a load of stuff you've paid for.
Minibuses have a speed limiter.

In the UK there's no requirement to have windows with passenger seats. Lots of small vans are sold with a second row of seating but no windows to avoid company car tax.

Adding windows is fairly easy anyway.

The only issue is making sure the seats you add will satisfy your insurance company and any construction and use regulations in Ireland (I don't know what they are). There are threads here about that, at least from a UK perspective.
You need to be sure that the seat and mounting points are sufficiently strong in a crash.

So I wonder what the window and seating requirements are for Ireland, maybe there's no need for windows at all then?