SWB Vito Conversion

Elbow

Just wondering if anyone here has done a SWB Vito conversion?


I'm after picking up a 2004 vito on the cheap (one of the work vans that was'nt being used anymore) and fancy doing a conversion.

The vito is small inside so i'm looking for help with the layout.


Thanks

shanec1928

google vito campers and theres a good few pictures of different conversions so that should give a some idea

Buford T Justice

You'll have problems re-classifying it if the internal height is less than 1.8 meters.

shanec1928

Fingers McGee wrote: »

You'll have problems re-classifying it if the internal height is less than 1.8 meters.

pop up roof would get ya around that problem but i dont have a clue how much one of those would cost and then to get it fitted wouldnt be cheep id say

Buford T Justice

forza rovers wrote: »

pop up roof would get ya around that problem but i dont have a clue how much one of those would cost and then to get it fitted wouldnt be cheep id say

They won't. When re-classifying, the internal measurement needs to be taken with the pop top closed.

Buford T Justice

OP, if you are seriously considering doing a conversion then my honest opinion is that the van you have will be too small. Its a lot of work (see sig) and if you are going to put that much effort into it, I think a vito will be inadequate.

Just my opinion tho.

peasant

I'd go for a very primitive conversion, homemade with hammer and saw.

A raised platform with storage underneath for a water canister, little camping gaz cooker, maybe a porta-potti and some odds and end and a wide board on top that pulls out to make a full lenght bed.

The tent on wheels approach kind of thing.
Possibly build the whole thing in such a way that you can take it in and out in a few minutes and then just don't bother with trying to get it registered as a camper.

And then get an awning for outside living space

Elbow

Thanks for the reply's everyone, I probably should have phrased my OP a bit better

I've checked out the regulations and i understand that due to it's size i wont be able to do a proper registered conversion. Its something more along the lines of peasant's suggestion that i'm going for, basically a van that i can do some basic cooking and comfortably sleep in for a weekend, so any similar suggestions are much appreciated.

Thanks
Clohane

spaceHopper

For VRT they have reacently change the rule and now the 1.8M is gone but you may sill have problems taxing it as a camper. Call the VRT office in Roslare, they handle all campers. Have a friendly chat with them, then see if you will be able to tax it as a camper. To do this you would need to have it as a proper camper. Look at how much it would cost to do a good job. Also you need to meet the insurance requirments..... Having a "main" car on the road would be a big help for insurance and road tax the first year. Then if need you could tell the insurance you are getting rid of the car and it will cost you double but still afforable. Then the the road tax should go up to but how would they know that

Elbow

spaceHopper wrote: »

For VRT they have reacently change the rule and now the 1.8M is gone but you may sill have problems taxing it as a camper. Call the VRT office in Roslare, they handle all campers. Have a friendly chat with them, then see if you will be able to tax it as a camper. To do this you would need to have it as a proper camper. Look at how much it would cost to do a good job. Also you need to meet the insurance requirments..... Having a "main" car on the road would be a big help for insurance and road tax the first year. Then if need you could tell the insurance you are getting rid of the car and it will cost you double but still afforable. Then the the road tax should go up to but how would they know that

Insurance isnt a major issue, but i'm a bit confused over the VRT & tax etc.

Am i right in saying that to tax it as a camper i need:

Sink
2 Cooking Rings
A Table
A Bed

Fixed to the vehicle all the time???

stevire

spaceHopper wrote: »

For VRT they have reacently change the rule and now the 1.8M is gone but you may sill have problems taxing it as a camper. Call the VRT office in Roslare, they handle all campers. Have a friendly chat with them, then see if you will be able to tax it as a camper. To do this you would need to have it as a proper camper. Look at how much it would cost to do a good job. Also you need to meet the insurance requirments..... Having a "main" car on the road would be a big help for insurance and road tax the first year. Then if need you could tell the insurance you are getting rid of the car and it will cost you double but still afforable. Then the the road tax should go up to but how would they know that

Pretty sure the 1.8m rule is gone only for VRT purposes, to tax the vehicle as a camper I think you need the 1.8m internal height.

Clohane wrote: »

Insurance isnt a major issue, but i'm a bit confused over the VRT & tax etc.

Am i right in saying that to tax it as a camper i need:

Sink
2 Cooking Rings
A Table
A Bed

Fixed to the vehicle all the time???

Table can be removable, the rest that you listed need to be fixed to the vehicle all the time. Also, as mentioned above, I'm pretty sure you need the 1.8m internal height to tax as a camper.

spaceHopper

stevire wrote: »

Pretty sure the 1.8m rule is gone only for VRT purposes, to tax the vehicle as a camper I think you need the 1.8m internal height.

If it's says camper on the cert how can they refuse? It's classed as a camper. All the same I'd get it well checked out before I spent money on it. Also it's not in our interests if people start converting people carriers in campers and drive them every day as they'll just do away with camer tax. Mine's 2.8 ltr old and slow. I'd have to pay 1K+ road tax if it was a car.

Macy0161

stevire wrote: »

Table can be removable, the rest that you listed need to be fixed to the vehicle all the time. Also, as mentioned above, I'm pretty sure you need the 1.8m internal height to tax as a camper.

Bed can be made up as well, it doesn't have to be fixed. For conversions, Dolmen and Stuarts seem to insist on a walk way between the front seats, which is a bit of pain (especially if you need the seat) and added work.

I was under the impression the 1.8m had gone as well, but I'm finding the current regulations as clear as mud and don't have a current need to get definitives.

