pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Shame you can't put the puka in the back of the truck!
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Online
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We could but its not the best use of space.
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by DaveyLC
quote:
Originally posted by Ian
Car trailer is less work!
A SPEC doesnt have to be automated  you could build one using jack components and have it slide out the back on a lock pin.
You obviously need to look into 'train length' does your license cover you to drive the 7.5T with a trailer? Obvioulsy having a car on the back will count as a trailer technically but if you get pulled you can release a car and have it recovered later but abandoning a trailer is a different kettle of fish 
And again AWESOME project, I wish I was local to you 
[Edited on 18-11-2009 by DaveyLC]
Why would you want to limit your towing capability by fitting one of those? I'd rather fit a tow bar and have the choice of trailer and the facility to tow 2 cars! And not look like a pimped RAC van
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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DaveyLC
Member
Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
User status: Offline
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You can have a tow bar too
Theres a body fabricator next to my workshop he's built some amazing trucks.. His current 'show piece' is a 7.5T merc chassis cab with a tilt and slide flat bed that comes off so its almost flat on the ground, its got a spec, tow pin, tow bar, high-ab, side stores and the bed comes slides off and can be replaced with a skip carrier he built.
Amazing stuff 
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Online
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Pics.
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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What concerns me is the extra weight on the extended chassis as it is quite far from the rear wheels. also, it will no doubt take up space under the rear which we need as a large locker to store the ally steps for the hospitality door.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Online
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Wagon and drag trailer wouldn't have the weight issue because the receiver mounts just behind the rear axle regardless of box overhang. You would lose a load of locker space though, not to mention needing a custom trailer with a massive drawbar.
And its too heavy for my licence.
Perhaps in the future when we find a cheap tag axle for it. Storage would be less of a problem if the trailer was big enough for a few cars plus whatever you evicted to make way for the drawbar.
I would at some point like to convert it to 6x2 and tow big stuff. Convoy 
[Edited on 19-11-2009 by Ian]
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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I meant with the SPEC. it would pivot right at the back of the chassis. We can fit a standard 50mm and open jaw tow hook and still pull a car trailer with no worries. And we would lose zero locker space as the tow hook would be integral to the rear drop down bumper.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Online
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Indeed. Regular car trailer is the best solution at the moment.
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DaveyLC
Member
Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
Pics.
I'll take some next time im down there in the light its really impressive!
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j7 gkk
Member
Registered: 16th Jun 05
Location: Sheffield
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
Yeah I got the number for a guy at our local station, wanted to get more of the plans firmed up before I called him so I wasn't too vague when I had the chat.
Who do you work for?
I work for Plaxtons Coach and bus builders during the week as a spray painter and bodyworker then drive class1 at the weekends for an agency. I spoke to one of the fitters who goes to test and told him about the conversion he said the same as me, goto the actual main man at a vosa testing station and explain to him, when talking over the phone no one really takes much notice or you get through to someone who doesnt really know what they are on about.
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MatG
Member
Registered: 26th Apr 02
Location: Birmingham UK
User status: Offline
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Ian you never fail to amaze me mate. Top work alll involved and the members donating - awesome stuff!
Rasing the bar on the car club stand yet again Ian! We are struggling to keep up!
Awesome stuff mate
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Conway563
Member
Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by j7 gkk
I work for Plaxtons Coach and bus builders during the week as a spray painter and bodyworker then drive class1 at the weekends for an agency. I spoke to one of the fitters who goes to test and told him about the conversion he said the same as me, goto the actual main man at a vosa testing station and explain to him, when talking over the phone no one really takes much notice or you get through to someone who doesnt really know what they are on about.
I've given Ian the Chadderton test station managers mobile number
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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Why do we need to speak to the Chadderton manager? I'm lost now. It's not like we are doing something that hasn't been done before. Hundreds of these conversions are done each year. It is just a case of sending off the paperwork to have the body re classed as a motor caravan and then taking it for an IVA to prove so. Badgering the manager will just piss him off tbh. The rules are set out and he has no bearing on those rules. I've already posted them a few pages back. Can we please stop going on about it as it is one of the easiest parts of the conversion!
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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FAZ
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Nov 07
Location: Coventry
User status: Offline
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i think your doing a fan dabby dozey job
though what does it look like at the moment?
[Edited on 23-11-2009 by FAZ]
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DaveyLC
Member
Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ste W
Why do we need to speak to the Chadderton manager? I'm lost now. It's not like we are doing something that hasn't been done before. Hundreds of these conversions are done each year. It is just a case of sending off the paperwork to have the body re classed as a motor caravan and then taking it for an IVA to prove so. Badgering the manager will just piss him off tbh. The rules are set out and he has no bearing on those rules. I've already posted them a few pages back. Can we please stop going on about it as it is one of the easiest parts of the conversion!
I think people are just being pessemistic because they know how much of an arse VOSA and the DVLA can be when it comes to goods vehicles classing & testing 
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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I'm an optimist and having spoken to a few people who convert wagons into race trucks, motor homes, horse boxes etc. And lso having put a kit car through an SVA test, I have no doubts that this will go smoothly.
Now, the important bit, pics....
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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I've started on the frame that will hold the cab and body together as one. It also provides the space for the cut though. You can see from this, it's a decent size
Ian and Leighton have spent some time on woodwork at the rear but I've no pics of that on my phone.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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DannyB
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Feb 08
User status: Offline
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Top work Ste, bet you can't wait to cut the back of the cab 
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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Yea that will be next weekends job. Once it is sealed up then we can work inside in the warm when the weather is shit and outside when it's nice
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Cole
Member
Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: eastbourne Drives:zafira sold now a qashqai
User status: Offline
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what you doing about the access to the engine as obviously the cab wont be able to tilt once youve fixed it to the box
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DannyB
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Feb 08
User status: Offline
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It will still tilt, it would be rather idiotic to block access to the engine
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Online
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The cab will tilt. There's a frame on the box and one on the cab. They bolt together in normal usage and unbolt to allow the cab to tip.
This picture is not our van but the frame is based on this design which is used throughout all the LF horseboxes which we've been and seen.
That pod is smaller and on that one there is furniture either side of the cut-through so they don't make it as large.
On the other vehicle with our pod which also an LF horsebox, the cut-through is larger as the pod and internal configuration of the box will allow it.
The designs are different because we've retained the standard box whereas the horsebox conversions generally do away with the commercial vehicle box and use a bespoke box but this is the more expensive option.
And apologies if Ste offended anyone regarding the vehicle test and approval but we've spent a considerable amount of time reading the necessary documentation and consider that part of the process pretty much boxed off until we need to present it.
The main focus at the moment is getting the pod installed completely so that the vehicle is weatherproof, then we'll be moving on to the lockers and underbody storage.
When that is done there's more big investments to be made because we need to buy the main door and probably book it in for paint shortly after, depending what we do for panels and coverage for transit on the main aperture.
If the funds aren't available then we'll move on to wiring and running pipework for the habitation systems and see where that takes us.
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Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
And apologies if Ste offended anyone regarding the vehicle test
Did I offend anyone 
Sorry if I did. It was just getting like a broken record that every page had comments on how hard it will be to IVA.
Don't worry, it WILL be fine
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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DannyB
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Feb 08
User status: Offline
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Will the cut out have some sort of screen on it for when it isnt being used, like a pull down blind type of thing? will look better when the box is in use at shows etc, could pull it down and block the view of the cab.
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