As to the size - it'll be fine as a campervan. It'd be similar in size to the VW T5 wouldn't it? If that is the case, you could probably use and/or adapt plans for VW campervans. You'd have to ask around about pop tops or high tops - if it's close to the VW's, I wouldn't think it'd be an issue.

It would be a campervan rather than a motorhome. It's a payoff between comfort while you're away, to more regular use as a "day" van and possibly use as a daily driver. We chose the smaller van as we felt we'd use it more for day trips, a base for walks etc. Sure even if it's raining the kids are happy with a bit of drive and picnic in it!

Elbow

Think my best bet is insulate and ply it out, then take a few measurements and see exactly how much room i have 2 play with,
But as its gonna be my main vehicle I'm thinking i'll prob go for the surfbus option with a removable kitchenette and keep tax etc as is.

Macy0161

Technically, I think you'd still be due a tax change, and VRT charge, as it'd be going from a commercial to a private. No idea how rigidly this is being enforced though, after all the cuffufal a few months ago, but there's definitely more tax and insurance checks going on around us.

Elbow

Macy0161 wrote: »

Technically, I think you'd still be due a tax change, and VRT charge, as it'd be going from a commercial to a private. No idea how rigidly this is being enforced though, after all the cuffufal a few months ago, but there's definitely more tax and insurance checks going on around us.

There's not a hope in hell its being taxed as private anyway as far as i'm concerned if i'm using the vehicle 5 or 6 days a week for work related driving its a commercial vehicle (even if its only my laptop and measuring tape i need to carry around most of the time, its still for work).

Anyway back on topic, when its comes to insulation material whats everyones preference?

Buford T Justice

stevire wrote: »

Pretty sure the 1.8m rule is gone only for VRT purposes, to tax the vehicle as a camper I think you need the 1.8m internal height.

Vehicle height has nothing to do with the tax of the van. its when it comes to reclassifying a van to a campervan.

Clohane wrote: »

There's not a hope in hell its being taxed as private anyway as far as i'm concerned if i'm using the vehicle 5 or 6 days a week for work related driving its a commercial vehicle (even if its only my laptop and measuring tape i need to carry around most of the time, its still for work).

Anyway back on topic, when its comes to insulation material whats everyones preference?

I used thermawrap and loftwool. check out my conversion in my sig. all the details are there.

spaceHopper wrote: »

For VRT they have reacently change the rule and now the 1.8M is gone but you may sill have problems taxing it as a camper. that

No problems at all. Unless the vehicle is on the log book as a campervan, then it cannot be taxed as one.

Clohane wrote: »

Insurance isnt a major issue, but i'm a bit confused over the VRT & tax etc.

Am i right in saying that to tax it as a camper i need:

Sink
2 Cooking Rings
A Table
A Bed

Fixed to the vehicle all the time???

Not quite. You need the above and then some. check out this thread for information on what you need to do.

Bear in mind, that if this is going to be a dual purpose vehicle, then you can't exactly re-classify it as a campervan to tax it, pay vrt and then use it commercially.

Elbow

This is all getting very confusing

I've been doing a bit of designing this evening and it's gonna be a surfbus style conversion that i'll be doing. A unit up front containing a combined sink/hob and some storage. The bed/seat will be removable so most of the floor can be clear for work if needed.

As the bed wont be a fixed part of the van and i'll only have a single cooking ring i wont be able to get camper tax & insurance


Thanks for all the replies, i know its not gonna be a proper camper conversion but he help is much appreciated

Aidan_M_M

I bet you'd buy one for the cost of converting.....

Buford T Justice

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

I bet you'd buy one for the cost of converting.....

*Ahem* I'd bet you wouldn't........;)

Elbow

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

I bet you'd buy one for the cost of converting.....

Sorry Aidan but i doubt it,


Anyway more importantly, where's the fun in buying something when i can do a fully custom built job myself

peasant

Reimo do prefab stuff ...gets pretty expensive though

http://www.reimo.com/cgi-bin/r31msvc_menue.pl?&var_html_folgemaske=r31msvccms_blaetterkatalog_index.html&var_hauptpfad=../r31/vc_content/&var_fa1_select=var_fa1_select||69|&var_variable_uebergabe3=2&var_variable_uebergabe=E&var_variable_uebergabe2=0066

Elbow

peasant wrote: »

Reimo do prefab stuff ...gets pretty expensive though

http://www.reimo.com/cgi-bin/r31msvc_menue.pl?&var_html_folgemaske=r31msvccms_blaetterkatalog_index.html&var_hauptpfad=../r31/vc_content/&var_fa1_select=var_fa1_select||69|&var_variable_uebergabe3=2&var_variable_uebergabe=E&var_variable_uebergabe2=0066

Cheers for the link but i'm gonna be doing the majority of the work myself, i'm a cabinetmaker (with a bit of experience with auto electrics) & the brother is a mechanical engineer so between the 2 of us we should be able 2 sort everything

Elbow

Just a quick update on this:

Had a busy day saturday, the van is now fully insulated, the roof is ply lined and carpeted, the floor is in and i have the wiring ran for lights.

Gonna get the rest of the lining done over the next few evenings and i'll fire up a few pics then.

Its not gonna be a full camper conversion but hopefully in a few weeks time i'll have enough done to survive a weekend away comfortably

Buford T Justice

You slid post up a few pics of the work in progress too, I'd like to see it was a work in progress, but then i am a nose buggar . :-)

Elbow

will do fingers, the roof is the only impressive looking bit at the moment but anyway

Buford T Justice

Clohane wrote: »

will do fingers, the roof is the only impressive looking bit at the moment but anyway

It all starts somewhere though, I of all people know that much.